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Tannenbaum, D. (2024, July 11).+Fostering collaboration among young students using digital
tools. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/student-collaboration-using-digitaltools
Collaboration is something that I want to see expand in my classroom. I think it is
important for students to learn at a young how to be able to work with others in a professional
setting. This is a skill that needs to be fostered and taught at a young age because it is something
they will use all throughout their life, no matter what career path they pick someday. One of my
professional development goals is to find more resources and learn scaffolding strategies to help
students learn how to use technology to collaborate effectively and efficiently. This article
addresses exactly that.
One strategy I learned from this article is called Turn-Taking Collaboration. This is an
approach that is very scaffolded and is great for students who are just starting to use technology
while collaborating. This strategy has students use a certain technology tool. Each student has a
different role, and they are only allowed to access that role when collaborating. They each do
their part on their own device and then when they are all done with their individual parts, they
technology tool combines it all together to create the final product. The article gave a few great
examples of technology tools to implement this strategy, one of those being Pear Deck Flashcard
Factory.
I can apply this strategy in multiple different ways. The first way is I could incorporate
this new resource into some lessons in my classroom. Each week, we learn vocabulary words for
our reading story for the week. Students could use Pear Deck Flashcard Factory in pairs to create
a set of flashcards to learn the vocabulary words for the week. Another thing I could do is use it
in math as well. I also could take the strategy I learned, Turn-Taking Collaboration, and research
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and find my own technology resources to use in my classroom to implement this strategy
effectively.
Fester, J. (2022, August 31).+5 tips for creating an effective virtual field trip. Edutopia.
https://www.edutopia.org/article/5-tips-creating-effective-virtual-field-trip
Using online resources to make my classroom more engaging and exciting is something I
want to improve on. There are so many great resources at my fingertips, I want to do my best to
expand and learn about all the different ones and how I can use them. I remember growing up
and going on a lot of field trips. Now, at the school I teach at, we can only take our students on
two field trips a year. I want to expand and begin taking my students on virtual field trips that tie
into the standards and curriculum I am teaching. This article addresses that goal of my perfectly.
The biggest thing I learned from this article is how important it is to include a post-work
and reflection component. I think this is important because then I can show administration that
yes, what we are doing is fun and engaging. However, it is not just that. The virtual field trips
can be packed full of amazing ways for students to learn and demonstrate their learning. It is
curriculum and standard aligned, and students are given the opportunity to demonstrate what
they have learned, as well as write a reflection about it. This article also gave many great
websites to reference. I have saved this article so I can use it for future reference.
What I will apply is I will take some field trips to some national parks virtually to teach
my students about some of our science standards. This article gave a link to a spreadsheet that
has every national park listed with a link, a contact person, contact info, and specific info on
when the virtual field trips are offered. This will be a great way to teach some science standards
but being able to do it in a fun way from the comfort of our classroom. This is also a great way to
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be able to incorporate technology into the classroom. At the end of each virtual field trip, I will
have students complete an assignment to demonstrate what they have learned and a reflection
activity as well.
Minero, E. (2020, December 22).+13 virtual games to play in your elementary classroom.
Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/13-virtual-games-play-your-elementary-
classroom
In Tennessee where I live, we have some very extreme weather. In the fall time, the heat
index can be over 100 degrees and that means we have to have indoor recess. In the wintertime,
it can easily reach a windchill of 40 degrees or lower and that also means we have to have indoor
recess. Buying games and activities for students to play with during indoor recess requires funds
that my school does not provide me with. I want to start using the technology given to me to
empower students to have fun during indoor recess, but with resources that I know are safe for
them to use. This article addresses that goal of mine perfectly.
My favorite takeaway from this article was the directed drawing YouTube channel. This
resource is one that could be implemented in a number of different ways in my classroom. This
YouTube channel has videos to draw different things based off of the seasons, holidays, etc. and
with each video, there is an adult drawing, as well as a child drawing so that the student can see
it does not have to be perfect. As long as they did their best and had fun, then that is all that
matters. The videos are also kid friendly and very positive, which I think is important as well.
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I will be able to use this resource a few different ways. One way is that I could have all
students go to the YouTubechannel on their own devices, pick out their own video, and draw
whatever that video is instructing them to draw. Another way is I could pick a video for them all
to watch on my smartboard and they all use a drawing app on their device to draw what is being
instructed. The final way is I could have them all way a video on my whiteboard and then they
just draw it like normal on a piece of paper with pencil and crayons. It will be fun to use this
resource in multiple different ways throughout the school year.
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