Ms.Cassidy's Video: Little Kids..Big Potential
Imagine a world were parents can monitor their child's educational progress anywhere. This is the kind of learning environment offered by Ms. Cassidy. She stands to reason that you are almost never too young to begin using technology. Ms. Cassidy has successfully proven that first grade is not too early to introduce children to technology. Now what do we mean by technology? Today's technology is not the same as yesterdays technology. Yesterdays technology meant that if a first grader could successfully use a four function calculator, they would almost be considered gifted. In today's world being able to use a computer has almost become the standard. Ms. Cassidy believes that in this ever expanding technological world, the students need to be introduced early on if they are going to be able to keep up in this ever growing data age.
Although these learning programs are designed primarily for the students, they also benefit the parents in that they can monitor their child's progress from anywhere. How do the parents really feel about having the child's work broad casted on the world wide web? Until the schools implement a real online curricula or until privacy guidelines are in place, I am hesitant on using these practices in my own classroom. This does not mean that I disagree with them. Nine out of ten parents can say yes,but it is that one that disapproves that must be accounted for.The only major flaw or impediment I see in using the online wikis or blogs in the classroom, is privacy and legality. If 100% parent approval is not possible, I believe that maybe an in class only blog could be used instead.This would still offer the experience and feed back as the traditional blog would. I like these methods, but as a starting out teacher it will be overwhelming enough without having to try and over come school bureaucracy. Introducing technology into the classroom is not without its benefits. One major benefit for the younger students is that the parents can monitor their children's progress online via the web. This can also benefit older students because we instructors can post assignments online that can be viewed anywhere without having to send individual emails to students. I am all for technology in the classroom and personally believe that global interface is the new generation of learning.
Kayla, I agree completely with you on your views about student public blogs in the classroom. I'm not against them, but I'd feel better as a new teacher having some legality to back it up. I did not find any grammar and spelling errors in your writing. You wrote eloquently and I got a lot out of your post. Maybe there could be a way for the students to post their blogs as if they were public but only visible to the parents of that child? Surely a security setting like that exists. Great work!
ReplyDeleteKayla,
ReplyDeleteI understand where you are coming from in saying that you do not know if it would be completely safe and approved by all parents for students to use blogs. There is no doubt it has increased learning for Ms. Cassidy's class so maybe if a teacher were trying to get students to approve the student blogs, the teacher could show some positive progress of past students and the fact that there has never been a major security concern. Keep job on this post.
Hey Kayla,
ReplyDeleteThis is a very controversial topic for many people about how much exposure that one can have and social interaction students and teachers have. It is a big problem for teachers to navigate the oceans of grey areas that appear in the new world that technology affords. Most public schools have students sign waivers at the beginning of the school year to allow their students to appear in the papers and other publications. I foresee this as how schools will get around the problems of parental compliance.
I did notice a few times in your post where your word choice is a little off, for example " She stands to reason that you are almost never too young to begin using technology." I think you meant either "It stands to reason..." or "She states...", anyways apart from that it was a really good post.