My name is
Sabrina Giangarra and I am currently completing a Masters degree at
Dowling. I will receive my degree in the
area of literacy education. In 2001 I
graduated from
Through my
research I came across many interesting websites that would be useful and
interesting when presenting information about bats to my students. One particular site created by Pat Griffith
(1998), offered a complete description of materials and activities to use with
the book Stellaluna by Janell Cannon. According to the author, this book is
available on CD-ROM, Stellaluna Living
Book. This webpage also offers access to
several other websites that give facts about bats, bat trivia, and bat activity
sheets that can be reproduced for the classroom. I also came across a similar webpage by Cathy
Chamberlain (2001-2003) from the
Another interesting website created
by Walksoft Corporation (1996), offers students a chance to explore a real bat
cave. From this homepage students can
begin their adventure by clicking on the start button and choosing a cave to
explore. This is a fun way for students
to understand how and where bats live.
For a student who wants to find out specific information on the
flying-fox bat they can log on to, http://sres.anu.edu.au/associated/batatlas/imdex.html a webpage designed by F. Valzano
(1997-2000). This site provides
up-to-date information on flying-foxes, particularly in
Years ago most students would rely on
encyclopedias as their soul source of reference. Today, along with the many, many resources
available to students, they can also access encyclopedia on-line. I found a site powered by eLibrary titled, encyclopedia.com (2003). This site allows students to search for
information on almost anything from A-Z.
Although this is useful, it should not be the soul source of
information.
As I researched I decided to look up
the different types of typing software that is available for kids. I came across a website entitled, Superkids Educational Software Review
(1998-2003). This site offers a
description of several typing programs available to the public. It includes a rating chart that lists the
title and publisher of the most popular typing programs. Each program is then rated on its educational
value, kid appeal, ease of use and price.
I feel that it is important to teach students the necessary skills they
will need to better prepare them for using the available technology. When a student is familiar with the keyboard,
they can access information quickly and typing is no longer a dreaded task.
As with
everything in this world, there are pros and cons of using technology in the
classroom. Some of the benefits include
a hands-on approach to learning. For
example, if you were teaching your students about bats, there are many
interactive websites that allow students to explore the lifestyle and anatomy
of a bat. Students can also benefit by
the use of videos. Teachers can use a
VHS or DVD to expose their students to a live recording of bats in their
natural habitat. This can give the
students a better understanding of how a bat interacts within their
environment. Teachers can also have
students use computers to create reports about bats. Through the use of Microsoft Word and Power
Point, students have the ability to design creative and unique ways of
displaying and presenting the information they have learned.
Technology
although wonderful at times, can also be a teacher’s worst nightmare. There are many obstacles that may be
encountered through the use of technology.
It is important that teachers consider some of these possible problems
before they expose their students to the world of technology. One common problem with the use of technology
is the chance of losing previously done work.
Although computers are an amazing asset to the classroom, they can cause
major problems if they are not functioning properly. It is important to teach students how to back
up their work when they are on the computer.
If a computer happens to shut down as a student is working, that person
could possibly lose all of their work if it is not backed up somehow.
Teachers
also need to be aware of faulty equipment.
Unfortunately, sometimes when teachers plan to use a VCR, DVD player,
overhead projector or the Internet, they could run into some kind of unplanned
technical difficulty. It is important
for teachers to always have a back up plan when working with technical
equipment. For example, if a teacher
plans to use an overhead project to display prewritten notes he/she might want
to photocopy the notes ahead of time, incase something is wrong with the
projector that day.
If a teacher decides to show a video one day, it might be a
good idea to see if there are any other VHS machines in the building, incase
one is not working properly. Although it
is difficult to plan for every possible disaster, it is beneficial to think
ahead whenever possible.
Another
possible problem with the use of technology in the classroom is the lack of
knowledge of both teachers and students.
If a teacher is unfamiliar with the equipment that is available to them,
there is a good chance that they will not attempt to use it within their
classroom. It is important that teachers
receive the proper training so they can take advantage of the elaborate and expensive
equipment that is available to them.
Students also need to be trained on how to properly use the available
technology in their school. At times it
can be difficult to teach students with varying ability levels. For example, if half of your class knows how
to type and the other half does not, it is not practical to expect all of your
students to type up their reports on the computers. For some students the computer is a familiar
object; they might even have more than one at home. For others, the computer can be an
intimidating piece of machinery that causes panic and anxiety. Teachers need to be aware of their students’
knowledge and abilities before assigning tasks that involve the use of
technology.
When
planning to use instructional technology to teach, all of the above must be
taken into consideration when planning each lesson. As the teacher I would first evaluate my
students experience and knowledge of the equipment I would want them to use. Next, I would have to find out what is
available to me (i.e. Internet access, VCR, overhead projector etc). I would begin by using a KWL chart and
writing down everything that my students know about bats. This could be done on an overhead projector
for the whole class to see. Next, I
would use both fiction and non-fiction text to teach my students about bats. For my younger students I would have books on
tape about bats in our listening center.
Depending on the age and grade level, I would then allow my students to
use the Internet to further investigate.
For younger students I would give them specific website addresses to
search. For my older students, I would
allow them to pick a search engine and use the keyword search feature. After they have completed their search, I
would have them work in small groups to share the information and interesting
websites that they found. Eventually, my
goal would be to have my students present their information in a Power Point
presentation. To ensure that my students
are familiar with Power Point I would give several mini-lessons on how to use
Power Point. I would also offer an
example of a Power Point presentation, so they know what the final product
should look like.
References
Chamberlain, C. (2001-2003). Bats.
Encycolpedia.com (2003). eLibrary. http://www.encyclopedia.com/searchpool.asp?target=bats
Griffith, P. (1998).
Teacher CyberGuide.
Superkids (1998-2003).
Superkids
Educational Software Review.
Knowledge Share LLC. http://www.superkids.com/aweb/pages/reviews/typing/
Valzano, F. (2000). Bat Atlas. http://sres.anu.edu.au/associated/batatlas/index.html
Walksoft Corporation (1996). Explore
the