Computers in Elementary School

Cheaper by the Dozen & Ed. Tech.

2006-08-17T09:16:00.000-07:00

Throughout my journey through Ed Tech this semester, I have been reminded of the character Frank Gilbreth in the 1948 book Cheaper by the Dozen He is the proud owner of a new Pierce-Arrow. Like other car owners in the early 20^th century, he is in awe of the capabilities of the automobile, yet he struggles just to keep it running smoothly and even resorts to carrying a tool box in the car with him to make any necessary adjustments. We can hardly imagine having to worry about our cars breaking down every time we drive. We rely on cars for transportation and generally do not concern ourselves with the mechanics.

As we moved through the different computer projects in this class, I found myself at times quite frustrated. One small mistake and the entire project would not work. I was often left retracing every step I had taken in order to remedy the problem. Like Frank Gilbreth, I am awed by the capabilities of educational technology. I too need to keep a “tool kit” with me in order to tinker around in order to get things running properly.

We are in the beginning stage of using computers in the classroom. I cannot even hazard a guess as to what technology will look like in my grandchildren’s classroom. But I do know that I will have some great stories about the old days… like the time it took me 2 ½ days to simply download an index file for my website only to find that I had erased it completely and had to rebuild it from scratch.

Photoshop in the Classroom

2006-08-04T12:05:00.000-07:00

Digital photography and Photoshop would be a fun unit to present in the elementary school. The teacher could began by taking an assortment of photos of the students – or better yet enlist the help of students as class photographers. The lesson could also cover some of the basics of photo composition and the art of photography. The teacher could then show the students how the photos are transferred to the computer. Together the students could select some of the photos and add music to create a classroom slide show.
The teacher could surprise students with a photograph that s/he manipulated using Photoshop. This would provide an effective anticipatory set for a lesson on media literacy and the power of photography in journalism and advertising.
Next the teacher could illustrate some of the basics Photoshop techniques. Elementary kids would really enjoy the comical possibilities of this application. The class could then work together to create a photo collage type newsletter to send home to the parents.
A unit on digital photography and Photoshop would be a nice way to present a real world application of technology. Students could discuss the ways in which technological advances affects everyday activities such as taking pictures as well as considering the greater implications for media and politicians.

Computers in Elementary School

2006-07-29T08:18:00.000-07:00

I see computers in the elementary classroom as a double-edged sword. As with any new technology, proper training is essential. We do not want students to simply be told to go do research on the computer. Even at the Elementary school level students have very different degrees of computer savvy. We need curriculum designed to teach specific computer skills. Students need to know that when they do a Google search, much of what they bring up may not be helpful. They need be able to discriminate between websites- to separate the wheat from the chaff.
I think that teacher lead tutorials in computer labs would be an excellent way to reach this goal. A research project could be designed with students searching for facts about a particular state. The teacher would lead the students through various searches, evaluating websites along the way and even leading students to some dead ends in order to gain insight into the process of internet research.
Another great computer learning activity is a web-based scavenger hunt. Students are given a list of trivia questions and then use their own internet search techniques to find the answers.
Unfortunately computers can be used as a babysitter in the same way that videos and filmstrips have been used in the past. The teacher tells the students to do computer “research” and the students go to Fun Brain to play in the video arcade instead. Computer instruction, like math instruction, needs to be teacher led.