Recommendations+and+Ideas+for+using+technology

__** Recommendations: **__ For teachers (new and old) there is a range of resources and support available for discovering how to incorporate technology effectively in teaching. One very user friendly and easy to follow book is “Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms” by Will Richardson. As described on the blurb “It will move educators to think differently about technology’s potential for strengthening students’ critical thinking, writing, reflection, and interactive learning……This book makes it possible for anyone, no matter how inexperienced, to harness this amazing technology for the classroom today!”

The book dedicates a chapter to a number of different technology ‘tools’ which can be used in the classroom. Each chapter provides a thorough and easy to understand description of the technology involved, along with how to set it up, possibilities and potential for its use in the classroom, examples of how it has been used in schools and direct links and instructions for implementing it yourself.

With some time set aside for personal research and experimentation or ‘developmental play’ it is possible for teachers to explore the possibilities of using these technologies and when confident attempt to implement it within their teaching program. It is important to remember that the students who are coming into schools now are tech savvy and already have some prior knowledge and understandings of use of technology, software and webtools (internet). They are immersed in this type of environment both in their school and at home. It can be a highly beneficial and engaging learning experience for students to share their knowledge and for teachers and students to teach, learn and grow together.

__** Ideas for using technology in the Early Years Literacy Program: **__ Wikis – Can be used to create online texts that teachers and students can contribute to. Allows collaboration by all students and co-construction of texts. Can also be set up as a gallery or collection of student or class work which can be added to and edited online. Two free wiki sites for education: www.wikispaces.com From here you will be able to take a tour and look at the features available for this site. [] - Free basic classroom workspaces. More information can be found by clicking the link ‘Learn More’.

Blogs – Are great for use as publishing tools and allowing students to access their work at home and school. Also great for journal writing and whole class collaborations. [] []

Creating Movies from writing and stories which children develop: [] - Allows the user to select characters, settings and other features and then type in dialogue to create a movie. Windows Movie Maker - a readily available program which allows you to insert photos and pictures to make your own movie. Help for using windows movie maker: []

Other Ideas: *Using free software such as PowerPoint to create slide shows or movies based on students’ wrtiting *Using document cameras to display objects, books, graphics, student work etc See [] for tips. *Using wireless writing pads or tablets for engaging students See [] for ideas.