Reflections

YEAH! This was quite the experience! I truly enjoyed the many new things I have learned and I am looking forward to implementing alot of it into new activities this year. My favorite tool from this training was the Digital Storytelling because there are many ways in which I can utilize it. This was an excellent training and I am greatful for everything I have learned. I am really excited to see what all these new tools are going to look like in my class this year!

Tool #11 Digital Citizenship

We as teachers and parents are responsible for teaching, promoting, and modeling good digital citizenship in our children. They should understand 3 key components when accessing the internet.

Safety - First of all, they must always have permission from an adult. It is important that they be careful about what information they reveal online. Release of their name, address, pictures and any other personal information can jeopardize their safety. They should understand that talking to a stranger on the internet is like speaking with a complete stranger in the street...not safe!

Etiquette - The same rules of respect and courtesy that we share in the classroom apply to other aspect of our life, including the internet. Students should be reminded the importance of appropriate use of language.

Encourage Technology - By integrating technology into our classroom activities we also promote a positive and fun outlook and desire for new experiences in the cyber world. Students should have plenty of opportunities to use the computer and any other district-approved technological gadget.

Tool #10 Exploring Mobile Technology and Apps

I saw several apps that I thought could be be useful in the classroom, but I particularly liked Shape Builder LITE which allows student to build shapes with puzzle pieces. It builds fine motor skills, eye-hand coordination and abstract mathematical thinking, excellent for our students! Alphabet Tracing is another application that our students can enjoy. It allows new student to learn and practice the correct shape/form of letters while enjoying the latest technology. An application that can be used just for fun is Glow Coloring which allows students to draw while using beautiful and bright colors. I am really excited to see the enthusiasm our students will have utilizing this new technology in our classrooms!

Tool #9 Sharing Information Through Jing & Skype

Jing seems to be a very useful tool that can help in a classroom to reteach an objective. Because Jing can record your mouse, and everything you click on, you only have to prepare the activity (with plenty of wait time)once and then replay the recording as many times necessary. Of course, this may not be something we as PreK teachers may be able to implement immediately but we may be able to experiment with it a little. Perhaps that may spark some neat ideas for new activities.

I love the way Skype provides the means for sharing with just about anyone. Students can communitate and learn about other cultures with a click of a mouse, literally...and for free! When did we ever think we might be able to do that?

Tool #8 Video Resources

At the beginning of the year, I always speak to my students about germs and the importance of our washing hands. These videos are excellent because they illustrates how germs travel and how to avoid spreading them. Good hygiene is an important objective that needs to be covered with our age group.

Tool #7 Digital Storytelling

This was fun and I think our students could certainly enjoy and benefit from digital storytelling in the classroom! We could act out stories after reading a book. We could set up groups to illustrate different parts of a story and then bring it all together digitally. We could take pictures during field trips and share it in the form of a story with parents to include them in the experience. PhotoStory is something I would love to implement in my classroom this coming year.

Tool #6 Wikis

I really like wikis because they can not only help students with acquiring new information for projects/activities but they can also help promote parental involvement by making information, pictures and other classroom information accessible to them. The convenience of being able to collaborate so easily with other teachers or students with other students make wikis a lot of fun!