Me on the other hand, I am not navigating too well. I am sweating. I am pacing around the room. I am worried we will not have enough time to answer the eight question form. I am mad at myself for missing the one big step, how to get out of a full screen video! I am not sure why these kids are so fascinated with making things big on the screen. I should of known that was going to be the first thing they did with the screencast! I am looking around the room at my giant face in a webcam video on the 22-inch screen. I think they were more interested in the fact that I was on the screen than the lesson I was trying to teach. There were a few students who had to play the screencast more than once to understand the task.
In the end, all 32 successfully navigated to completed their forms. On the form I had one open ended question on what they wanted to learn this year in technology, their answers and first grade spelling were priceless. Only a few understood the question, but hey on this screenshot if I can teach a 7 year old how to drive a garbage truck, it would be a year to remember!
What I learned from my very first try at screen casting with first graders:
- Less is more. I always try to pack too much in. Just the screencast would have been enough for their little minds.
- I have some strong readers and writers, but also some that will struggle when we start our typing program.
- They will always want to have free play.
- It is going to be a long rewarding year.
- Successful seamless navigation is my year long goal.
- Teaching students to 'read' their screen, browser, tabs, and icons.
- Set high expectations and my kiddos will follow. They amaze me everyday.
My student Google Site
Google Forms
Screencast-o-Matic
“New technology is common, new thinking is rare.” – Sir Peter Blake
Hi Katie, I had to laugh picturing a teachers face, at 22', and expecting the kids to learn anything! If they're anything like my boys, forget it...
ReplyDeleteThe goals you set for the year are very positive and I am sure the kids will learn and grow from the positiveness you portray. How often do the kids have tech? Perhaps the question you asked them during their first lesson can be also asked at the end of the year to compare just how much they did learn.
One thing I have found with my kids is that they catch onto technology so quickly that they have exceeded my expectations (sometimes not what I wanted). Technology seems to have a snowball effect and kids can just figure it out. Maybe because they are not concerned with the cost and can just keep hitting buttons, tapping the screens and powering down until they can get it to do what they wanted!
Katie,
ReplyDeleteI think I'm going to really enjoy following your blog posts this semester! I love your passion and it inspires me to try stuff in my own classroom.
What were some of the questions your students asked as you were "running around the room helping"? Where did the slower students struggle? Did it help the lower students that they could re-watch the screencast? And one more, are they getting used to navigating your Google site (because I might use Google site for my final project)?
Erin
Hey Erin-
DeleteI felt like the screen cast was a great way to skip whole group instruction where some students never seem to pay attention. This was a great option for one on one instruction, but the computer was teaching for me. After the initial logon and startup they seemed to get it. The questions they ask always seem to be about navigation. They either can't find something, click on the wrong thing, or don't know where to go. I am working hard at my patience and understanding that I do not think navigation of a webpage is really teachable, it is more experience based, and the kids just have to trial and error and not be afraid to click around. I like the Google site, it was a bit clunky when I started, but now that I knows some of the tricks it has gotten much more friendly.
Hi Katie,
ReplyDeleteDid you use screencast-o-matic? I've been wanting to use forms with my class but couldn't think of a way to introduce it. Do you have a site that you learned your Google Site Tips from? Thanks for sharing this experience.
Meagan
Hey Meagan-
DeleteYea I have been using Screencast-o-matic it is really easy. As far as my Google site it is really just a trial and error. I am kind of teaching myself so far. I am hoping our district offers a class so I can learn some more tips.
Katie, I always love reading your blog. I had the same problem the first time I used screen cast and couldn't remember how to get out of it either. What a great task to figure out who can do what and who your struggling learners will be. Even my middle school kids want free time all the time. We've settled on earning points as a way to make them earn the free time they want. I can't wait to read the next installment.
ReplyDeleteKatie,
ReplyDeleteI teach middle school students and have gone through a similar process. I like what you were saying about their fixation on the little things like making their video go full screen, but having no idea how to get out of it. I would love to see some of their technology goals! That sounds like it could be a very cool thing to hear, and compare to my first grade tech goal, beat Oregon trail!
Katie,
ReplyDeleteI am so impressed and inspired that you are taking what we are learning here and APPLYING IT!! Awesome! Your observations and reflections are priceless. Theory can only take us so far in our quest to learn...the rest is the act of bringing it into the real world in order to watch how it works.
Excellent job!
I'm so impressed with what you have planned for your kids this year! As a first grade classroom teacher, my students used computers to access our online math and reading curriculums but there was never a time where they were taught how to use a computer. We didn't have a library/librarian (new Charter school!) so really no teacher or period during the day with which to teach basic technology skills. We relied on the hope that most of our students already knew how to use a computer or could figure it out. Needless to say there was quite a range of abilities and it definitely made a difference in how they were able to access and interact with our programs (which they were expected to be able to use independently while I was doing small group instruction). Dedicating the space and time to teaching these basic computer skills will definitely set these kids up for success in the long run!
ReplyDeleteHi Katie,
ReplyDeleteI love reading the entirety of your blog from this post to your latest on November 5th. Your conscientious nature and transparency about your feelings is inspirational as well as educational.
Your insight about 'less is more' is terribly valuable. I was a coach for several years and found that I would often overload my students. This is a reflection of my own ambitious nature. It is difficult to balance that tendency with 'setting the bar' high enough to push the students to exceptional work. I still struggle with this.