Classroom Fun With Digital Stories and Other Technology

Hello one and all! 

     Gosh, the more I learn about ways to infuse technology into language arts instruction the more excited I am to try these tools in the classroom!  Within the alst few weeks I have explored uses of both blogs and wikis in the classroom as both a teacher tool to inform the school community about accomplishments of the class, and as a student tool for writing extensions and differentiating activities.  Although both blogs and wikis require a well designed plan for their use in the classroom that includes a plan for maintaining student privacy and security, these tools when used smartly can really extend learning and engage the students.
    
     After working on a digital story to serve as a "hook" for a 3rd grade science unit I can hardly wait to introduce my students to digital storytelling.  Making my digital story to introduce Virginia Science SOL 4.6 (Eath-Moon-Sun relationships) was a blast.  The software I used, Microsoft Photostory 3, is really easy to use, and also is lots of fun.  With very little practice I was able to make a very professional looking story that I know my kids will really enjoy watching.  I am equally excited to have my kids begin to use the Photostory 3 software themselves.  This software is so easy to use and the kids will be able to quickly begin to make their own stories.  I forsee this as another great vehicle that allows kids to share what they have learned! 

Here is a link for teachers to a University of Houston site that elaborates on the use of digital storytelling;
http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/

Until next time....

Mr. B

Overwhelmed by Wikis?

So....I think I have been convinced that Wikis have a definite place in a student centered classroom.  However, the more I learn about wikis the more I feel like I am spinning in circles trying to figure out just how to use them, set them up, gain permission for to use them in an elementary classroom environment, etc., etc...

I feel like figuring out how to use wikis in my classroom is like getting lost in a never ending maze of questions.  So here are a few concept maps about the orginization of wikis.  There is so much out there on the web, I can hardly wait to do so more searching to help me find my way out of the maze.

Unitl next time.....

Mr. B

Wow, Blogs...What a Powerful Literacy Tool

Let's file this under "Things That Mr. B. Didn't Know"....

After reading the chapter titled "Blogging and New Literacies" from Diane Penrod's Using Blogs to Enhance Literacy my eyes are wide open.  As a new blogger I had never given consideration to the wonderful ways that blogging can enhance literacy development.  As I read the four affects Ms. Penrod suggests blogging has on literacy development they made total sense.  Here they are again;

1. Blogging encourages fluency in writing. 
2. Blogging encourages cooperative learning.
3. Blogging encourages critical thinking.
4. Blogging encourages performance based learning among other cross-curricular strategies.

In a nutshell, students view blogging as fun, not work!  The nature of blogging lends itself to cooperative learning as a collective intelligence regarding a topic is developed through posting to other sites and threads.  A blogger must be able to back up their opinions, so persuasive and argumentative writing skills must develop. If teachers are to be providing real-world context to their lessons, then blogging fits the bill!

Especially eye-opening is the powerful affect blogging can have for special needs students.  Ms. Penrod makes a wonderful point when she discusses how through use of a blog a special needs student escapes their "body", and any of the labels and preconceptions that may go along with their special needs designation.   In my field placement over two-thirds of the class is labelled ESOL.  When I googled ESOL students and the effects of blogging on literacy development I couldn't believe how much material is out there on the internet.  Check this site out for more information on the uses of blogs to promote literacy development with ESOL students: http://esl-lab.blogspot.com/ ....

Mr. B