Since I was very young, I have embraced technology for learning and connecting with others. I used a desktop computer on my own time to create images in Photoshop, study Russian history, and write collaborative fiction with authors around the world. Today my love for technology has grown beyond enjoyment and has found utility in building professional connections, enhancing professional development, and providing unique educational opportunities to my students.
Professional Connection and Collaboration
In 2012, I became familiar with the use of Twitter for teacher collaboration. I was fascinated at the communities that formed as a result of a common hashtag and the expertise that came through in less than 140 characters. Weekly chats such as #kinderchat and #teacherfriends allowed people in similar educational contexts to come together and discuss topics related to their practice in an open, positive environment. These tags were also used throughout the week to connect Twitter-using educators to resources, articles, new contacts and opportunities across the world.
Seeing this incredible use of social media, I wondered if it could be used as a tool to connect British Columbia's pre-service educators. Our geographically vast province is home to nine unique teacher education programs, and there is little contact between the students who pursue these programs. I was so fortunate to meet Miss Cassandra Whelan and Ms Sarah Moore, students in VIU and UBC's TEd programs, and together we began #BCStuTeach, an educational community that supports student teachers in BC. Our hashtag is used to share success stories, blog posts, practicum resources, and discuss topics related to Teacher Education. We are proud of what our community has accomplished in the year since it was established.
Seeing this incredible use of social media, I wondered if it could be used as a tool to connect British Columbia's pre-service educators. Our geographically vast province is home to nine unique teacher education programs, and there is little contact between the students who pursue these programs. I was so fortunate to meet Miss Cassandra Whelan and Ms Sarah Moore, students in VIU and UBC's TEd programs, and together we began #BCStuTeach, an educational community that supports student teachers in BC. Our hashtag is used to share success stories, blog posts, practicum resources, and discuss topics related to Teacher Education. We are proud of what our community has accomplished in the year since it was established.
Putting Little Ones in the Mix
An inherent challenge of having a Kindergarten class is building the social and fine motor skills to master writing, courtesy and communication. With computers, children are also learning how to type and navigate a keyboard. This is an enormous challenge for a five year old just learning letters and numbers, and then having to associate them with a place on the keyboard.
Devices such as iPads and SMARTboards have made technology more accessible to our youngest learners. With the ability to create apps freely available to the public, opportunities for play and learning have multiplied over the last five years in Education. I believe that the best introduction to technology is at the hands of a capable educator who understands that there is a difference between "tech for tech's sake" and "learning with the support of connective practices.
My personal philosophy is that quality apps and programs should be freely available to all students, with limited exceptions. Open-source programs such as Stellarium provide access to knowledge beyond what the original developers intended, adding interesting features beyond what can be paid for. The apps should also be flexible and have the capacity to be used in more than three different ways, to differentiate and expand students' abilities to showcase learning. Applications like Puppet EDU make it easy for students to write stories, create personal read-alouds, and make step-by-step instructions for a task. Flexibility means less app purchases! Lastly, all programs should be used to extend or enhance learning, rather than replace my role as a teacher. I don't purchase games, even "educational" ones, as I feel they are unnecessary distractions to hands-on learning.
Devices such as iPads and SMARTboards have made technology more accessible to our youngest learners. With the ability to create apps freely available to the public, opportunities for play and learning have multiplied over the last five years in Education. I believe that the best introduction to technology is at the hands of a capable educator who understands that there is a difference between "tech for tech's sake" and "learning with the support of connective practices.
My personal philosophy is that quality apps and programs should be freely available to all students, with limited exceptions. Open-source programs such as Stellarium provide access to knowledge beyond what the original developers intended, adding interesting features beyond what can be paid for. The apps should also be flexible and have the capacity to be used in more than three different ways, to differentiate and expand students' abilities to showcase learning. Applications like Puppet EDU make it easy for students to write stories, create personal read-alouds, and make step-by-step instructions for a task. Flexibility means less app purchases! Lastly, all programs should be used to extend or enhance learning, rather than replace my role as a teacher. I don't purchase games, even "educational" ones, as I feel they are unnecessary distractions to hands-on learning.