Finally Tapped In...

Well, it's been awhile since I planned on getting involved in the wonderful website called TappedIn but I was finally able to go o this site and read the transcripts from two sessions on Web 2.0. I love that I was able to choose this topic out of everything that TappedIn has to offer, it is something that is very interesting to me and therefore I was motivated to read the entire transcript. I also love that although it would be useful to be a part of the sessions while they were happening, you also had the choice of going back to the information whenever it is needed.

The most important thing to note about TappedIn is that the resources given are amazing! The best one that I found was Digication. This offers free portfolios to teachers! Awesome!

I know I will go back to TappedIn in the very near future as it is free professional deveoplment. It's amazing what the Web can do these days!!

If we can dream it, we can do it....right?

Yesterday a peer and I were putting the final touches on our ECMP final project. As mentioned before, we are completing a webquest that we believe will be appropriate for the Grade 1 level. Talk about frustrating!!! Throughout the process we have had the naive assumption that if we can think of it in our head, then it should be able to be done on the computer. Things like embedding recording devices in our webpages were not able to be realized and our assignment certainly did not turn out exactly as we pictured it in our minds.

The point is, I found it interesting that the gap between our mind and what technology can actually accomplish is still pretty substantial. Maybe we aren't as advanced as we might like to think, or maybe our brains are just going way ahead of the amazing technology we already have. Either way, I'd be interested to hear if anyone else has ever had this type of experience :)

Spongebob teaches me to type...

Today in class we were given "educational" software in small groups and were asked to evaluate it based on categories we brainstormed as a group. My group chose to try "Spongebob Sqaurepants Typing". Now, here come the pros and cons:

Pros:
- Highly recognizable figure which students would probably be excited about working with.
- Lot's of options is terms of games for practicing typing skills.

and ummm.....that's about it?

Let's just say we definitely found a lot of cons, including:

Cons:
- Does not load on newer versions of the Mac OS
- Is not intuitive at all, some sections of the game are even mislabeled; for example - "Typing Tournament" is actually where the beginning lessons are given; "Practice" gives lengthy paragraphs which would only be able to be completed by high school students.
- Most of the "games" given would frustrate young students as they are lengthy in nature.
- Most of the instructions are given in text; young children would have a hard time figuring out what the next step is.
- Very mature listening and reading skills are required in order to have any type of success.
- Spongebob "laughs" at the user as you make mistakes; not too many children would want to practice a skill after being laughed at.

All in all, I can't say that any member of my group was impressed with this software. I think there are a lot better options that can be found FOR FREE, such as Tux Typing!

Everything I need....

Well, it turns out that my Education travels might take me all the way to Torreón, Mexico for my first year out of school. The thought of moving so far from home scares the heck out of me, but then I think about the power of the internet and how I will have everything I need right at my fingertips.

For example:
- I can keep track of my friends via Facebook.com
- I can keep track of my favourite music via Myspace.com
- I can share pictures of my new classroom with Flickr.com
- I can Skype or blog with peers who have classrooms close to home; perhaps even creating penpals between our students.
- I can stay up-to-date on Saskatchewan related news via the online Leader Post
- I can stay up-to-date with favourite TV shows via You-tube and Torrents
- I can let me family and friends know what is happening in my classroom via this blog!
- I can webcam and chat with my friends on various instant messaging services.

..and I'm sure there is a lot more. Now, this may seem superficial, me worrying about these small comforts when I'll be in such an exciting place, however; it's nice to know that I will always be connected to home!

Adios! ;)

The Pressure is On...

It's amazing how "behind" someone can get in their technological obligations...it feels like it's been forever since I have blogged! Anyway, as I was catching up on Google Reader I noticed a very interesting post in Weblogg-ed

This post is a link to a New York Times article about the pressure girls face to not only be beautiful, but also intelligent. You can find that article here: For Girls, It's Be Yourself and Be Perfect Too

I have to admit that I was a little surprised by this article. It seems that women have been working forever to be seen as useful and equal to men and now it has gone too far.

This seems to be a really hot topic at the moment, as I have found that many of my colleagues have chosen to focus their focus their final projects on the topic of media literacy and body image with young women.

My question is, what can I do as an Early Childhood Educator in order to help stop this type of thinking before it starts? Is it as simple as building self-esteem and a authentic community of learners in my classroom? Is it as simple as focusing on only "healthy" competition between students? Any ideas are welcome and appreciated as I know this is something I will have to deal with in my near future.