DePasquale, R., McNamara, E. & Murphy, K.L. (November
2003). Meaningful
Connections Using Technology in
Primary Classrooms. Beyond the Journal;
p.1-9.
p.1-9.
Summary:
The article Meaningful Connections Using Technology in Primary Classrooms focuses
on two case studies of teachers who utilized technology within the classroom at
the beginning of the technology-in-the-classroom era (2003!).
The first
teacher, Erin McNamara, was a second grade teacher in Mary E. Finn Elementary School
in Massachusetts. She utilized the digital camera with a kid friendly authoring
tool to create a classroom website during a unit on the bee life cycle. During the unit the teacher took digital
pictures of activities that were happening in the classroom. She then provided her students with the
pictures she had taken from the classroom, each student was required to say who
was in the picture, what was happening, and a personal feeling or thought about
what was happening. The digital pictures
and explanations were then compiled into a classroom website to highlight the
people and activities within the classroom. This activity helped the students
become more engaged with the content/activity rather than simply reading
material.
The second
teacher, Rosie DePasquale, was a first grade teacher at East Ethel Little
School in Massachusetts. She utilized computers during her plant unit to create
digital images that allowed students to interact with the concepts/material in
the classroom. The students had to use
the computers to create a concept web about plants, research information about
plants through websites, draw and label plants, and finally create a
presentation about what was learned during the unit. These activities helped the children become
more responsible for their own learning and kept them engaged throughout the
unit.
Each
teacher utilized cutting-edge technologies at the time. Both classrooms used word
processing tools, like WriteOn; computer art programs, such as Kid Pix;
presentation software, like HyperStudio; research tools, like TrackStar; and
concept mapping software, including Kidspiration.
Reflection:
Although
the technology used in these classrooms might not be the most cutting edge technology
out there, it is still very effective in getting students more involved in
meaningful learning in the classroom.
The technology used helped the
students to remember the material that was learned throughout the units. Digital imagery benefits visual learners in
the classroom. It is true what they say,
a picture says a thousand words. Using
the pictures from the unit to help the students remember the content is a great
way to use technology in the classroom.
