Technology in the Classroom: A Professional Blogfolio

I am completely exhausted after this weekend, but my sleepless nights were well worth it! Volunteering at this incredible camp was an amazing experience. Through the therapeutic activities I was able to connect with so many kids of different ages and with different backgrounds. know that I made a difference.

Here is my attempt at creating a video for our class. I used some pictures from Caring Hearts Camp this weekend at Dallas Valley Ranch. Let me know what you think!

This weekend I am going to be volunteering at the Caring Hearts Camp at Dallas Valley Ranch put on by the Regina Palliative Care Unit. The camp is for children aged 4-18 who have recently lost a loved one. For one weekend I will be placing my own needs aside and focusing on the children as they move through the very difficult stages of grief.

At some point in my future career as an educator I will need to deal with death in the classroom as it is a part of life. So many children come into our classrooms with losses that deeply affect them in a school environment. Caring Hearts Camp gives kids a chance to just “be kids” for a weekend while talking and sharing with others who are experiences the same confusing emotions. We will be horse back riding, rock climbing, canoeing, singing, and remembering our loved ones.  Through these therapeutic activities at camp I hope to gain some experience in this area and listen to the stories that these children have to tell.  

Because I was at a meeting preparing for this camp, I was unable to be at class last night and I’m feeling a little overwhelmed with what I’ve missed. I know that I always find the time to finish assignments and projects, but right now I need to simply focus on getting through this weekend!  

Last night I had the opportunity to watch keynote speaker George Siemens who was presenting at the TLT Summit conference in Saskatoon. (Did I mention I was wearing pajamas and was kms away in the comfort of my own home?) Our professor, Alec Couros, was streaming live for us from the conference. This was something I had never experienced before. The live chat was a neat way to ask questions and converse with others who were watching from all over the continent and viewing his slide show online was helpful to follow along with his presentation.

Upon mentioning the “hole in the wall” experiment done by Sugata Mitra I was completely blown away.  George explained that a computer was placed a wall in a small village of India complete with a keyboard and mouse. The children in the village began to explore the new technology and within twenty minutes they were surfing the web! In three months they had taught themselves to speak English! What an amazing example of wayfinding! The children were able to take control of their learning and make sense of things on their own.  

Wow! I watched this video by Dean Shareski and it was eye-opening for me as a future educator. This video demonstrates the importance of changes with the times! And it’s happening right here in Saskatchewan! It was neat to see the kids using palm pilots, laptops, and cell phones in the classroom. (Some of which I wouldn’t even know how to switch on…)

It is one thing to have the technology in the school, but another to have students actively engaged. In my experience, too many times teachers use different types of technology while students are sitting patiently waiting for a chance to experience it first hand. During my pre-internship it was brought to my attention that I was guilty of this. I was using the overhead projector to show the students how to get to a particular site while the laptops were closed sitting in front of the students. (Ooops…) I do understand the importance of demonstration during lessons, but I also recognize that I was taunting my students while I was busy having all the fun!

One thought that kept running through my head as I watched this video was, “Does every school have these types of technology?” The obvious answer is NO! In an ideal world each school would have the same exact educational opportunities, but we have not reached that point yet. I believe we must do the best we can with what is available. Do what works for you as a teacher! Technology is a way for students to engage in the material, but we must remember it is not the only way.

My name is Rachelle Kvamme and I’m from Weyburn, Saskatchewan. I am the stereotypic small town girl (minus the cowboy boots and country music thing). Being from the southeast corner of the province I believe it has given me a unique perspective of the world around me. My family has taught me to be grateful for everything in life. Although I am especially grateful for my education, ECMP 355 and internship this fall are the only things standing between me and my BEd! I’ve enjoyed my years at the university, but I’m excited to finally be finished in December. Maybe then I will be able to get back to a few things that I have, in the past, enjoyed.

I can’t wait until I can actually pick up a book and read for enjoyment instead of for class requirements. I’ve forgotten what it’s like to lose yourself in a good book. While I’ve been lagging in my reading, I have been able to keep up with my passion for music. I attend as many concerts as humanly possible all over the prairie provinces. With friends and family members  I travel to venues big and small to see artists from many different genres. When I do find spare time I love to play guitar or watch a good movie.

I have had a number of experiences with technology in the classroom, but they have all been fairly monotonous compared to children’s experiences now. I remember completing a test to get a “computer liscence” in grade three. In grade six we quickly learned how to copy and paste. (We did not, however, learn that handing in this  ”report” with multiple sizes of coloured font with our names on it was plagiarism). By junior high and highschool my experiences were limited to researching online and using word processor.

After finishing my pre-internship this spring my views on technology have completely changed. The students were far more knowledgable about computer technology than me. They had codenames and passwords that they were responsible for remembering. They were creating podcasts, contributing to the class website, and finishing webquests all in grades 3 and 4! Instead of simply having them publish their writing using word processor I realized that there were several options for the students to use this technology to enhance their learning. I learned that I just have to be open to new ideas and get creative!

Because of my limited experiences with technology, I hope to be able to learn about the many different ways to incorporate technology into the classroom. I know it’s a broad expectation, but it is a starting point for me. I would like to know what’s “out there” and what’s appropriate for day to day life in the classroom in regards to the ever changing world of technology.