Reflection
1
My
group’s portion of the wiki project helped me to explore ways to integrate
technology into a constructivist learning environment. “The focus of both constructivism and
technology are then on the creation of learning environments” (Nanjappa &
Grant, 2013). I learned more about using
Facebook, Skype, You Tube, blogs and podcasts.
Because I teach early childhood children most of the use would be done
by me or an assistant. I learned more
about blogs and podcasting by working on my portion of the wiki chapter. I went from thinking of the blog as a way of
just sharing basic information, to thinking of it as a way of sharing everything
we do in the classroom, from videos of programs, podcasts of the children,
pictures of events and artwork. I
learned more about Skype, Facebook and You Tube by reading the portions that my
team mates created. I also learned about
collaborative team work using technology in our construction of our portion of
the wiki. “Wikis seem to be suitable
instruments to encourage and facilitate processes of individual learning and
collaborative knowledge building at the same time” (Kimmerle, Moskaliuk & Cress, 2011, p. 146). I have not yet had time to view the entire
wiki created by the class but have skimmed it and can’t wait to find out more
about what the other teams have to tell us.
This is a good way to learn more about the technology without having to
do the research for everything on my own.
I can read the wiki chapters and decide if the information they have
given is enough for me to use the technology they wrote about or I can use the references
they cited and do more research on my own.
I
think Facebook would be safe for sharing photos and information if it is a
private group. Privacy
and safety to protect the children is very important to me and is required of
schools by the federal government Children's Internet
Protection Act. I would love
to use Skype to facilitate conferencing with parents. A blog is what I think I
would use a lot to communicate with families.
I could post information, podcasts, photos, You Tube or other
videos. Using a blog for my classroom is
something that I am really excited about.
References
Federal Communications Commission.
Children's internet protection act. Retrieved
Kimmerle,
J., Moskaliuk, J., & Cress, U. (2011). Using Wikis for Learning and
Knowledge Building: Results of an Experimental Study. Educational Technology
& Society, 14(4), 138–148.
Nanjappa,
A., & Grant, M. M. (2013). Constructing on constructivism: The role of
technology. Electronic Journal for the
Integration of Technology in Education. 2(1),
http://ejite.isu.edu/Volume2No1/nanjappa.htm
