Comments for Kids and Technology-A natural combination! http://tech4kids.wordpress.com Sat, 17 May 2008 17:19:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU Comment on My Experience with epals by Linda http://tech4kids.wordpress.com/2008/05/15/my-experience-with-epals/#comment-36 Linda Thu, 15 May 2008 20:50:34 +0000 http://tech4kids.wordpress.com/?p=80#comment-36 Hi Ann, There used to be a limit on how many students from a school could have free accounts; that has changed. I have over a hundred accounts and no money has changed hands! Thanks so much for asking! Linda Hi Ann,
There used to be a limit on how many students from a school could have free accounts; that has changed. I have over a hundred accounts and no money has changed hands!
Thanks so much for asking!
Linda

]]> Comment on My Experience with epals by Ann Oro http://tech4kids.wordpress.com/2008/05/15/my-experience-with-epals/#comment-35 Ann Oro Thu, 15 May 2008 20:19:08 +0000 http://tech4kids.wordpress.com/?p=80#comment-35 This is just the kind of information I needed. I've heard of ePals, but never signed up. I thought there was a cost involved, so I didn't get involved. I think I will set up accounts for next year. I like the idea of having the students practice sending emails to each other first. Once they are used to communicating with each other, I'll look for other classes. Since I see the students once per week, I'll have to make sure the partner school knows that we'd exchange letters about once per month (taking sickness, days off, etc in the mix). I started assigning ids this year in a pattern of school initials, year they will graduate and a number: SMS201401 would be Saint Michael School graduating class of 2014 (they're in 3rd grade right now) student 01. This way the id can travel with them throughout their school career. I used this on wikis and blogs. It's a pattern that probably wouldn't be "already taken" on other websites. I will definitely be in touch as I get used to the program - maybe we can match up classes at some point. Thanks for the write up. Ann This is just the kind of information I needed. I’ve heard of ePals, but never signed up. I thought there was a cost involved, so I didn’t get involved. I think I will set up accounts for next year. I like the idea of having the students practice sending emails to each other first. Once they are used to communicating with each other, I’ll look for other classes. Since I see the students once per week, I’ll have to make sure the partner school knows that we’d exchange letters about once per month (taking sickness, days off, etc in the mix).

I started assigning ids this year in a pattern of school initials, year they will graduate and a number: SMS201401 would be Saint Michael School graduating class of 2014 (they’re in 3rd grade right now) student 01. This way the id can travel with them throughout their school career. I used this on wikis and blogs. It’s a pattern that probably wouldn’t be “already taken” on other websites.

I will definitely be in touch as I get used to the program - maybe we can match up classes at some point. Thanks for the write up.
Ann

]]> Comment on Comment Challenge by Sue Waters http://tech4kids.wordpress.com/2008/05/02/comment-challenge/#comment-33 Sue Waters Sat, 03 May 2008 10:23:48 +0000 http://tech4kids.wordpress.com/?p=62#comment-33 Welcome to the Comment Challenge Linda :) I think the answer is there has to be something about the post that makes you want to contribute and comment. For example you don't totally agree, or the blogger has asked for help them work through their thinking, or the post has been so helpful you want to say thanks. Also you are not alone most of the participants feel similar to you - perhaps it is worth you <a href="http://commentchallenge.wikispaces.com/Comment08+Posts" rel="nofollow">checking out the posts that are being written by the participants in the Challenge</a> as it might may you feel more comfortable and realise your not alone in this feeling. Welcome to the Comment Challenge Linda :)

I think the answer is there has to be something about the post that makes you want to contribute and comment. For example you don’t totally agree, or the blogger has asked for help them work through their thinking, or the post has been so helpful you want to say thanks. Also you are not alone most of the participants feel similar to you - perhaps it is worth you checking out the posts that are being written by the participants in the Challenge as it might may you feel more comfortable and realise your not alone in this feeling.

]]> Comment on Discouraged… by lthumann http://tech4kids.wordpress.com/2008/04/24/discouraged/#comment-32 lthumann Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:00:03 +0000 http://tech4kids.wordpress.com/?p=59#comment-32 Linda, I have been researching the same issue myself and have gotten some very interesting answers from my PLN. Larry Ferlazzo (http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/) blogged about this list of disposable e-mail addresses found at http://www.sizlopedia.com/2007/05/27/top-20-temporary-and-disposable-email-services/ Also Kevin Jarrett (http://www.ncs-tech.org) has successfully used Google Apps Team Edition in his district to create 140 e-mail accounts for his 8th grade students and had the e-mail verifications sent directly to him. So there are a few alternatives out there for educators that want to use the tools with students that don't at the present time have e-mail accounts. Good luck! Lisa Thumann Linda,
I have been researching the same issue myself and have gotten some very interesting answers from my PLN.

