In my last student teaching experience I worked with kindergarteners so I decided to find an article that related to the use of technology in a kindergarten classroom. I wanted to find an article that discussed ways that a teacher can use technology with kindergarteners in a way that they can do it independently. In my experience there were some students that knew how to use computers and other technology and there were some that had never been exposed to it before school. This makes it difficult for a teacher because he or she needs to learn to scaffold the technology opportunities so that they will work well with all of the students. The article I found talked about ways to deal with this and examined the use of daily technology in a kindergarten classroom.
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In the article it talked about the debate about how much technology young children should use or if they should use any at all. It also talked about how technology is part of everyday life for most children now and it is a part of the way children play, communicate and learn at home and school. There have been many studies that have examined the use of computers with young children and it has been found that there are positive effects in the learning and development of young children. The purpose of the study was to study the effects of the daily use of technology on kindergartner’s learning. It also examined how additional technology would affect kindergartener’s learning of those who began school without knowing basic skills such as the alphabet.
One positive aspect of technology on learning is that it can provide a variety ways of learn. There are many different types of learning styles and technology can be used to address every learning style. For example, some students are auditory learners and learn best by listening to things. There are many podcasts available or e-readers that allow these learners to listen to what is being taught to them. Technology also helps to support the constructivism type of teaching that is being emphasized now. Technology provides many formats where students can actively construct their knowledge and build upon it.
The research for the study was carried out in a kindergarten classroom with a first year kindergarten teacher who was excited to implement technology into her teaching. The teacher found many websites and software that focused on phonics and other literacy skills to use in her literacy center rotation. The students worked on the computers while she taught guided reading. It was a difficult start using the computers, but soon the students became proficient at them and the teacher began to implement more difficult websites and software on the computers.
The point of the research was that the teacher had been having a difficult time with her lower achieving guided reading group. She knew that the students could read the books she was giving them, but they did not want to try. She then observed these students when they were on the computers using the difficult Phonics software and noticed that they were doing things that they couldn’t do in their small reading groups. The teacher then decided to use the computers to her advantage while teaching the small groups at the tables. She mimicked the software during her teaching so that the students would see the connection between the computers and her teaching. It worked and over time many of the students were reading better and were able to move up to the higher reading groups.
This study proves that technology can be beneficial for younger students. It is a way to motivate students because they don’t realize that they are working because they are having fun. It also improves their self-confidence because they are making gains in their education. This was a good start for this teacher, but I would do more than just the computers in my classroom. There is more technology that can effect students’ literacy development than just websites and reading software. There are an endless amount of possibilities!
The article seems very interesting! I would be interested to know what websites and software she allowed her students to use. I think this class will teach us what you found in the article, that technology is beneficial for students. I hadn't thought about gaining self-confidence before, but think it would be a great tool for special education and those students that struggle. If they are succeeding with technology, why can't it be used in all subject areas? Thanks for sharing this article!
ReplyDeleteMy article also talked about how motivating it could be and what a self-confidence booster it was. It was such a great idea to mimic the software. Sometimes I think that teachers get too caught up in the mindset of having to be creative and we forget that sometimes, simpler is better. I think this could be beneficial all the time, by mimicing these activities, we are showing students that these things aren't changing, and it could be used for many other subject areas as well! Great ideas!
ReplyDeleteExcellent job! This is exactly how I want everyone to approach this part of the blog assignment. You found an article that pertained to something you were interested in and gives you an opportunity to read about research in that area. I like how you are thinking about using more than just computers with younger children. In fact, the more and more I use devices like the ipad - I think those have great potential for younger students!
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting to read about how much more interested the students were when they read while using the Phonics software on the computer.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said about the article that technology is beneficial to students. Technology, if used correctly, makes learning engaging and fun. I believe that students will learn more if their lesson is interactive. Technology makes learning interactive.