Module+1


 * 21st Century Instruction Discussion**

I chose to read & view the Level: Novice/Elementary: //Kindergarten classroom collaboration// as I felt this is where MY levels are. The areas I felt the 1st video came under on the Range of Use chart were the integrated learning systems, drill & practice,expressionism/visualization and eCommunications. The students surprised me with how well they co-operated with each other - I don't see this in my classroom (usually).

I am not sure what Jeannine means by the three axes but it was obvious the students had to practice (more than once) to co-ordinate pictures and verbal cues from a partner. This video the students made for Mom's Day integrated art (visualization), the interview process, data collecting, communication skills, and research (what questions to ask), and put it together into a project that all worked on.

Every year, I have the winter & spring concerts taped & then show the students their segment of it - it's interesting to hear the comments they make about themselves and others - both constructive & (sometimes) non-construvctive (is that a word?) One of my students in 8th grade did the taping for me this year & it was interesting to see the different things he tried with the options available on my camera.

The 2nd video had the same teacher presenting technology used in her classroom to a group of parents - she was discussing/showing how her students use technology to communicate with a class in Australia and presenting it in a manner similar to what (I assume) she uses with her students - repetition, asking questions, leading them in a direction that would lead to a successful conclusion of the skills needed to communicate around the work - and how she showed the students where the other class is located. I think I would have also used a globe so they could physically see where Australia is located - a flat representation on a Smart Board(?) wouldn't be enough for me - I also need the visualization to see it is half way around the world.

I was very impressed with all she does with these young kindergarten students - it makes me realize how much more I could be doing even with the limited technology I had available to me up to now.