Extra: Technology books and other sources that look interesting

Failure to Connect.

https://www.amazon.com/Sugata-Mitra/e/B001KCZLKQ%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

WAP: The student as the Global Communicator and Collaborator

November 6, 2019

Quote photo assesses from: https://chickennuggetsofwisdom.com/2017/09/22/what-is-a-global-citizen/

To start this app practical I needed to look up the definition of Global citizenship and who a Global Citizen is:

What is Global Citizenship? | Oxfam Education

A global citizen is someone who is aware of and understands the wider world - and their place it. They take an active role in their community, and work with others to make our planet more equal, fair and sustainable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpIgpdy9rjU

As educators, we need to know how to teach Global Communication and be collaborators with the melting pots of all the different cultures and beliefs in the classroom. Here is a website about what we need to know about being global citizens.https://www.kosmosjournal.org/article/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-global-citizen/.

My classroom problem is "How do you make a student a global communicator, collaborator, and teach them what being a global citizen is?" I want to know how to put Alan November's ideas into this blog. The main idea of Alan November is:

"Social media, mobile devices, and other information and communication tools enable students to make a contribution to their classrooms and their communities and to extend the benefits of those contributions across the globe. As educators, parents, and leaders, it is our responsibility to give students the opportunities to put these capabilities to work(12)."

In my current early childhood classroom, we are teaching students empathy to care for one another and to share. I agree with Alan November that "empathy is the most important skill students can master"(65). The students need to know how to care about each other and work as a team.

For my Global Communicator and Collaborator Weekly App practical, I used Duolingo, the Radio Garden app and Skype

Radio Garden

Explore live radio by rotating the globe.

I liked the Radio Garden app that was discussed in class. The YouTube video is below explaining how to use the app. I tried it out with kindergarten students. It plays different music from different countries and teaches about being a global communicator and collaborator. I also wanted to figure out how to give children brain breaks in the classroom This music app helps students to learn about countries around the globe and their music. Also for fun in the classroom, the teacher could have a dance party with music from different cultures.

This YouTube video explains the app.

Here is a screenshot of the radio garden app.

I had a few kindergarten-age students play with the app to find different countries and we played the songs from the app. The pictures are down below

Then at the Jewish Community Center one of the parents of a student I teach mentioned the Duolingo app. I decided to try this app with a kindergarten age student as it is important to know other languages.

Learn a language for free

Duolingo is the world's most popular way to learn a language. It's 100% free, fun and science-based. Practice online on duolingo.com or on the apps!

Here are the pictures of how to use the app. The first step is choosing the language you want to learn.The second step is picking a goal. Next, select a vocabulary word picture that goes with the language.

I also agree with Alan November when he says, "Any classroom can be organized to be a global communication center, and we can design more rigorous and motivating assignments that engage our students to collaborate globally and with a purpose" (68).

Skype makes global learning possible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zni56lVckb0

These apps will help the students to have skills to communicate with each other in the future. For example, older students could communicate on Skype in another language or be penpals. Also as educators, we need to be global communicators with other educators and parents. Communicating is how we can appreciate each other's cultures and beliefs in society.

Skype | Communication tool for free calls and chat

Reach friends, family or colleagues worldwide from your Amazon Alexa device. Simply ask Alexa to call any of your Skype contacts or read a phone number out loud to call it. Skype calling with Alexa is currently available in the US, the UK, Canada, India, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico and Spain.

photo from the website. https://takeactionmanitoba.org/2019/02/13/event-what-book-makes-you-think-globally-idw2019/




A final important quote is:

https://simplymejustbe.wordpress.com/2014/06/12/you-are-more-than-you-can-imagine/our-prime-purpose-in-this-life-is-to-help-others-and-if-you-cant-help-them-at-least-dont-hurt-them-dalai-lama/


other sources:

https://acei.org/article/global-education-resources/

https://ceintl.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/ACEI_LookingBeyondtheClassroom_2018.pdf

I found this forum for educators that I think is probably read in other countries that teachers can follow and discuss education topics around the world.
https://hello.naeyc.org/communities/community-home/digestviewer?tab=digestviewer&CommunityKey=f51f9fd4-47c9-4bfd-aca7-23e9f31b601e


What children learn does not follow as an automatic result from what is taught, rather, it is in large part due to the children’s own doing, as a consequence of their activities and our resources.
—Loris Malaguzzi, The Hundred Languages of Children
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/nov2015/emergent-curriculum

It is interesting how Reggio Emilia school philosophy that started in Italy is all over the world. Here is a link to the book from where the quote comes from.
https://www.amazon.com/Hundred-Languages-Children-Experience-Transformation/dp/0313359814/ref=sr_1_2?

