applies to all grades, especially second grade and up. Moving from =
technology being integrated to being integral is a process, but I find =
that working with students on curriculum helps them use and remember the =
tools better, even in elementary school. I also find it much better =
that students can use technology when it is needed. For a project, they =
often need it everyday for a week or two, then not again for a few =
weeks. Students, especially in the lower grades, do much better with =
this model than the weekly technology classes where a project could take =
two months rather than two weeks (and loses most of its true =
"integratedness"). =20
By third grade, students start using computers as needed, so there =
starts to be times when only some students use the computers and others =
don't need them, rather than the "everybody get a computer now" model. =
All of K-2, and most of 3rd is still spent in the "everybody get a =
computer now" model, but we start to move away from this by the end of =
3rd grade. About half of fourth grade, laptops are used when needed, by =
those students that need them. Starting in fifth grade, we do whole =
class instruction at the beginning of each project when new software or =
new ways to use software is used. Other than that, students use the =
computers throughout the day (almost everyday) whenever they need to use =
it. About half the time is word processing, 25% projects, and 25% =
online.
For grades K-1, we have added a weekly technology curriculum in addition =
to using the technology for projects. This gives the students the =
additional time needed to learn essential technology (logging in and =
out, saving, retrieving files), word processing (spacing, basic =
punctuation, etc.), brainstorming (Inspiration, using graphics), drawing =
(Pixie) and online skills (using bookmarks, links, etc.) and often gives =
the classroom teachers (who are there helping during these classes) =
these skills too :)
Renee Ramig
Seven Hills School
-----Original Message-----
From: A forum for independent school educators on behalf of Greg Stevens
Sent: Sat 2/14/2009 10:26 AM
To: ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Re: 21st Century Computer Skills
=20
As always, the discussion here is fascinating and it seems led by people
working with middle and high school students. I'd love to know what
elementary teachers think in these discussions. The loftier the =
language
and goals stated, the more I think the speaker is forgetting some basic
steps in a student's learning about computers that occur prior to high
school. I wonder what fundamental concepts and mental structures need =
to
be built (and skills developed) before students can be the adaptable =
21st
century learners described in this discussion.=20
Young children think concretely and sometimes grasp the whole better =
when
it is broken down into parts. Yes, my school still teaches word
processing in a stand alone fashion (and keyboarding and other discrete
skills), not as much as we used to, but without this emphasis on writing
by itself, the written component of a multimedia presentation is =
weakened.
Students rush towards graphics, audio, and video while building web
pages. They jot off hasty, ill-considered responses on blogs. Sticking
with language in a word processor helps them learn to focus on ideas and
content first. This year I halted a multimedia web publishing project,
sent every fourth grader back to Word to refine their thinking and
language, then returned to creating and publishing multimedia web pages
using iWeb after they reached an acceptable level of clarity in their =
text
comments. Our time spent in Word included lots of editing and =
formatting
work that yielded presentable print documents. I can't imagine word
processors going away anytime soon.
In response to comments about the five-step user, I also feel in early
learning about computers there is a lot of pressure to provide handouts,
even though these end up being single-use documents. Young children =
need
lots of support and clearly identified small, manageable steps. =
Sometimes
this looks like instruction focused just on skills, and sometimes it is
mini-lessons to move along a bigger project. =20
Students as young as first grade already fit the contrasting profiles of
five step users wanting manuals and those who adapt to feedback while
using a computer. Some students who start out as five-step users soon
gain the confidence and proficiency to work well with less external
support, but some never do in the six years that I teach them. I don't
expect that every young student has a strong built-in technology =
instinct
or intelligence, and I hope there are opportunities in the future for
those who don't shine with technology. All of these children have =
gifts,
talents, and strengths of one kind or another.
Greg Stevens
Lower School Coordinator of Instructional Technology
MICDS
St. Louis, MO
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