Have a discussion with one or more of your students about the role of creativity in the classroom. What do they really value currently and/or what would they change about their learning environment when it comes to digital media and technology supporting creativity?
My role as a Reading Specialist puts me in a very unique position because I got to reach out to my third, fourth, AND fifth grade students about creatvity/technology opportunities in the classroom. Talking with the three different grade levels really opened up my eyes to see that most students, regardless of their age or grade level, want more of an online presence in school. I would love to throw learning in their hands one period/day and let them teach a small-group using digital media. I think after this "survey, I I might just give it a whirl!
Overall- nearly all of my students said that they really enjoy "Free-Write Fridays" in my small-group class. Free-write Fridays (or just Free-Write days in general) allow students to write about ANYTHING they want. I allow them to write poetry, short stories, non-fiction stories, plays, readers theatre, comics, etc. There are no boundaires and the choice is theirs and theirs alone.
Third grade: Third grade students expressed liking their usage of math boxes/manipulatives to express their creativity in Math class. Third grade mentioned that they do not get as much "computer time" as they'd like. They suggested exploring the world of YouTube might make their learning environment more positive.
Fourth grade: Fourth grade students said they enjoyed creating their own graphic organizers in Science. As described by them, these graphic organizers help them connect their background knowledge with their new learning. When asked what students would like to change about their learning environment, most students agreed that they would like more choice in their projects. They also suggested that they be allowed to write/create stories with online applications rather than in their writing journals. All students agreed that implementing more digital projects like Power Points or Glogster posters would make their learning environment more positive.
Fifth Grade: Fifth grade students expressed how they not only like the actual Free Write portion or Free Writing, but also the sharing/ collaboration piece. I am beginning to think that allowing students to "Free Write" collaboratively with their group using Google Docs and/or other collaboration applications in school and at home would be a great way to take their learning to a new level. Fifth grade students also said they enjoyed being exposed to different types of writing in their ELA classes. They all agreed that they liked having a choice when it comes to what kind of story to create. Fifth grade suggested that having more of an online presence would help their learning environment become more positive. Many fifth grade students are eager to try new storytelling apps and research different online libraries and how to borrow books that our school does not have. (Interlibrary loans, oh my!)
I was pleasantly surprised to hear the suggestions of third through fifth grade students. In more cases than not, these digital natives are craving more technology time. It is no surprise after this weeks reading to learn that most students have access to digital media at home. Why limit it in the classroom?
According to Lenhart, aided by the convenience and constant access provided by mobile phones, 92% of teens report going online daily — with 24% using the internet “almost constantly,” 56% going online several times a day, and 12% reporting once-a-day use (Lenhart 2015).
Lenhart, A. (2015, April 9). Teens, social media & technology overview 2015. Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/09/teens-social-media-technology-2015/
My role as a Reading Specialist puts me in a very unique position because I got to reach out to my third, fourth, AND fifth grade students about creatvity/technology opportunities in the classroom. Talking with the three different grade levels really opened up my eyes to see that most students, regardless of their age or grade level, want more of an online presence in school. I would love to throw learning in their hands one period/day and let them teach a small-group using digital media. I think after this "survey, I I might just give it a whirl!
Overall- nearly all of my students said that they really enjoy "Free-Write Fridays" in my small-group class. Free-write Fridays (or just Free-Write days in general) allow students to write about ANYTHING they want. I allow them to write poetry, short stories, non-fiction stories, plays, readers theatre, comics, etc. There are no boundaires and the choice is theirs and theirs alone.
Third grade: Third grade students expressed liking their usage of math boxes/manipulatives to express their creativity in Math class. Third grade mentioned that they do not get as much "computer time" as they'd like. They suggested exploring the world of YouTube might make their learning environment more positive.
Fourth grade: Fourth grade students said they enjoyed creating their own graphic organizers in Science. As described by them, these graphic organizers help them connect their background knowledge with their new learning. When asked what students would like to change about their learning environment, most students agreed that they would like more choice in their projects. They also suggested that they be allowed to write/create stories with online applications rather than in their writing journals. All students agreed that implementing more digital projects like Power Points or Glogster posters would make their learning environment more positive.
Fifth Grade: Fifth grade students expressed how they not only like the actual Free Write portion or Free Writing, but also the sharing/ collaboration piece. I am beginning to think that allowing students to "Free Write" collaboratively with their group using Google Docs and/or other collaboration applications in school and at home would be a great way to take their learning to a new level. Fifth grade students also said they enjoyed being exposed to different types of writing in their ELA classes. They all agreed that they liked having a choice when it comes to what kind of story to create. Fifth grade suggested that having more of an online presence would help their learning environment become more positive. Many fifth grade students are eager to try new storytelling apps and research different online libraries and how to borrow books that our school does not have. (Interlibrary loans, oh my!)
I was pleasantly surprised to hear the suggestions of third through fifth grade students. In more cases than not, these digital natives are craving more technology time. It is no surprise after this weeks reading to learn that most students have access to digital media at home. Why limit it in the classroom?
According to Lenhart, aided by the convenience and constant access provided by mobile phones, 92% of teens report going online daily — with 24% using the internet “almost constantly,” 56% going online several times a day, and 12% reporting once-a-day use (Lenhart 2015).
Lenhart, A. (2015, April 9). Teens, social media & technology overview 2015. Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/09/teens-social-media-technology-2015/