Here is a blog on how educators can talk about Reggio Emila with global communication.
http://hello.naeyc.org/communities/community-home/digestviewer/viewthread?MessageKey=b7168898-5f36-4880-8535-39ca31d1f3a5&CommunityKey=f51f9fd4-47c9-4bfd-aca7-23e9f31b601e&tab=digestviewer

WAP: Student as Researcher

http://www.grosvenormontessori.com/about-maria-montessori/

I think Maria Montessori shows the child as the researcher because the child is exploring their own environment with play. Play is the child's research in learning as play is the child's work.

I believe that technology does not need to be involved in an early childhood classroom for research because the students are exploring the world around them. I learned later in this blog how technology can be used in the classroom but I do not think technology should take over letting the child play.

As an early childhood educator,  my philosophy is that students learn by researching, exploring and observing the outside world with nature. For example, students use inquiry and observation while looking and playing with leaves.  The students learn by playing and using their imaginations. Students need to explore with their senses and do not need technology in the classroom. As the teacher, I would research books on leaves and have the children be researchers by looking up information on topics in books. This example book is on leaves.

Here is a  YouTube video of children exploring and playing with leaves.

Play is the child's learning. I like Mr. Roger's quote.

There is a debate on how much technology should be in the classroom. Students should balance exploring with the outside world. This is from a workshop I am working on. This quote is by Rae Pica.

My classroom problem is, "How do we have students do their own research using technology?"

While searching on the internet an adult must accompany the child to help to decide what is useful to protect the children from inappropriate content. There could also be parental controls. The teacher would have to use what is developmentally appropriate practice in their curriculum but make sure the students own their learning as Alan November emphasizes is in his book.

I never thought a child could search the internet in early education or at the Kindergarten level.  Students can look up the answer on a phone, tablet or laptop with their parents or in the classroom.  Alan November says, "What if students were better trained to vet the information they find so their research could be more useful to them and to the entire class? All of these outcomes are possible when we incorporate the job of the student researcher into our educational model (49)."

Here is the app I used for students to be researchers at a kindergarten level.

KidzSearch | Kids Safe Search Engine.

Random Fun Facts White cats with blue eyes are usually deaf. Bananas grow pointing upwards.. Helminthophobia is the fear of worms. 'orology' is the study of mountains. The first ground vacuum packed coffee was first introduced in 1900. Avocados have the most calories of any other fruit.

For example, in my model classroom, students could use the Kidz search app to look up information about their interests. We can encourage a child to look up the information themselves to help them own their learning.

Here is the photo of the search app:

This is the example of the search engine on the Kidz app.

For example, a child who is interested in trains could find these vehicle facts on trains from the Kidz Search engine app.

Another child told her Mom she wanted to learn more about the Horace Mann School. She was also interested in learning who Horace Mann was after her mom drove by it.

We looked at the kidz search app about Horace man.

 

Another student researched using games on the Kidz Search app. 

The photos below show the game Conundrum in a notebook in the Kidz search app. The student was so eager to play the game but it is frustrating that we cannot find it again.

The child picked up the game and started playing it. The lines could be moved by touching the screen to make a straight line by connecting the lines.  For the child with a learning disability, this could help because the screen can be touched. The game helps with problem-solving by making line segments and is used for spatial relationships.

 The student solves the problem by organizing the lines in the app in the picture below. The student said, "I  would take the lines and move it". The student then said," I will tap on the line and move the line in the direction. Last, I can move the line up to the corner. I press start to see the answers." 

Another photo of the game.

The final result of the game. The student wins.

I also used the app to look up videos and music and other interesting facts.


