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Standard
I: Technology Operations and Concepts
Teachers
demonstrate a sound understanding of technology operations and concepts.
Teachers:
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Demonstrate introductory
knowledge, skills and understanding of concepts related to technology.
-
Demonstrate continual
growth in technology knowledge and skills to stay abreast of current and
emerging technologies.
Over the past few years, learning how to use technology in the classroom
has been a primary focus. I learned how to use scanners (Exhibit
#3), digital cameras (Exhibit
#2), and Internet usage (Exhibit
#6) with children. Over the past year, I have broadened my
knowledge to include the use of Power Point (Exhibit
#2), children's software (Exhibit
#3 &
Exhibit #4),
and voice recordings (Exhibit #2).
Furthermore, this is the second semester that I have participated in the
MITTEN Project.
Standard II: Planning
and Designing Learning Environments and Experiences
Teachers
plan and design effective learning environments and experiences supported
by technology. Teachers:
-
Design developmentally
appropriate learning opportunities that apply technology enhanced instructional
strategies to support the diverse needs of learners.
-
Apply current research
on teaching and learning with technology when planning learning environments
and experiences.
-
Identify and locate
technology resources and evaluate them for accuracy and suitability.
-
Plan strategies
to manage student learning in a technology enhanced environment.
The Who's Who Board (Exhibit #1)
is a good example of incorporating technology use into the classroom environment.
It is displayed in our entrance way and used for a number of purposes.
Some of the children simply enjoy looking at themselves and their peers.
Others refer to the board to help them spell their names. A few children
have begun searching for the names of their peers. They need them
to write notes to a favorite friend. Also, the self portraits (Exhibit
# 3) are displayed around the computer, demonstrating appropriate
use of technology with young children.
Standard III:
Teaching Learning and the Curriculum
Teachers implement curriculum plans that include methods and strategies
for applying technology to maximize student learning. Teachers:
-
Facilitate technology-enhanced
experiences that address content standards and student technology standards.
-
Use technology
to support learner-centered strategies that address the diverse needs of
students.
-
Apply technology
to develop students' higher order skills and creativity.
-
Manage student
learning activities in a technology-enhanced environment.
The self-portraits (Exhibit #3),
writing names (Exhibit #4),
and the people blocks (Exhibit #5)
are all lessons that develop curriculum through the use of technology.
Self-awareness is a large focus of the kindergarten curriculum. Children
learn about themselves, their bodies, the five senses, and their families
throughout the year. We also focus on representing thought on paper,
developing drawing and writing abilities. As children wrote their
names, they developed such skills as letter recognition (identifying letters
on the keyboard), fine motor abilities (manipulating the mouse to form
the letters), and observation skills (seeing the different fonts and sizes
of the letters). Interactions with one another are also very important
to build a unified classroom community. The children were able to
work through previous conflicts with one another and set up social situations
by using the block people.
Standard IV: Assessment
and Evaluation
Teachers apply technology to facilitate a variety of effective assessment
and evaluation strategies. Teachers:
-
Apply technology
in assessing student learning of subject matter using a variety of assessment
techniques.
-
Use technology
resources to collect and analyze data, interpret results, and communicate
findings to improve instructional practice and maximize student learning.
-
Apply multiple
methods of evaluation to determine students' appropriate use of technology
resources for learning, communication, and productivity.
Hand-drawn portraits and computer portraits (Exhibit
#3) were compared to identify individual children's strengths and
weaknesses. Additional lessons were planned to provide support for
children in areas of difficulty. Finding our cities in Yahoo Maps
(Exhibit #6) was a great evaluative
tool. While working with individual children and observing their
dialogue with their peers, I was able to determine who knew their addresses
and phone numbers. Approximately half of the children had these skills.
I planned follow up center activities on subsequent days and targeted the
children who need more help in this area.
Standard V: Productivity
and Professional Practice
Teachers use technology to enhance their productivity and professional
practice. Teachers:
-
Use technology
resources to engage in ongoing professional development and lifelong learning.
-
Continually evaluate
and reflect on professional practice to make informed decisions regarding
the use of technology in support of student learning.
-
Apply technology
to increase productivity.
-
Use technology
to communicate and collaborate with peers, parents, and the larger community
in order to nurture student learning.
The Developmental Reports (Report Cards)
for children are done on the computer using Microsoft Word.
Doing these on the computer is much quicker than doing them by hand.
In addition, I have less paperwork cluttering my office since these records
can be stored on disks. Also, I now keep a record (on disk) of the
parent letters distributed throughout the year. When parents have
a question or concern, I can quickly refer back to the letter containing
the information requested and the date it was distributed. This semester,
I wrote a letter to the parents informing them of our classroom participation
in the MITTEN Project (MITTEN Letter).
I found the parents to be very interested and excited about this project.
The Power Point Presentation (Exhibit
#2) was shared with the families during a classroom luncheon.
I've received several requested for copies of the CD. This is going
to force me to learn how to use the CD Reader / Writer Software at our
school.
Standard VI: Social,
Ethical, Legal, and Human Issues
Teachers understand the social, ethical, legal, and human issues surrounding
the use of technology in PK - 12 schools and apply that understanding in
practice. Teachers:
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Model and teach
legal and ethical practice related to technology use.
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Apply technology
resources to enable and empower learners with diverse backgrounds, characteristics,
and abilities.
-
Identify and use
technology resources that affirm diversity.
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Promote safe and healthy use
of technology resources.
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Facilitate equitable access
to technology resources for all students.
All
of the activities exhibited demonstrate legal and ethical use of computers
with young children. By focusing on the children for this project,
I feel each individual child received special attention. While working
on the computer, children received one-on-one instruction from an adult.
Children's characteristics and abilities were highlighted, and they were
able to share their ideas with the adults and peers in the classroom.
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Narratives 