"Venice-06_05-TU-312.jpg" by tomu_pixI chose this image because it implies intrigue and mystery, the goal of a true inquiry is to find your way to an answer that is not known and that you don't really see ahead of time although you may have a destination in mind and some anticipation of what you will find around the bend. But, sometimes you are surprised.
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomuglow/111474747/)
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/
I know composing, drawing for young children, is a clear possibility. I've worked with first graders who typed their own poems onto the computer. They didn't know keyboarding but that wasn't a deterrent to their slowly finding the keys. Composing is important and should be a part of what elementary aged students learn to do on the computer.
Then, there is also Internet research. Again, more appropriate for third grade and up.
"Grass Inquiry" by Bel VezerWhen I saw this picture I knew it fit my words perfectly. Although the child is much younger than the early grades children I'm referring to the value of being able to touch, see, smell and taste your environment is critically important for young children. Much of their learning still happens through all of their senses.
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/bel-vezer/152935866/)
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/
Younger children should be searching in a more concrete environment. But, they can use the Internet to communicate with other children in other parts of the country or world, exchanging stories or information on content area topics that they are exploring in their classes.
In addition to the literacy functions that technology supports, I would also like to explore using technology for problem solving. This may mean playing video games as well as learning about database construction and web design.
"Picture 050" by Chris CorriganI don't think this is too ambitious for even younger children. Video games and design, I believe, will lead students to other creation and innovative thinking which to me is the goal of a good education program. Reading and writing are only the tools or ends to thinking and creating.
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriscorrigan/106844374/)
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/
I liked the stick figures and the familiar notations of neighborhood
and transportation. Inquiry requires docmentation and planning. I
also liked some of the text that I didn't notice until after I pasted
it. "Ethnicity is fascinating but irrelevant." "from each
according to his/her ability, to each according to his/her need"
How do you effectively integrate technology into a literacy program for elementary school students?
I want to continue looking for pictures and adding them to my text. I haven't even gotten a chance to look for images under my second tag, elementary students. Maybe my inquiry question is too simplistic and I haven't identified enough tags. Or, maybe it's too general and needs to be more focused. What do I want to be able to do with elementary students and technology. I talked about composing, meaning wordprocessing documents that have been written with pen/pencil on paper. I don't think I was really thinking of composing right on the computer, but why shouldn't that be an option for children? Keyboarding is not a hard thing to learn and it would be interesting to see how learning the process of creating words from individual letters that already exists, meaning you don't have to know how to "draw" the letter, you just have to be able to recognize (read) it, would influence students phonemic awareness or ability to see the connection between letters and sounds and patterns in words.
What would it look like if you asked students to compose on a computer from the moment they entered school? If each child was given her own lap top or notebook and told to write, would she begin with symbols and drawings as she does when writing on paper? Does learning how to use the drawing feature in word processers differ from learning how to draw? Can young children search for and insert images that exists on the Internet, and, if we ask them to do this, how does that impact on the development of their own artistic ability? What is appropriate for young children to do via technology? What maximizes their thinking and learning? I would hate to give up the crayons, markers, papers and drawing implements. Computers make somethings easier but not necessarily "better." What are we asking students to do when we ask them to write digitally? What are we asking of them when we ask them to write an essay or narrative to show us what they have learned about a subject or about using language?
Now I'm left with a bunch of questions. I'm not sure where they lead or which ones make sense to examine. I know that there are always sub (supporting?) questions to the inquiry question but how do I know which one is the question I should really be researching? Where do I look to start my search. In terms of my images, I don't think that I'm even in the right town yet nevermind at the corner of the right street.
I can write forever but now it seems as if I'm going in circles. Destination, goal, purpose.
This is really about searching for the right question. I'm not sure what that question would be but I've moved from how to effectively integrate technology and literacy in the early grades to what is the value added of teaching literacy via technology in the early grades? What would be the difference and what would be the benefits of writing in a digital environment for young children?
Literacy via technology
my inquiry question is too simplistic
a bunch of questions
always sub (supporting?) questions
to the inquiry question
which one is the question I should really be researching?
searching for the right question
not sure what that question would be
searching for the right question
by Paul Allison