Reflection On My Technology Integration

This year I plan to integrate more technology in my kindergarten classroom because I believe that my students will be more engaged in instruction if they have a choice in the way they are learning.  Because boys and girls both enjoy playing web games, I will use the iTouch and games from the internet to enhance and support my instruction in reading and writing.  I also plan to use PowerPoint in my classroom to create digital stories.  I am very excited about creating digital stories because I just learned how to use PowerPoint to create a digital story about my dog, Marlee.  By integrating more technology into my classroom, I believe that my students will be more engaged in the kindergarten curriculum.

Reflections

I really enjoyed this assignment because it is the first time that I have ever evaluated a website.  It helped me to understand that even though some sites may not be intended for teachers, with careful consideration the information on the site can be used by teachers.  I found this to be true with the RIF website.  It is intended for use by parents, however there are a lot of resources and activities that can be used by teachers. 

Literacy Website Evaluation

RIF Website Evaluation

Pam Wheeler

07/21/11

The RIF website can be found on the internet at http://www.rif.org/.  RIF stands for Reading is Fundamental.  Some educators are familiar with the RIF program because for years children in Title One schools have been given free books to take home, read and enjoy; however, I am not familiar with the RIF website.  Therefore, when I searched the words “literacy instruction”, and found Reading is Fundamental, I decided to evaluate the site to find out if literacy instruction is provided for educators as well as students and families.

The home page of the RIF website is very appealing to the eye.  It is colorful and there are pictures of smiling, young children reading.  There is a home page, about RIF, get involved, and a literacy resource page.  There is also a link to literacy activities and a blog which was started by the RIF CEO, Carol H. Rasco.  More activities and resources can be found in the blog.   After viewing the home page, and a really cool activity called Reading Passport, I was hooked and wanted to know more.  I also found information about RIF programs, donors, and articles about reading instruction.

On the about RIF page, I found a vision and mission statement:

·         OUR VISION:
Our vision is a literate America in which all children have access to books and discover the joys and value of reading.

·         OUR MISSION:
To motivate young children to read by working with them, their parents, and community members to make reading a fun and beneficial part of everyday life. RIF's highest priority is reaching underserved children from birth to age 8.

I also found the history of RIF, and annual reports.  RIF was actually started by a school teacher who wanted to get books into the hands of low-income children. 

        The resource page is full of exciting reading and writing activities, and some of them are in Spanish.  I can’t wait to try the writing activity called Excuses, Excuses with my kindergarten students.  The activities are created for children ages 3-teen.  Even though the activities are designed for families to use with their children, they can easily be used in the classroom.  There is also a link for educators where more literacy resources can be found.  I also followed a link to another website that I will definitely be using in my literacy instruction.  There are nursery rhymes, stories, activities, and games for children of all ages which can be viewed in English or Spanish.

        I was able to find reviews about RIF from the following websites, http://bookdads.com/reading-resources/reading-resource-reading-is-fundamental/, http://lookingglassreview.blogspot.com/2008/02/action-alert-reading-is-fundamental-rif.html, and http://www.akblessingsabound.com/2011/03/pine-sol-and-national-reading-month-giveaway.html.  All of these consumers gave the RIF program and website excellent reviews.  The website provides children, parents, and educators with a lot of resources for literacy instruction. Placing books in children’s hands is where literacy instruction begins. 

        However, I was disappointed that I was unable to find any research literature about the Reading is Fundamental website. For me, this was a weakness with the website.  Personally, I enjoyed the website because it provided several literacy resources for parents and educators.  There were also activities, stories and nursery rhymes for children to listen to in English and Spanish. I would recommend this website for anyone with children ages 3-teen.  It is an excellent family resource and it can be utilized by educators as well.   The following is a list of some practical applications of the website for educators:

·         Students reading along with the nursery rhymes and stories.

·         Students playing the literacy games online.

·         Teachers using the book list to find current children’s books.

·         Teachers discussing literacy on the blog.

·         Teachers implementing the activities into lesson plans.

·         Teachers linking the website to their classroom webpage.

·         Teachers using the website for Spanish instruction.

·         Teachers recommending the website to parents and families.

In my opinion, the RIF website has a lot of information and resources about reading to offer families and educators.  I would recommend it to teachers and families for additional reading and writing support.

Digital Stories

What are the pros and cons that you see in using digital stories for literacy development?  How would you assess a student's digital story?

• In my opinion, digital stories are a great way to keep students engaged in their learning of literature. Most all children appear to enjoy using technology in any form, and if digital stories will encourage students to write more, then it is important for teachers to provide the opportunity for students to express themselves digitally.  After all, keeping students engaged will inspire them to achieve and learn more.
• On the other hand, digital stories could be very time consuming in the classroom, and difficult for teachers to manage with a large or very young group of children.  However, because keeping students engaged is so important, these obstacles could be overcome by having extra help in the classroom such as para professionals, reading specialists, or parents.
• During the process of producing a digital story, students must have a draft, write their story and script.  Therefore, assessment would be very similar to assessing a literature piece written on paper the old-fashioned way.

Should the characterisics of today's kids change the way educators approach literacy development?

The characteristics of today's kids are definitely different from previous generations.  Educators should absolutely change their approach to teaching reading and writing.  Educators need to learn about the latest advancements in technology in order to understand how today's kids like to learn.  If today's kids learn better from being engaged in technology, then educators should take time to reflect on their own approaches to literacy development, making sure that technology is being utilized with their students.  If technology is not being used in the classroom, then educators should take the necessary steps needed in order to include it in their teaching.

Wednesday, July 6th, 2011

This is the first day of my literacies and technologies class, and this is my first blog post.  I hope to learn a lot about literacy and the use of technology.