• Power Point Program
  
  After attending Mitten workshops, I transformed all my overhead transparency presentations into Power Point presentations. I can create a multimedia presentation that includes colorful templates, clip arts, graphics, sound, tables, various sizes of text, and multiple layouts as well as incorporation of digitized video clips. Although the process was time-consuming, I found many advantages in the Power Point program as preparation aids in classes. I was often preoccupied with finding the right transparency and keeping them organized, not to mention, losing some transparencies. In addition, Power Point allows me to present my information in a clear fashion at regional and national education conferences. I’ve been creating slick conference presentations and have had positive experiences. With the use of Power Point preparation I found the following advantages:

• Course materials can be organized coherently from one topic to another

• Course materials can be revised and added more easily

• It allows me to concentrate my thinking on the main concepts

• Incorporation of visuals and sound effects are easy

• Course materials can be distributed more easily using the Eres system
  
  My students use the Power Point program to create children’s portfolios. After I’ve learned how easy it is to insert pictures, I assigned the students to create children’s portfolios using this program. This type of assessment is a crucial component to all early childhood programs. The portfolio is a record of the child’s process of learning: what the child has learned and how s/he has gone about learning: how s/he thinks, questions, analyzes, synthesizes, produces, creates; and how s/he interacts intellectually, emotionally, and socially with others. The portfolio contains pictures, children's work samples, descriptions, children’s voices, and an evaluation of the child. Student teachers have to apply many skills in technology to create portfolios. In the past, student teachers used to turn in heavy binders for this assignment. Carrying a zip drive is much easier than physically transporting heavy portfolios back and forth into the classroom.

• Microsoft Access Program
  
  Electronic Grade Book and Developmental Checklist

  Microsoft Excel is a more efficient and accurate tool for entering points for various assignments. The change was easy and worthwhile.

  For my students: Student teachers create developmental checklists using the Microsoft Access program. Developmental checklists are an informal evaluation measure and are comprised of a list of learning objectives. A developmental checklist is a tool for organizing developmental indicators or learning objectives.

• Kidspiration/Inspiration
  
  
  Two of my classes, EDD 406 and EDD 412 students use the inspirations /kidspirations software program to develop concept webs to curriculum planning. Student teachers already use graphics to organize data such as webs and charts. Even though most student teachers learned about the Inpiration software program, they didn’t seem to think about how to use this program more effectively in their teaching. I incorporated the use of both the Inspiration and Kidspiration software programs to creating concept webs to extend children’s construction of knowledge.

  Student teachers videotape the children’s learning and micro-analyze the children’s thinking. Then they find out the concepts the children are constructing. Concepts are teachers’ best guesses about what the child is thinking. The microanalysis is a way for a teacher to enter the play and discourse of the child. Student teachers research the concept topics and develop lessons around the main concept. The lessons ideas build on from one idea to another. Thus, Inspiration/Kidspiration software program is a wonderful curriculum organization tool.

• Kid Pix as a representation tool
  
  In our early childhood program children are encouraged to represent one concept/idea using many different media. This is a teaching strategy to enhance children’s understanding of the topic. Kid Pix software has been used as a learning medium that representation children’s final conceptions.

Top

Technology Project I

Research: Digital Video Revisiting to Promote Reflection

• Digital Video
  
  I always wanted to learn how to digitize video and show DVD movie clips in my early childhood method classes. One faculty in the school of education taught me how to make IMovie using sequences of video frames. This experience provided me the most productive teacher development research this semester. During the fall 2001, I videotaped ordinary moments of children’s play in the Child Development Center classrooms to bring examples of concept learning to my early childhood method classes. By using the digital camera and videotape, the process was more streamlined and accurate, affording the teachers the ability to pay closer attention to the children’s actions, language, and their tones. The use of computer and digital video technology facilitated learning by providing rich problem solving context that invited thinking and reflection for student teachers. While I was videotaping ordinary moments in the classroom, I got a research idea in the development of meta -perspective in young children and teachers’ understanding of young children’s social conflicts. One preschool teacher was having a difficult time handling several challenging behaviors among children in her preschool classroom on a daily basis. We began taping conflict situations and did instant revisiting with the children in the classroom. This experiment was done to observe other children’s emotions, and to see the reactions of their behavior, and to reflect on their behavior. This research has helped change the teacher’s perceptions of children’s inappropriate behaviors. By doing instant video revisiting using video technology, both teachers and children were able to enrich their learning. These findings were presented at the Constructivist conference in Huston, Texas and submitted for publication in an academic journal. Digital video technology is a wonderful teaching and research tool to visualize young children’s thinking and student teachers’ high-level reflection.

Top