I agonized for many a night trying to figure out what technology I can use for which lesson plan and more importantly which will be the easiest for me. I thought about concept mapping but it did not seem appropriate for the topic. Then I thought about eBooks and again discarded the idea. Then in the middle of the night I had an epiphany. What about using the Picture Story tool that was downloaded on your PC? Then I was like, but I am not sure I remember how to do that. Again, I was like, well you will never know until you try. So there losing the battle with myself I tried to create a Digital Story for my lesson and I was struck by the simplicity of it AGAIN and how enjoyable it is to do AGAIN. I said to myself, I must use this with my students but I wanted to know what advantages there were to using it and this is what I found out from the following website: http://edweb.fdu.edu/folio/FrancoE/ST/benefits.html:
1. It encourages collaborative learning
2. It allows students to learn and present in their own learning style.
3.It acts as a motivational tool because it relates to their personal experiences and interests.
4. It enhances writing because students now have to consider a wider audience.
5. It allows students to share work with a wider audience.
6. Provides a nonthreatening way for students to read their writing out loud.
There are a few more advantages but I guess you will read it on the website provided. After completing three Picture Stories, I summed up the total experience by simply saying "Wow, this is one cool tool."
Candace,
ReplyDeleteI am so happy that you can get an epiphany to figure out what lesson to teach and which tool to use. I am still in the planning stage and I do not really know what to do still.
I am going to get there sooner than later because at first I was not understanding the blog at all. I would always be creating a blog whenever I sign on the blog website and did not realise that I was only to sign in. When that was realised I did about five blogs that same night, deleted them started over and practice. That is the key to understanding technology.
I love the technology and do think that we should have spent more time in the labs doing more tools or even practicing those that we learned. I am still not too clear with the wiki either but would be conquered.
I am eager to start an educational technology programme to be more comfortable with it.it is a real great way to reach the children in the 21st century classroom
Candy
ReplyDeleteThere seems to be no words to add to what you have said. You have said it simply but with such enthusiasm that this entire piece can be lifted from here and be used as a motivational tool for teachers or reading specialists who may be wary of digital storytelling. In short, this piece and most of your other posts were rather refreshing.
You have completed THREE stories in such a short time. Imagine what would happen if the 90 of us put our stories together as a tool for improving reading in Trinidad and Tobago. Our students will soar. We really should come together and pool our resources for the benefit of our children. (I meant, we can pool, after the submission of assignments and the very necessary feedback.)