Steckel, B., Shinas, V. H., & Van Vaerenewyck, L. (2015). Artistic Technology Integration: Stories From Primary and Elementary Classrooms. Reading Teacher, 69(1), 41-49.
The authors of the article visited with teachers to discuss the ways they integrate technology into their classrooms. They also gave 6 guiding principles, or recommendations, for integrating technology into your own classroom. The first teacher to be interviewed was Elizabeth. Her kindergarten students are learning about Middle Eastern culture. Elizabeth uses technology to fully immerse her students into the culture they are studying. For example, the students are reading the blog of a National Geographic journalist who is traveling through the Middle East and posting questions for him to answer. After reading his response they listened to music from the Middle East, imagining they were traveling in a camel caravan. Technology allowed her students to make a connection to a culture unlike their own.
Dawn teaches in a prekindergarten classroom and her curriculum centers on an inquiry-based approach to learning. Her students use book creation apps and picture collage apps to document their experiences in her classroom. They can use book creator to record their voices telling about things they did and saw that day. The picture collage app can be shared with their parents through the classroom blog. On the flip side of things, Dawn realizes that students still need to use pencil and paper for some assignments. She finds that there needs to be a balance between digital and traditional media.
Mary is a first grade teacher who uses computers in her classroom as blogging centers. She finds that students are more engaged when they have a real purpose and a real audience for their writing. Her students will post but also comment on other classmate's writing through the blogs. Mary also uses iPods to for a digital library in her classroom. She will record herself reading books related to the curriculum content.
Bradley also uses technology to allow his 1st grade students to get their writing out to a broader audience. His students learn how to make accommodations for their peers by creating voice bubble's in their digital text, or pairing words and pictures.
Deidre uses technology to differentiate instruction for her fourth grade students. She may start each class by teaching to the whole group, but later they will break into groups depending on skill level. Some groups might use the computers to watch Khan Academy videos, while others might use paper and pencil to solve problems.
The authors discuss a few guiding principles for integrating technology into your own classroom. The first is that teachers don't have to be technology experts to use technology in their classrooms. Most of the tools that these teachers were using were not extremely complicated or "high tech". It was the ways that the teachers used them in their classroom that made the most impact.
The second recommendation is that teachers need to first identify what kind of tool they need before integrating technology. It is important to know what skills students will be focusing on and to find technology tools that relate to those skills. Do not just use any old technology for the sake of using technology.
The authors suggested using a gradual release of responsibility when using technology. At the beginning the students will be apprentices by learning from their teachers, but after some time the teacher will back off and allow their students more control.
This article helped me realize that I do not need to have the best most comprehensive forms of technology in my classroom, but I do need to find technology tools that are best suited to my students. Even if it's just using the interactive whiteboard, or using book creator apps, teachers can find the best tools for their student's needs. They can be simple tools and that's alright. I really liked reading about the teacher who records herself reading books for a digital library. It is a great tool for younger students still learning how to read. I am thinking of incorporating a digital art library in my art classroom.
The authors of the article visited with teachers to discuss the ways they integrate technology into their classrooms. They also gave 6 guiding principles, or recommendations, for integrating technology into your own classroom. The first teacher to be interviewed was Elizabeth. Her kindergarten students are learning about Middle Eastern culture. Elizabeth uses technology to fully immerse her students into the culture they are studying. For example, the students are reading the blog of a National Geographic journalist who is traveling through the Middle East and posting questions for him to answer. After reading his response they listened to music from the Middle East, imagining they were traveling in a camel caravan. Technology allowed her students to make a connection to a culture unlike their own.
Dawn teaches in a prekindergarten classroom and her curriculum centers on an inquiry-based approach to learning. Her students use book creation apps and picture collage apps to document their experiences in her classroom. They can use book creator to record their voices telling about things they did and saw that day. The picture collage app can be shared with their parents through the classroom blog. On the flip side of things, Dawn realizes that students still need to use pencil and paper for some assignments. She finds that there needs to be a balance between digital and traditional media.
Mary is a first grade teacher who uses computers in her classroom as blogging centers. She finds that students are more engaged when they have a real purpose and a real audience for their writing. Her students will post but also comment on other classmate's writing through the blogs. Mary also uses iPods to for a digital library in her classroom. She will record herself reading books related to the curriculum content.
Bradley also uses technology to allow his 1st grade students to get their writing out to a broader audience. His students learn how to make accommodations for their peers by creating voice bubble's in their digital text, or pairing words and pictures.
Deidre uses technology to differentiate instruction for her fourth grade students. She may start each class by teaching to the whole group, but later they will break into groups depending on skill level. Some groups might use the computers to watch Khan Academy videos, while others might use paper and pencil to solve problems.
The authors discuss a few guiding principles for integrating technology into your own classroom. The first is that teachers don't have to be technology experts to use technology in their classrooms. Most of the tools that these teachers were using were not extremely complicated or "high tech". It was the ways that the teachers used them in their classroom that made the most impact.
The second recommendation is that teachers need to first identify what kind of tool they need before integrating technology. It is important to know what skills students will be focusing on and to find technology tools that relate to those skills. Do not just use any old technology for the sake of using technology.
The authors suggested using a gradual release of responsibility when using technology. At the beginning the students will be apprentices by learning from their teachers, but after some time the teacher will back off and allow their students more control.
This article helped me realize that I do not need to have the best most comprehensive forms of technology in my classroom, but I do need to find technology tools that are best suited to my students. Even if it's just using the interactive whiteboard, or using book creator apps, teachers can find the best tools for their student's needs. They can be simple tools and that's alright. I really liked reading about the teacher who records herself reading books for a digital library. It is a great tool for younger students still learning how to read. I am thinking of incorporating a digital art library in my art classroom.
I like the idea of an apprenticeship for technology in the classroom. We tend to forget that students may be experts in some forms of technology, but they are not experts in all of them. It's hard to balance the teaching them the tech and teaching them the course content.
ReplyDeleteI think sometimes it is easy to want the newest and best tech, but I agree with your closing points. You need the right tech, even if that is something small and "simple". Not every classroom needs to have the "Cadillac" of tech, when a nice "Accord" will do the same job in a more effective manner.
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