Disappointed!!!

I am sad to say that ICT in my class room (in all class rooms in the school) has come to a stand still due to thieves!!! :(

However, the lack of computers in my room has made me realise how far the implementation of ICT has come since the beginning of the year. Computers have become such a big part of our daily routine and learning that the children and I really miss them and have had to make big changes to our daily routines and learning tasks.

Kid Pix

I have been using kid pix in my class as a writing tool. One writing group a day does their writing on the computers. The children just love using kid pix to create a picture plan and share their written ideas. The children can play back what they have written (rereading) this allows them to pick up on incorrect letter sounds that they can fix. The children are getting better and better at typing and using kid pix to create a picture. Using the computers for a writing group each day also works a treat for management. The children on the computers are completely engaged and on task. I think that the rereading tool has a lot to do with this as the children can confidently check their work by them selves. It makes group teaching much easier and manageable with younger children.

Voice thread

Voice thread has been a great way publish and share the children's learning. This took a lot of time to set up. However, now that it is set, it is good to go and the children have become familiar with using it. We have been using voice thread to share our inquiry learning on our class blog. It works well because all the children can have a say in one post. It is also a good oral language tool. The children need to think about how they can best get their new knowledge across in a few sentences. We have had very positive feed back from parents who have enjoyed listening to our voice thread posts.

This was our first attempt at a voice thread post.

Goal 3

Use online tools and class blog to share children's learning.

Audacity Success

Audacity has become a useful tool for teaching and encouraging reading in my class room. It is used individually and in groups. It is so easy for the children to operate and now that they know how, I can send them away with a WALT and a book and they are totally focused and engaged!

An example of a WALT would be: WALT read with fluency: WALT read punctuation correctly: WALT read with expression: WALT stretch tricky words. These are all WALT's that the children can self assess against when they listen back to their reading. It has been awesome to hear some of the conversations going on as the children are listening to their reading. The children are so motivated to read again and improve on the WALT.

I don't use it in my reading programme all that time but when I do It is very successful. I use it according the the WALTs of my reading group. I believe that this has played a big role in the students reading achievement to date.

It's been a while...

I happily blame the lack of posts on the success that I have been having in my class room in relation to ICT. The children and I Have been so busy learning and using different ICT that I have neglected this space. Let me fill you in on some of these successes...

ICT Conference reflection 08/06/10

The ICT conference at the race course was great. I really enjoyed listening to the different speakers, especially Tony Ryan. Very motivating! The biggest things i took away with me were...

1. Don't forget the magic! Have fun in the class room.

2. What will I do with my class blog at the end of the year?

3. Keep senior management informed and included in the different ICT's i am using in the classroom.

4. Wikis are very similar to blogs. The difference being that more than one person can be the author of a wiki. Wikis are not something thatI feel the need to engage in at this point in time. Our class blog is doing the job and still allows us to communicate with others through comments.

5. Cool web 2 tools:

- bubbl.us - awesome online brain storming tool.

- xtraordanary.com - easy animation tool. would be great for motivating reluctant writers.

- youblisher.com - create a 'slide show like' online book.

- voicethread.com - can't wait to give this a go!

Audacity Blunder

First day at attempting Audacity within my reading rotation the other day. Modeled how to use on the projector and sent a number of kids off to record reading with the intention of using expression........ Only to find that my class computers didn't have Audacity! Oops!

goal 2

To use Audacity in my reading programme to motivate children's learning.

www.vocaroo.com

This podcast application is so easy to use and so effective. We have been using Vocaroo to record our voices. We have been posting short questions or explanations, often with a relevant picture to keep it visual and interesting. The children LOVE recording them selves and knowing that they are on the class blog for all their friends and family to hear.

Goal 2

Use Audasity to enhance my reading programme and motivate children's learning.

Encouraging student and parent in put.

Above is an example of comments left on our class blog answering an inquiry question.

I have been working hard to make sure that our class blog doesn't become an extra "homework" task for me to do. Setting aside time during class to read comments and make posts with the children has been working really well and the projector is a great way to ensure that all children are engaged. As a class we also make sure that our posts involve the reader and encourage comments by asking questions. Our class blog has become a great way to find information within our inquiry journey.

Links

I have put up some of the children's favourite educational websites that we use in class as links on the side bar of our class blog. The children can now access these sites easily from home.

Adding slide shows.

Slide shows have been easy and useful to use on my class blog. They work really well when you want to have a photo of each of the children showing. The children in Room 11 LOVE seeing them selves on the class blog and it really motivates learning. To create slide shows I have been using www.slide.com.

Goal 1 - Class Blog

learn how to make a class blog and create applications such as photos, slide shows and podcasts.