Multimedia In the Classroom

Hey Everyone!
Can you believe this term is almost over? I have three more courses after this class and my other one and I am done with my Masters! I am excited and sad at the same time. I think I'm one of those dorks who has actually extremely enjoyed going back to school (despite the loans). Maybe, it is just because I am not married and do not have children so it gave me something to do. I also finally got some great news this weekend. Franklin (my nephew) had surgery on Friday. He failed a hearing test and needed tubes put in his ears and also had his adenoids (did I spell that right?) out at the same time. Things went well and he is already talking and hearing better. In fact, he was giving me kisses through the phone yesterday. His Bitsy misses him! Anyway, the other great news is that I am going to be an Aunt again! My sister is nine weeks pregnant. Fingers crossed for a girl! Anyway, back to the real writing I am writing this blog. Technology in Education.

This week we are supposed to post on two types of multimedia from ch. 6 to use in the classroom and how we would incorporate it in. So here goes....

Since starting this class, my awareness of the importance of technology in our world has increased immensely. I have already started using more of it everyday. Our Science and Social Studies is incorporated into our Reading Curriculum and so our students are not really exposed to Science until 3rd grade. So, I found Science websites that have videos the students can watch during their snack time. It gives both of us a break from each other after a grueling, intense two hours of reading groups. I also notice that I am already incorporating my first type of multimedia.

Instructional Software- Instructional software includes tutorials, drill and practice, simulations,  instructional games and problem solving. I realized that I am already using a tutorial based software program.I incorporate it in during my tier two math time when we are in small groups (again). Three students can work on the program at a time. It is great because everyone is involved in some type of instruction during this time. A plus is a program that our district has purchased and encourages us to use. I have been using it as a math program. The students have been assigned standards to masters. They first take a pre-test. They must make 80 percent or higher to move on to the next skill. If they do not make that it sends them to a tutorial lesson that teaches the skill. They must then study the lesson again or practice the skill. Once they have practiced, they take a post test. If they pass this time around, they move on. If not, they have to go back and do it all over again. The next thing I use is a drill and practice program. Our math program has a math fact program where they have to answer math facts in a set amount of time. We use this program at the beginning of math class everyday as a way to get them warmed up. They like it because they are being timed and want to see how many they can get right in a minute (the district requires 25).  The last thing that I incorporate into my classroom is instructional games. There are boooohhoodles of games out there the students can work on. I have added several to my teacher page on the district website and I know my kids are going to it, because they come in and tell me what they went home and played. I love it because I have 100 percent engagement. Fun4thebrain is a website I have been using a lot in my classroom. It is full of instructional games for the students to play. I have mainly used it for math facts. I pull up the website if we have extra time after our lesson and say we are going to play this. The kids give me the answers and I supply them. Once they have so many correct, I choose students who are participating to come play the game portion of program. They work hard at it, because they know they will be rewarded. Their math facts have increased too!

The second type of multimedia I am going to talk about is interactive books. This one may be a bit of a challenge for me to incorporate. Not because I cannot find the time. The time to incorporate the books is easy. I can incorporate them during center time and I can also use them during our read aloud time. However, my students are going to fight me tooth and nail. It isn't that they do not like to listen to books. I have just created Junie. B. Jones fanatics and starfall fanatics. Anytime I pick up anything but Junie B. Jones to read as our read aloud, they flip out on me and complain like crazy. My fault I guess for getting into character and them trying to figure out what she is going to do next. So, I will probably incorporate e books in during center time. Come to think of it. Starfall is a bit of an e book. As they move the pointer across the word it reads it to them. If they don't know the word it sounds it out for them. I probably will incorporate other e books by giving them a choice of what they would like to go to for the day. They only get computer once a week and some of them are a bit bored of starfall by now. Hooray for first graders growing up!

Now, that I have written a book today, I hope you all have a good President's Day weekend! Enjoy the day off tomorrow!