Networked Classrooms

Networked classroom, can it work in early childhood?

This is still a question that I ask frequently!  Early childhood is such a different world and using technology with 3, 4, and 5 year old students can be tricky.  First of all, what is a networked classroom? 

A network-based classroom looks like a computer lab, with each student sitting in front of a computer. The computers are connected through a local-area network to the server on the teacher's desk. That part is true of many ordinary computer labs. What turns the lab into a network-based classroom is the use of communications software that supports synchronous, written conversation. Various software packages support this, including CB Utility, Realtime Writer, Daedalus Interchange, and Carnegie Mellon's CECE Talk (Neuwirth, Palmquist, & Gillespie, 1988). 

 

 

Do I think that networked classrooms have both positives and negatives?  Of course, just like everything that involves teaching and technology! Students can be able to participate in classroom discussions and not worry about speaking out loud.  I know that this would help reduce lots of anxiety among those who have trouble speaking in front of a group of others.  Yet, at the same time I feel like that is such a life skill that everyone needs to be able to do.  The big trick with early childhood is that many students are not even ready for this skill.  Also many times early childhood has those developmental delays, which can sometimes put a student at a 12-18 month old level.  How are those students going to participate in a networked discussion?  I am sure that it is possibly, with lots of support and training by both teacher and student. 

How do you get to that point in your early childhood classroom when you are ready to start that transition?  I believe you have to ready to jump in with both feet.  You have to have a child that you feel is ready for the challenge ahead as well.  You need to pick a student that is making lots of success in the classroom.  The teacher needs to be well trained in networked classrooms.  It would be best for that student and teacher to just try a few times with just the two of them before they attempt to join or add any other students.  The content needs to start simple as well.

 

Can you see the difference that a networked classroom can make for those diverse learners?  I just keep thinking of those special education students that benefit from this.  Deaf students could actually communicate with others in the class without having to stand in the front and sign to others who would not understand.  Gifted learners can raise the expectations and not be "bored".  

 

I believe that a networked classroom can be a very positive experience but you would have to figure out how to deal with all the "growing pains" of technology.  Who knows, maybe one day I will even try it in my classroom?  

Twitter

Twitter?  Tweets? Teaching?

Twitter can be an awesome PLN for educators.  Here are some main points that explain why Twitter can be used as such.

1. It's FREE!  What educator doesn't love free resources?

2.  Connections!  How else could you build connections with other educators all around the world?

3. Hashtags (for those of you who don't know it is also known as the # sign)  

4. Expert advice!  It's true..... teachers don't know everything, there I said it!   But we are the best at finding answers to things that we don't know.  Twitter can be a great tool to use for finding those answers.

 

 image source: http://www.watblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/twitter_education.JPG


 After just a few short weeks of exploring Twitter, I feel like one of the best things that I did to learn more about it was to go to another person's Twitter page and just look.  I found out what tweets really are and how to do it myself, what things are "tweet worthy" and also if I really want to follow that person or not.  Wonder if I could copyright this as "Twitter stalking"?!?!?!  New to Twitter and tweeting, just give it a try!! 



Here is a link that I found that gives some great tips- Twitter Tips for Educators

Professional Learning Networks

Professional Learning Networks..... How can we use them as educators?

As an early childhood teacher, professional learning networks (PLNs) are very important to me. Wikipedia says, "A personal learning network is an informal learning network that consists of the people a learner interacts with and derives knowledge from in a personal learning environment. In a PLN, a person makes a connection with another person with the specific intent that some type of learning will occur because of that connection."( Wikipedia, January 19 2014)

Here are a few examples of some social media PLNs that are beneficial to educators.  

* Facebook

*Twitter

* Edmodo

These social media PLNs are the type that I prefer.  I feel more comfortable with these and can build on more than the information aggregation PLN.  

Here are a few examples of an information aggregation PLNs.

*blogs

*wikis

*websites

*podcasts

*digital bookmarking

*RSS reader (Freedly)

  I believe that great teachers share their wonderful ideas to other teachers for the betterment of the students involved. We all have to be in this together and we need to share information to help each other along. 

So basically to me a  PLN is nothing short of paying it forward.  I wanted to add a link to this YouTube video for a quick glimpse of paying it forward.

 

Introduction

Welcome to my blog.  I will be posting through out the next few months while completing the course Applications of Technology Collaboration, while working on my Masters of Educational Technology. 

I am currently an Early childhood special education teacher.  I love the beach, Chick-Fil-a, my family, and God.