Final Vision Blog Post 2: Learner Considerations
My
final vision project is a curation of digital tools, apps, and teacher resource
websites that can be used to help teachers integrate technology into their
classrooms. I have chosen to specifically focus on the kindergarten grade,
because while there is a great deal of information online about this topic, not
much of it is focused on the kindergarten level.
This
grade requires some special considerations because the students can’t read yet.
These considerations would also accommodate esl student needs. Kindergarten
learning is very fast paced and busy, given that the attention span of these
students is shorter than more mature students. Much of the learning at the
kindergarten level is play based, so this needs to be considered as well.
My target audience for this project is kindergarten teachers, and perhaps grade one teachers, as there is some overlap in their curriculums. Although given that Covid has sent students into home learning previously, this resource could also be useful to parents who find themselves in the position of supporting home teacher, should home learning become necessary again.
The
ways that technology can best be used in a kindergarten classroom are through
the smartboard, and possibly iPads depending on what is available at each
school. An article from EdTech Magazine, on ways to use digital tools in
kindergarten has some great ideas I will explore, such as incorporating “buddy
learning”. The tools and resources I’d like to curate need to address the
smartboard and iPad mode of sharing the technology with the students, so the
resources should be visual, engaging, and geared towards a young student
audience. There should also be options for full class use and individual use
depending on if the smartboard or iPad is used. The greater the versatility of
the resource, the more kindergarten teachers will be able to find a use for it.
My goal is to share this curation of digital resources with other kindergarten
teachers in my district, and possible grade 1 teachers, and encourage them to
share it with any other teachers or parents they know who might find it useful.
Works Cited
1. Ox, Kimberley. (2018). Home School Kindergarten Schedule- image. Retrieved from https://www.theoxmama.com/2018/09/homeschool-kindergarten-schedule/
2. 2. Teaching Strategies. (2020). The Power of Play: Why Play
Matters for Kindergarten Students. Retrieved from https://ca.video.search.yahoo.com/search/video;_ylt=AwrWq7nKYy5iOzMArgcWFQx.;_ylu=c2VjA3NlYXJjaAR2dGlkAw--;_ylc=X1MDMjExNDcyMTA0NgRfcgMyBGFjdG4DY2xrBGNzcmNwdmlkAzN2UnJ3ekV3TGpLYklEUzVYeGpCandBbk1qWXdOQUFBQUFCYU1udi4EZnIDbWNhZmVlBGZyMgNzYS1ncARncHJpZANQd2FuaFRadlRjcVE3ZDVlZ2ZidTVBBG5fcnNsdAM2MARuX3N1Z2cDMARvcmlnaW4DY2EudmlkZW8uc2VhcmNoLnlhaG9vLmNvbQRwb3MDMARwcXN0cgMEcHFzdHJsAwRxc3RybAMzMARxdWVyeQNraW5kZXJnYXJ0ZW4lMjBwZWRhZ29neSUyMHBsYXkEdF9zdG1wAzE2NDcyMDczOTI-?p=kindergarten+pedagogy+play&ei=UTF-8&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Av%2Cm%3Asa&fr=mcafee&type=E210CA885G91650#id=3&vid=71c493a4267d532b79e72b66597fd58d&action=view
3. 3. EdTech. (2021). Playing With EdTech: Using Digital Tools
in Kindergarten Classrooms. Retrieved from https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2021/12/playing-ed-tech-using-digital-tools-kindergarten-classrooms
Hi Charmagne,
ReplyDeleteYour list of technology tools for K-1 will definitely be very practical moving forward. I'm not sure how familiar you are with coding, but it can be great for younger students as well - fits into the play aspect for sure. Scratch Jr. is an awesome app and depending on funding, mini robots like Code & Go Robot Mouse, would be super fun as well. Looking forward to seeing your end result!
This post outlines some strong considerations for your target audience. I appreciate your intentionality and focus. The resource you are creating will be a valuable support for the K-1 teachers in your division.
ReplyDelete