Last week I set the goals of integrating more technology into my classroom to teach and re-enforce vocabulary. This will help to provide the students with the flexibility to learn the way that is most effective for them. (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). Some of the ways I would like to introduce to the students to be able to do this would be video presentations with editing, multimedia presentations with voice thread, or vocabulary webpages for the class to access. To be able to better enable my students to create these presentations, I will look on the Internet for help to learn how to edit digital videos. I am also going to recommend to our district technology person that one of the PLU classes he offer be Enhancing classroom instruction through technology: video editing. The librarian offers a digital video camera for classroom use. I will use this with the students and work with the technology professional to learn how to use the software on the school computers to create edited videos. One way I have started working in this area is to reserve the computer lab and digital camera, and have had the students start working on scripts using the vocabulary. As a class we have discussed what we want the video to demonstrate and teach.
Another goal I set for myself was to use the Webpage to better communicate with the students and parents. I have started looking for websites that will help me improve my website. Also I have started discussing with the computer keyboard teacher how to improve my website. One way I have started using implementing actions to achieve this goal is adding a homework page so that parents can check each night to see if their students have an assignment do. Another thing I have done is to place my Power Point presentations on grammar and vocabulary on the website so that the students are able to access the information from home and review it at their own pace. I would like to find some information on how to create interactive games to add to the website so that there would be some drill and memory activities for the students who need it.
References:
Laureate Education, Inc. (2009) Meeting Student Needs With Technology, Part 1. Boston, MA: Laureate Press.
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Carla,
ReplyDeleteYou could put links to specific game activities that you want your students to practice. However, I don't know how you would track how often or by whom the links were being used.
http://www.visuwords.com/
This is a cool site I love to play with myself. I havn't quite figured out how to introduce it to my ELL students; I am afraid it might be too visual and overwhelm them.
I too have a webpage for my classroom. At the beginning of the year, I spent time with my class using Smart Board software to show them the workings of the webpage. I wanted them to be able to navigate the page and see where all of the information was located. Then I gave them a tracking sheet. Each time they visit the webpage from home, they list the date and the purpose of their visit. Parents then initial the page to show they are aware their student visited the page. At the end of each month, I offer extra credit to each student who has completed a tracking sheet. This has helped to eliminate many parent phone calls with questions about class or assignments.
ReplyDeleteFrom the sounds of your GAME Plan, you and I have similar goals. I too have been trying to set up my page to be more user friendly and have the students use the page more frequently than they do. One of the things that Virginia said sparked my interest, and I began to create an online game through classtools.net that would be a nice review game for my students. Supposedly you can imbed them into your school pages, however, I have yet to figure out how.
ReplyDeleteCarla,
ReplyDeleteI like your use of a vocabulary webpage for students to study. Is this set up like a wiki, where students could be expected to contribute to the list as well? I also agree with other comments posted here that indicate the use of technology for fun learning activities created by you and your students.
-Stephen St. Georges
Mrs. H, the idea of a form that they could track their Webpage usage is a very good idea. I haven't been able to track it to this point except when the parents send me e-mails about things they see on it. The students tell me they are using it but I have not tracked its usage before to see what is most effective on it. The form would give me the ability to check what is being used the most.
ReplyDeleteStephen, at this time I have not been able to set up a wiki page because the administration will not approve it. We do vocabulary presentations in class and work on multimedia presentations using the vocabulary and I post these on the webpage to show student participation. They enjoy studying using their own work.
Travis, I too am still trying to learn to imbed games in my webpage other than the textbook helps I let them link to. I also encourage them to link to other games that I have found on the Internet that will reenforce what we are learning in school.
Carla,
ReplyDeleteI saw that you said your administration will not approve of a wiki for vocabulary work. Would they allow students to add vocabulary words to a Voice Thread or some type of Podcast? If not, what about having them submit vocabulary assignments via Google Docs, where you could then link those documents to the class webpage? Just some thoughts.
Ginger
I use a blog for my homework and classwork assignments. I have kept it up to date since the first of the year. Whenever a student is absent and comes to me for homework, I can simply give them the blog address - everything else is listed there. Also, as our district fights through the H1N1 virus, students who have multiple absences can log in and look at what they have missed. I also post homework and classwork a week in advance, so students leaving on vacation can get their work in advance.
ReplyDeleteOur district also requires teachers to submit curriculum maps each month, so I always have a list of work and assignments when I need them.
I do keep a list of all assignments and homework on my webpage for the students to be able to see as well as the parents. As far as wiki pages and blogs go, our district will only allow blogs that the teacher is able to check before a student posts their comments. I am not sure if there is that kind of security on a wiki page. Also I do not know if it would defeat the purpose of the wiki page if no one could post until I had approved their work.
ReplyDeleteMrs. L, that is a great idea you have for your classroom. It is a good thing to ask your coordinator for help. You need that help and they should provide it for you. It is a good thing. Letting people help you is a good thing.
ReplyDelete