Best Practices in Technology!

Well here we are on a Saturday afternoon and I am listening to my AU tigers. They are ahead now, and hoping they continue to play well and end with a WIN! Anyway, on to best practices...

I have to admit that it was much easier for me to integrate technology for student use when I taught fifth grade. There wasn't much deliberation over "can they do this?" "Are they mature enough to utilize this?" We just planned for it and taught the children how to use the technology as a part of their learning process.

Moving to second grade was a transition especially when considering how to best integrate technology into their learning. I want these children of the digital age to feel confident in their abilities to utilize technology, and not just use it for games. Yes I know, games are fun. I like Words with Friends and that Where's My Water game as much as the next person. However, I want my students to see the value of the things they can learn and create through the use of technology.

My children are starting to use an app or two on my I-pad. This week children used the "Kids Doodle" app as a part of our Working with Words station. They would practice their spelling words. The children who haven't used it yet are just anxiously awaiting their turn.
I know this is just the beginning of the ways that children can use the I-pad. I love hearing from my awesome Samford classmates on how they are using I-pads (and other technologies in their classrooms for learning).

So what are best practices in Second Grade? I think looking at and way beyond the Technology Course of Study. Thinking about what the children can do, what they need to do, what we want them to be able to do. There are some interactive technologies that are very appropriate for the children. The use of the Smartboard to do learning activities is one example. I believe that second grade is very capable of using word processing skills and creating at least one PowerPoint slide, if not a small presentation. Can second graders research on the internet? Absolutely! The Google Safe Search site is awesome for young children to use.

In conclusion, best practices in integrating the technology are endless. Using it to teach children, using it to help children learn, using it to help children create, and using it to help children problem solve are just a few ways that technology can be utilized in the classroom.

War Eagle!!!!!
Ginger