Blog Post #11

In this Blog post, we were to watch four videos. One was on Little Kids… Big Potential by Ms. Cassidy and the other three were interview 1, 2, and 3, with Ms. Cassidy by Dr. Strange. In the video Little Kids…Big Potential, Ms. Cassidy, included her students in the video to explain what they are learning with the use of technology in their classroom. After watching the videos I have learned that Ms. Cassidy is a first grade teacher from Canada. Ms. Cassidy said that she has not always used technology in her classroom. It was not until about ten years ago that she started her technology voyage with a classroom webpage. From there, she received great support from her Technical Coordinator in her school district that she expanded her technology to blogging, videoing, using Skype, using Wiki, and using Nintendo DS in the classroom as technology. Out of all of the techniques that Ms. Cassidy talked about in her classroom, the one that I liked the most was the webpage. I could see myself using a webpage in my class to link appropriate websites, learning material, and class blogs. This was my students would have access to our class website in the class and at home. So the students can share what they are learning at home with their parents and loved ones. The second use of technology that Ms. Cassidy used that I could see myself using in the classroom would be Skype. I feel that is necessary to a have a vast network of connections so that you can Skype with reputable people to learn from. In Ms. Cassidy’s video, she had Skype’d a Geologist, and the geologist was talking about rock with the students. My third use of technology that I would use would be blogging. At first I had my stipulations as to what grade level would be able to use the technology of blogging. Any grade level can, even in kindergarten we can upload our daily writing and put them on our blog. This way my students can see how their handwriting are improving and parents and loved one can leave messages for them. In first grade, like Ms. Cassidy did, allowing student to write sentences on their blogs. The fourth technology that I would use from Ms. Cassidy would be videoing. By allowing students to video what they have learned, it makes them revisit the information in a different way to teach it for the videos. The videos can be uploaded to the class blog, which is linked to our class website.

Ms. Cassidy and the other three were interview 1, 2, and 3,In the interviews Ms. Cassidy explained why she got involved in bring technology into her classroom. She said it all started when her classroom, about ten years ago, received five computers. With the five new computers she made a new center, however, the computers that were given to her class were unable to have programs downloaded to them. So Ms. Cassidy had to turn to technology to make her computers work in her classroom. So she made a class webpage. The webpage allowed the students to play learning activities that Ms. Cassidy approved of. From the webpage she created a blog account for her students; this ultimately changes that pencil and paper writing. Ms. Cassidy said that the blogs are seen by people from all over the world, and when her students see that, it gives them a bigger purpose to write. In the second interview video Ms. Cassidy talked about where people might want to start incorporating technology in their classroom. She said that if you enjoy videos, get a YouTube account and have you and your students create videos. I think that is great advice from Ms. Cassidy. In the third interview video, Ms. Cassidy was answering questions from Dr. Strange’s students. One question I thought that would benefit me in my classroom was, “How often she used blogging in her classroom?”Ms. Cassidy answered that it depends on the students and the class environment. She explained that last year her students blogged everyday when they had center time, however, this year she only blogs once a week with her students. I think that is something that is important to know is it is ok to change things around to fit your students needs, because every student is different as well as the classes. So just having the reassurance that it is ok for a little change in the classroom with technology.