Blog Post 11

"Little Kids...Big Potential" & Kathy Cassidy's Skype Conversation

In this video, we get a glimpse into Ms. Cassidy's first grade classroom. For one, there seem to be several laptops throughout the classroom. Children are already blogging at the tender age of six and seven. The teachers seem to edit the posts to help with spelling, but leave the original mistakes as well, to keep a portfolio of work. Students learn etiquette through commenting on other students' posts.

Parents (along with other family members) are encouraged to comment on blogs to encourage the students. Students also use websites during center time to encourage independant learning. To promote cooperation among students, they use wikis to have conversations with each other. Former EDM 310 students even worked with the students on their wikis about the alphabet.

Students also use Skype to chat with reading buddies and experts on various subjects to help them learn about topics. Finally, she uses Ninetendo DS consoles to promote sharing and decision making.

In the interview, Ms. Cassidy discusses many interesting technical aspects of her classroom. One thing that I loved was how she said that generally, administrators and parents have been quite supportive. She says that no administrator has discouraged her, though some have simply not cared. Some teachers seem to be naysayers, but that is to be expected. Parents love seeing the work when they have free time as opposed to only during the teachers' convenient time.

She also heavily encourages using a Personal Learning Network and gives a few sites with which students can set them up (Twitter, Clerk, etc.). She, like Dr. Strange, originally disliked Twitter, but came to love it as a valuable educational resource. She also discusses the frequency of blogging. She also discusses how students can use technology in courses, even such as Physical Education. She also mentions that for safety, students do not post pictures of themselves or their last names. Furthermore, students are also instructed not to click on links around webpages, as not to take them to inappropriate sites. Ms. Cassidy specifically gives websites for students to go to and learn.

Ms. Cassidy's classroom is certainly innovating and exciting! I hope that I can one day have access to such wonderful technology. I feel that the biggest impediments will be cost and fear from administration of embracing the online learning experience.