The Free Tech for
Teachers blog has so many inspiring new technologies that I can incorporate in
my classroom! I am most excited about a
new technology idea found on readwritethink.org. Students have the ability to create a Venn Diagram
using an iPad, laptop, or desktop. After
reading the article on Creation Versus Consumption, I realized that all of the
technology we use in my classroom is for consuming information (or
assessing). While watching the YouTube
video “Learning and Creating with iPads in Kindergarten,” I was impressed that
five-year-olds can properly take pictures and make a movie to align with their
butterfly unit. That’s quite impressive!
There was a statement
in the TPACK article that stood out to me, “Teachers need to
reject functional fixedness (Duncker, 1945) and develop skills to look beyond
most common uses for technologies…” This
spoke to me because in the elementary setting, I am fixed on the idea of having
students “get” information from technology. Where is the time for creative technology projects? I feel, though, that it is an important skill
to be able to “create” work using technology.
It will also be a skill that sticks with a student because they are
active members in constructing their learning.
A couple weeks
ago, our 3rd grade comprehension skill was identifying and using
Compare & Contrast. Students made
Venn Diagrams on posters to find similarities and differences of animals in the
Mojave Desert…how boring, especially since they could have used technology to
complete this assignment! I plan to use
the readwritethink.org Student Interactive Venn Diagram when we study Causes
& Effects again!
thinkwriteread.org- Student Interactive Venn Diagram
Hi Angie, I also found it interesting in the article in regards to creation, not consumption because it does seem like we spent most of our time "getting" information from technology and not "creating." It is very hard to find time in our curriculum for students to create so I really like your idea of simply creating a venn diagram on the computer rather then together on chart paper. Thanks for sharing the link because I got some other ideas on there as well.
ReplyDeleteI like the Venn Diagram. It seems very helpful for students analyzing readings or any subjects. I will introduce this web to my students too. Also, there is a web called cacoon.com about editing outline of any projects. Thanks, Angie!
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