Larry Ferlazzo (http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/) blogged about this list of disposable e-mail addresses found at
http://www.sizlopedia.com/2007/05/27/top-20-temporary-and-disposable-email-services/

Also Kevin Jarrett (http://www.ncs-tech.org) has successfully used Google Apps Team Edition in his district to create 140 e-mail accounts for his 8th grade students and had the e-mail verifications sent directly to him.

So there are a few alternatives out there for educators that want to use the tools with students that don’t at the present time have e-mail accounts.

Good luck!
Lisa Thumann

]]> Comment on Using Flip video and voicethread… by Ann Oro http://tech4kids.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/using-flip-video-and-voicethread/#comment-6 Ann Oro Mon, 03 Mar 2008 01:04:12 +0000 http://tech4kids.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/using-flip-video-and-voicethread/#comment-6 That's not bad for a FlipVideo camera. I'm looking forward to getting a few for the school next year. That’s not bad for a FlipVideo camera. I’m looking forward to getting a few for the school next year.

]]> Comment on Do you think kids want to use technology? by Linda http://tech4kids.wordpress.com/2008/02/26/do-you-think-kids-want-to-use-technology/#comment-5 Linda Tue, 26 Feb 2008 23:29:30 +0000 http://tech4kids.wordpress.com/2008/02/26/do-you-think-kids-want-to-use-technology/#comment-5 Technology has already changed how we teach reading and writing. Any tool is technology, a pencil, a book, a pair of eyeglasses! I am not a classroom teacher-I am a computer teacher of kindergarten through grade 5 kids. They would not even be able to get to school were it not for technology! Technology has already changed how we teach reading and writing. Any tool is technology, a pencil, a book, a pair of eyeglasses! I am not a classroom teacher-I am a computer teacher of kindergarten through grade 5 kids. They would not even be able to get to school were it not for technology!

]]> Comment on Do you think kids want to use technology? by Steve Rosenbaum http://tech4kids.wordpress.com/2008/02/26/do-you-think-kids-want-to-use-technology/#comment-4 Steve Rosenbaum Tue, 26 Feb 2008 23:17:36 +0000 http://tech4kids.wordpress.com/2008/02/26/do-you-think-kids-want-to-use-technology/#comment-4 Here's a quick question. Should technology change the way we teach reading and writing? Two interesting news stories in the last few weeks. In the first one it talked about how the top 10 novels in Japan were written on cell phones. The second was Bill Gates article were he stated that in the next few years, keyboards my be obsolete. Speach recognition and touch screen will take over. While it might seem like a curosity, for your 5th graders this is going to be a big deal by the time their 18. Here’s a quick question. Should technology change the way we teach reading and writing? Two interesting news stories in the last few weeks. In the first one it talked about how the top 10 novels in Japan were written on cell phones.

The second was Bill Gates article were he stated that in the next few years, keyboards my be obsolete. Speach recognition and touch screen will take over.

While it might seem like a curosity, for your 5th graders this is going to be a big deal by the time their 18.

]]> Comment on Do you think kids want to use technology? by Linda http://tech4kids.wordpress.com/2008/02/26/do-you-think-kids-want-to-use-technology/#comment-3 Linda Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:39:45 +0000 http://tech4kids.wordpress.com/2008/02/26/do-you-think-kids-want-to-use-technology/#comment-3 I do agree with you, but being a long time gadget freak, I know how much more interesting and fun the various technology tools are to use. I think if given the choice, the fancy way would win out. If that is so, then more learning will be done. We just tried podcasting some digital stories. One might say that it was much more work than was necessary; however the response from the 5th graders was unanimous-they want to do it again. Imagine! They want to write another story because now potentially the entire world can read their work. This, from kids who had to be coerced and cajoled in order to get this first story out! I do agree with you, but being a long time gadget freak, I know how much more interesting and fun the various technology tools are to use. I think if given the choice, the fancy way would win out. If that is so, then more learning will be done.

We just tried podcasting some digital stories. One might say that it was much more work than was necessary; however the response from the 5th graders was unanimous-they want to do it again. Imagine! They want to write another story because now potentially the entire world can read their work. This, from kids who had to be coerced and cajoled in order to get this first story out!

]]> Comment on Do you think kids want to use technology? by Steve Rosenbaum http://tech4kids.wordpress.com/2008/02/26/do-you-think-kids-want-to-use-technology/#comment-2 Steve Rosenbaum Tue, 26 Feb 2008 21:24:39 +0000 http://tech4kids.wordpress.com/2008/02/26/do-you-think-kids-want-to-use-technology/#comment-2 What happens with a lot of technology is that it becomes a fancier way to do the same old things. Technology should be able to teach more, teach faster and at a lower cost. At least in every other endeavor it has. If technology is part of a reinvention of eduation, you should easily be able to reduce K-12 down to K-10 for the average student. What happens with a lot of technology is that it becomes a fancier way to do the same old things. Technology should be able to teach more, teach faster and at a lower cost. At least in every other endeavor it has.

If technology is part of a reinvention of eduation, you should easily be able to reduce K-12 down to K-10 for the average student.

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