Here is a youtube video as the child was interested in the indoor playground.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmqWHNVCvIg&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3Gi5mQfqjDgjOc-IHmfkmykGI3kE1Hr0nbz-tp9SPVwPi7MircJvZ0o5w

I do not agree with Alan November that children are ready to make their own custom search engine. I feel this idea is geared towards older children because it would be too involved for younger children.

I like the quote by Alan November, "By training and using students as researchers, we can give our kids the fundamental skills they need to begin handling these tasks. That training has to include techniques for applying knowledge to produce information and facilitate communication, and one of the most important skills in that task will involve evaluating the resources they decide to use" (52).

I wanted to look up more information on how Kindergarten students can use computers to be researchers. This article mentions about how students can explore how to use a computer mouse. The student is researching as they learn about the world around them. The teacher could also ask the children what they want to research by using the smart board.https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/blog-posts/sharon-taylor/creating-tech-savvy-kindergarten-classroom/

The students are going to be more exposed to technology as times have changed and are going to be doing their own research. I am still amazed that kindergarten has advanced to iPads. This website mentions why research for Kindergarten to fourth grade is so important. https://galileo.org/publication/using-technology-to-support-k-4-learners/.

Students currently ask Alexa to research songs they want to play to listen to and dance to. They may also ask their parents to ask Siri what they want to know or ask questions in the car like my friend's little girl asked "Who is Horace Mann?" and "What is the school?" when they drove by.

Students are using the internet more than library books now to do research. Eventually, I think paper copies of books are going to become obsolete.
https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/researching/research-using-internet/

WAP: Student as a scribe.

October 31,2019

Debate to Scribe or not to Scribe?

According to Alan November "Scribing is giving every student an opportunity to shine" (41). I feel every child can use their creativity in their writing. Each child, no matter the age group can show their personality when writing and drawing. Scribing can teach us something about each unique student by showing their own expression.

For my weekly app practical, I combined the magic doodle app and the voice recorder. Children in early childhood draw with scribing because they are not able to write yet. However, the students could still own the learning by talking into the voice recorder app about their drawing in the magic doodle app.

My problem that I see in the classroom is that kindergarteners and early childhood students can not typically scribe because they do not have writing skills. Alan November's idea of having the student be the official note taker of the class discussion would not work in my classroom as this is geared to older children above early childhood and Kindergarten. Students could use inventive spelling but in the case of my model student, she wasn't ready yet so her voice for scribing was significant.


Here is the screen shot of the voice recorder app



This is a visual of the voice recorder of how you use the mic to record in the app.

Here is the screen shot of the magic doddle app.

This is the template for the magic doddle app the student uses to draw in.

She said she drew broken lines, spiral lines, and straight lines.

Scribbling and drawing are the first stages of writing in early childhood. There is nothing wrong with scribbling as it is a form of scribing. It is helpful for parents as long as the child is using their oral language to tell about their drawing or story. I could even have the children scribe their story with a voice app or using invented spelling as mentioned above. Here is a picture below of a child's scribbles. The picture is scribed similar to something I can use in my preschool or toddler classroom.

Source: https://www.themeasuredmom.com/stages-of-writing-development-help-kids-move/

In my model classroom, kindergarten level, I decided the students would do drawing with the magic board doodle color app. I had the student draw a picture and then as the teacher, I would scribe to do the writing for a child that struggles with doing physical writing. The teacher can encourage invented spelling or use a voice app. This would have the children own their learning more than having the teacher do all the writing for them.

First, the student drew pictures with the app and then I scribed by writing down what they told me what the picture represented.

With the magic color doddle app the student drew a picture of her Bartlett stuffed animal teddy bear.

.

For scribing, she orally told me. "Bartlett bear is a special bear. I take the stuffed bear to my Dad's and to Disney. A few Christmas ago I got a blanket and a bear. The people who gave it to me have the last name of Barlett."

Here is a photo of her Bartlett Bear Teddy Bear.

Next, the child wanted to draw some more with the app and she drew some shapes.

Last, she drew a picture of herself.

This is the little girl having fun drawing and scribing what she drew while I am working with her as the teacher. She was so excited in the first photo and the second photo down below she is very focused.

.