Animoto is an exciting tool that I am interested to see used with children in a classroom. This program allows teachers and students to use pictures and music to create a dynamic presentation. I am looking forward to trying this program out this coming semester, and to get some ideas for using this on a regular basis. Perhaps Animoto videos would be a creative way to overview upcoming curriculum during a classroom Open House presentation. Similarly, StoryBird looks as though it may be the perfect program to use for Early Childhood students. I can create my own book using clip art from the website, and large child friendly text. This looks like it may be a good transition into digital storytelling.
After browsing through some educational Wikis, I am not yet totally convinced on the use of them in an early childhood classroom. For example, I read a second grade Wiki created by a teacher in California. The children were working on various writing projects and their documents were accessible to the public. My first question would be if all students would want their writing available on the internet. Secondly, there were spelling mistakes and run-on sentences throughout the child’s document. Second graders are still learning how to write and type. Shouldn’t they focus on one at a time rather than try to compose a thoughtful story and remember where the keyboard letters are? Hmmm…maybe I still need to learn more about Wikis, but this is my thought right now!
Anne Marie, I see your point about Animoto and Storybird. Both are applicable to working with younger students. As for a wiki, that would a resource more for your own professional development than a tool to use directly with students. You also might look into KidBlog and Glogster as other Web 2.0 tools. Both are popular. Perhaps you have used one or the other, or have seen them used by other teachers. Young students like both of these. Glogster can be used for digital storytelling. PhotoStory can be used to assemble student work and then have the students do narration, as you saw in the example of "The Night Before Christmas.' You can also do something similar with VoiceThread. Yes, find a few good tools, and focus on those. What tools are you finding popular in the Newington school where you teach?
ReplyDeleteI also wonder if anything is lost in terms of handwriting fluency when students type. When is a good time to introduce typing skills? High school? Middle school? Elementary school?
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