Comments for TLITE Online

Comment on More on Using Technology in a Kindergarten classroom by Mike Link

Mike Link — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 03:17:17 +0000

Hi Debbie,
You obviously are keen to provide a rich learning environment for your students, but there are many reasons why using technology in a kindergarten classroom is the wrong way to go about it. As an elementary teacher myself, and a graduate from the TLITE program at SFU, I would recommend reading, “Crisis in the Kindergarten: Why Children Need to Play in School.” Here’s the link if you’re interested.

http://www.allianceforchildhood.org/sites/allianceforchildhood.org/files/file/kindergarten_report.pdf

I would highly recommend that you at least skim it over.

Good luck to you in your TLITE program.

Comment on Blogging with Grade Three Students by Tania

Tania — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:27:04 +0000

I think its swell to get elementary students writing this way combined of course with in-class writing. I read somewhere that its when you get your first ‘comment’ on your blog that it really gets exciting. This is the challenge, to first get student peers, other classes and then perhaps other schools and beyond. With my own blogging, I am finding that i use it more like a journal, reflections etc. I’m seeing older students who basically are ‘blogging’ in Facebook, using ‘notes’ and getting feedback as well-or tagging…

Comment on Blogging with Grade Three Students by bjcarlson

bjcarlson — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:07:24 +0000

Aleesha:
Sounds like a great idea – how are your kids enjoying writing on the blog. My class has made very short comments about their classmates puppets but have not yet put anything of substance on.

Comment on Global Collaborative Projects are great Pro D by pmacoun

pmacoun — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:31:23 +0000

Hi Lindsay,

Thanks for your comments. The Digiteen Project and The Flat Classroom Project are two completely separate projects. I was involved with the Digiteen Project which focuses on Digital Citizenship. Both projects have a Ning component (that the students use to get to know each other and to post reflections on their blogs) and a Wiki component (in the Digiteen project the student groups used it to collaboratively write about the different elements of Digital Citizenship). Both websites are public but only approved members can make any changes. This turned out to be a really important part of the project as the kids did do innappropriate things, but we were able to turn them into teachable moments because of the public nature of the space.

I use thinkquest.org to provide my gr 6 and 7 students with a safe password protected space for learning about Digital Safety and it works really well. There is also an amazing teacher in Thailand called Kim Cofino who organises a lot of global collaborative projects for younger students. Here is a list of what she is doing this year.

http://mscofino.edublogs.org/projects/

Comment on Global Collaborative Projects are great Pro D by Lindsay Parkes

Lindsay Parkes — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:38:00 +0000

Hi,

I was intrigued by your experiences in your post. I wanted to do further research and when I clicked on your links for digiteen project and Flat Classroom Ning I was hoping to find some answers. From what I can see, the digiteen project seems to be an online blog for students and others? The Flat Classroom Ning is a sort of wiki that allows students around the world to collaborate together on projects? It sounds really neat. I teach grade 6/7 and I’m not sure what age this sort of project is appropriate for. I currently use a wiki in my classroom, so I’m aware of how it works. I have some questions as I would be concerned that it isn’t private, unless once you contact other classes then you make it private? Thanks for your post and your time.

Comment on Kindergarten Technology by Errin

Errin — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 06:02:00 +0000

You can use a digital camera as a week long center choice or assignment in K. The class ‘photographer’ can be a week long position where one child is responsible all week for recording special events, etc in the classroom with the digital camera – kind of like a photojournalist assignment. Each child gets a turn if you want, or it could be a choice – there are many ways you could set it up. I taught K for two years a while back and I really miss the fabulous world of five year olds! Enjoy your TLITE experience in that special environment!

Comment on Blogging with Grade Three Students by Aleesha Dillen

Aleesha Dillen — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 07:15:48 +0000

Thanks Jo-Anne! The students will be able to read or respond to our blog at home if they have Internet access.

We have one period a week in our lab at school (45 min) and we have a small pod of computers in the hall outside our room that they can use at any time. I plan to send them out in pairs or small groups during our morning reading time to read our blogs and see how it goes from there.

Comment on Blogging with Grade Three Students by Jo-Anne Rennie

Jo-Anne Rennie — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:33:13 +0000

Sounds great! Will the students have access at home and at school? How much access will your class have to the computers @ school?

Comment on Field Study working with a small group of students by Darryl Cummings

Darryl Cummings — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:00:50 +0000

Intothebook is an amazing resource for teaching reading comprehension following the ideas of Reading Power. Check it out!

Comment on Kindergarten Technology by Aleesha Dillen

Aleesha Dillen — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:22:15 +0000

Hi Betty! I have used Comic Life with my students and they really love it. The classroom books we have made using that program become fast favourites so I am sure your Ks will really enjoy them as well.

The only issue I came across was printing them. I hope you have access to a colour printer because the black and white ones are not quite as effective. But maybe you could create a slideshow of their comic strips to be veiwed on a classroom computer rather than printing them all?