I'm not kidding, it really is this easy!

[Learning 2.008 Conference]

Are you a classroom teacher in an Elementary Grade? Do you want to help prepare your students for 21st Century Digital Literacy but you’re not sure where or how to start? Are you curious about what that looks like or sounds like?
Then this session is looking for YOU!

Come join me for 45 minutes and I’ll convince you that I’m not kidding, it really is easy to start embedding technology into your daily classroom practice without it feeling like an add-on or just one more thing to do. I’ll share with you what works (and what didn’t), a few tools to get you started and some excellent links to refer back to when your head clears after the conference is over.


Presenter: Chrissy Hellyer
Room: MS203

[Noreen A. Croyle]

This is exactly what I am looking for and I would also like to know what are the key skills that are 1) developmentally appropriated 2)needed to be taught to set our kids up for success in the digital world

[Chrissy H]

Hi Noreen
Great questions! I will certainly try to answer both of these for you in the session. Looking forward to meeting you!

[Susan Sedro]

Can hardly wait! This will be a great session.

[Chrissy H]

Thanks Susan!

[Mike Romard]

I will also be attending - can't wait - I will edit this reply later so it has my notes on it as well.

For now, I'm eager to hear specific examples of how you are embedding technology into the lives of Grade 1-3 students/teachers.

Warm regards,
Mike

[JenWagner]

So glad that I get to listen to this virtually with you Chrissy --

I enjoy what you are sharing!!!

here are my sites you wanted:
http://www.jenuinetech.com
http://projectsbyjen.ning.com

[Andrea]

Chrissy is a New Zealander who works for ISBangkok.
A class mascot can give students a voice. Students take turns taking the mascot home for the weekend, then take photos and blog about it.
Blogs can be a part of writing time--not an extra. Some kids can choose to write on paper, while others write directly to the blog.
Skype conference calls can be used during a class lecture. Members can be muted until they need to speak to the room. Skype allows kids to make connections with people all around the world.

Online Projects for Teachers
Delicious--- bookmarking site
flickr--connects with blogging easily
Voicethread--can record voices and lay over images, no writing needed

Don't reinvent the wheel. There are lots of teachers online who are willing to share ideas! Start small by choosing just one part of technology to try out.

You can add a live traffic feed onto the blog to see who has visited the site. It let's kids know who their audience is. Look at other class blogs in order to see how other kids use them and to make connections.

[Angela Moriarty]

Set up a classroom Blog to develop writing in the classroom - Children can publish their own work and create dialogue through comments.
Have a class mascot that the children can book out for weekends/ holidays. They can then write a blog/create a podcast to share the mascot’s adventure.
Add a live traffic feed to your blog to excite the children to read it and add to it.
When first starting out with blogs go visit other blogs first. Adding comments to other blogs will encourage people to come and visit yours.

Use a Wiki as a living ‘textbook’ Invite parents to join too and share children’s work.

Get SKYPE and communicate with people across the globe during your lessons. Set up links with other International schools. Use this to help children to understand concepts such as time difference.
Using technology in the classrooms encourages cooperation and helps you to make global connections.

Use ‘Delicious’ for bookmarking

Set up a Flickr account to upload the photos you want to use with your class.

Use VoiceThread – Very child friendly web tool using photos and voice recordings.

Use Slideshare to find presentations that teachers have already produced.

[Niki Swart]

Starting tools:
Mascot: Use a mascot it gives students a voice. The students book the mascot take it on holiday take photos of the mascot in different areas of the world. The mascot must have it's own blog.

Blog: get a classroom blog so students can do their writing straight onto the blog. They can type it on pages have it edited then publish it in the blog.

Skype: jentech - online technology

theprojects4teaching - place to get connected with others
delicious - teachingsagitarian (Chrissy's bookmarks)
flickr - share photos
voicethread - new powerful new way to talk about and share your images, documents and videos

Join a ning. there are classroom 2.0 who you can join.
Start small: Ask for help in the ning, looking for tools etc
Use your network - start talking online
Slideshare is a great place to find slides/powerpoints that people have made
http://theconnectedclassroom.wikispaces.com/Classroom - Kristin - answers to what we should be teaching in 21st century classroom.
Live traffic feed - for the blog to see who has visited our blog. Great motivation why they are blogging. How to get people to look at your blog? Visit other people's/classroom's blogs and let the students blog on that blog and then people will come onto their blog.

[Joe Winston]

the class mascot: have the students blog about the adventures of (insert traveling stuff figures name here) -take him on vacation, interesting places or special occasions

incorporate blogging into your writing. have the students post messages and allow them to respond to one another

skype, flickr and voicethread are powerful tools

find projects that fit what you're doing, start small

look for tools that support your curriculum

use your network for ideas

slideshare.com- use it to find presentations on things you're looking to do

theconnectedclassroom.wikispaces.com/Classroom Kristin Hokson- T.I.

live traffic feed tells who has been looking at your blog

look at other classrooms blogs for examples. have the students comment on their blog and that will draw others to view your blog

the parents can join the wiki to stay up to date

good contact for doing global projects with

[Noreen A. Croyle]

Thanks Chrissy for an informative session. i have a lot more food for thought and will be trying to launch student blogs in October. Will send you an invite or should I say I will have 5th graders send you an invite.

[Chrissy H]

I'm so glad you found it helpful and we would love to read your student's blogs! Have fun!