I would use the Jigsaw method to teach word processing skills by splitting the class into 5 equal groups. Each person in the group would be responsible for learning an new skill, for example; inserting a picture, in an expert group. The other group memebers would be responsible for learning other skills. In their expert group they would learn the skill and discuss together how to present it back to their group. Once this is done the orginal groups could get back together and use their new skills to teach each other and perhaps produce a document that I have set specifically to showcase their new skills.
One advantage of this method could be that it could allow those students who are less confident to become proficient at a skill and have the opportunity to teach others. They could then be seen as a classroom expert so that when another student needs assistance they would know who to ask rather than relying on the teacher or one other student. We could display a list in the classroom identifying who is an expert at each skill.
A disadvantage of this could be that in a large class the groups would be rather large and hard to engage all students in learning a skill when computer time is limited. There is an opportunity for some students to take over, especially in the 'expert group' preventing all experts to develop a clear understanding of the skill. This could result in a student feeling pressured to be an expert when they are not fully confident about the skill. As a teacher you would need to monitor this closely.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Google for Educators
There were lots of Classroom Tools that I would use from Google for Educators. 3 specific tools that I would use are: Blogger, Google News and the Calendar.
Blogger - I would use blogger as a way for the students to communicate with both myself, their classmates and to express themselves. Blogging would be an integral part of my literacy program, students could write book reports, discuss interesting information or respond to visual texts or performances. Blogging would be built into my daily program. For boys especially writing on the computer is nowhere near as boring as writing on paper. Blogging would be a great motivator for writing.
Google News - Google News would be a great tool for keeping students up-to-date with what is happening in the world. I can envisage having a classroom roster where each day a specific student is responsible for checking the daily news on Google News and choosing one thing to report to the class on. This would be a great way to raise the student's awareness of what is happening in the big wide world. The class could also use Google News for researching specific topics and following particular news stories. This would also be a great research tool.
Calendar - This tool would be really useful as a teacher, the ability to log on and off at home and not have 3 different claendars operating at once would be a wonderful help. With students they could use it to keep track of what is happening(without asking their teacher a thousand times!) in the classroom program. The student's could add information that is important to them as a way of sharing with the class. Parents could also use this tool to keep track of what is happening at school, (especially if their child sometimes 'forgets' to take home important information!) It could help those students with access at home to remember to bring things that are important for the next day. The possibilities are endless!
Using Google Docs with students has many advantages but the big one that stands out to me is the flexibility it offers when working at different sites. Students would have the flexibility to work on any computer with internet access, any where within or outside of the school. This is particularly important when you have limited computers in your classroom. I think it would be much harder for students to lose their work, as they are often not sure where they saved it. if it is in their Google Docs account then that is where it would stay. Students who were sick or away for an extended period of time would be able to continue to work on classroom programs, what a great way to allow them to continue to be and feel like part of the class. This flexibilty to continue with their work at home, school or anywhere else is the biggest advantage that is evident to me about Google Docs.
Blogger - I would use blogger as a way for the students to communicate with both myself, their classmates and to express themselves. Blogging would be an integral part of my literacy program, students could write book reports, discuss interesting information or respond to visual texts or performances. Blogging would be built into my daily program. For boys especially writing on the computer is nowhere near as boring as writing on paper. Blogging would be a great motivator for writing.
Google News - Google News would be a great tool for keeping students up-to-date with what is happening in the world. I can envisage having a classroom roster where each day a specific student is responsible for checking the daily news on Google News and choosing one thing to report to the class on. This would be a great way to raise the student's awareness of what is happening in the big wide world. The class could also use Google News for researching specific topics and following particular news stories. This would also be a great research tool.
Calendar - This tool would be really useful as a teacher, the ability to log on and off at home and not have 3 different claendars operating at once would be a wonderful help. With students they could use it to keep track of what is happening(without asking their teacher a thousand times!) in the classroom program. The student's could add information that is important to them as a way of sharing with the class. Parents could also use this tool to keep track of what is happening at school, (especially if their child sometimes 'forgets' to take home important information!) It could help those students with access at home to remember to bring things that are important for the next day. The possibilities are endless!
Using Google Docs with students has many advantages but the big one that stands out to me is the flexibility it offers when working at different sites. Students would have the flexibility to work on any computer with internet access, any where within or outside of the school. This is particularly important when you have limited computers in your classroom. I think it would be much harder for students to lose their work, as they are often not sure where they saved it. if it is in their Google Docs account then that is where it would stay. Students who were sick or away for an extended period of time would be able to continue to work on classroom programs, what a great way to allow them to continue to be and feel like part of the class. This flexibilty to continue with their work at home, school or anywhere else is the biggest advantage that is evident to me about Google Docs.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Augmentative and Alternative Communication Devices
Wow what wonderful tools these Alternative Communication devices are! Having worked with Autistic children I know that one of the most frustrating things for everyone is the inability to connect with others. I think the importance of being able to communicate is well highlighted in the following youtube clip (I'm sure it's an advertisement but it's good) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eb_URYj_L_k The frustration of not being able to communicate applies to the individual with autisim and all those who work with and care about them, their family, teacher, support staff, friends and classmates.
Having a device like the Dynavox V http://www.dynavoxtech.com/products/v/features.aspx or something similar could open up a whole new world of communication for a child. I would use this to allow the child to communicate in the classroom in a way that everyone else can understand them and what they have to say. Whilst it wouldn't erase all the issues that autistic children have it would give them more access than they currently have now. They could use such a tool to participate in classroom discussions, express their feelings, likes and dislikes, something that is often extremly difficult for autistic children. Communicating with others would increase their confidence and feeling of belonging in the classroom. It would give them a sense of security and routine, very imprtant things to us all but especially people with autism. The portability of it means that they would have a lot more access to all classroom activities not just those that involve sitting at a desk or a computer.
Wow I wish I had access to one of these for my student a few years ago.
Having a device like the Dynavox V http://www.dynavoxtech.com/products/v/features.aspx or something similar could open up a whole new world of communication for a child. I would use this to allow the child to communicate in the classroom in a way that everyone else can understand them and what they have to say. Whilst it wouldn't erase all the issues that autistic children have it would give them more access than they currently have now. They could use such a tool to participate in classroom discussions, express their feelings, likes and dislikes, something that is often extremly difficult for autistic children. Communicating with others would increase their confidence and feeling of belonging in the classroom. It would give them a sense of security and routine, very imprtant things to us all but especially people with autism. The portability of it means that they would have a lot more access to all classroom activities not just those that involve sitting at a desk or a computer.
Wow I wish I had access to one of these for my student a few years ago.
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