Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Integrating Technology & Literacy



TECHNOLOGY LITERACY

As our school makes the leap into the STEM mindset we must not limit STEM activities to the learning commons or the IC block.  In order for students to grow into the jobs that await them upon college graduation, they need to be immersed in technology through each subject area... all day.

We assume that kids today know more about technology than we do. This is not always the case.



My 4th graders were having difficulty distinguishing the nonfiction text features. I handed them a list of the text features they needed to know and a digital camera. After a video rap-review we set off to the library and I had them go on a text feature hunt.

-ALL of the kids needed a tutorial on how to use the camera.
-Half of the students were unsure of how to HOLD the camera.
-ALL of the students needed help figuring out how to look back at their photos and delete accidental snaps.

As they searched through books, they engaged in conversations about labels and diagrams.

They discussed photographs vs. illustrations and caught the giggles when they realized that they were taking photographs of photographs. They learned about the text-features... and inadvertently they learned how to use a digital camera. Simple. Easy. Fun.






Today we put the T in sTem while doing a literacy activity. Imagine what creative and inventive things these students may do with their knowledge of the camera. As they returned to class the conversation went something like this...



"That was fun!"
"My mom won't let me touch her camera."
"I can't wait to finish tomorrow!"

2 comments:

  1. As always, you will lead the way!

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  2. This is such a great example of technology integration - not teaching them how to use the camera, but actually USING the camera and learning about it at the same time they are accomplishing the "main" learning objectives. And I love that you pointed out that students don't always know the things we think they do about technology! What lucky kids to have YOU in their lives!

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