CeCe Courter - ePortfolio

2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments

Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessments incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS-S. Teachers:

a. design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity
b. develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress.
c. customize and personalize digital learning activities to address students' diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources
d. provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use reulting data to inform learning and teaching

Correlating Assignments:


The video below was taken after the parents and staff at the preschool did a fundraiser to buy some more educational technology for the school.  This is the first time the student used the Tag Reading System.

YouTube video about TagReading System:

http://youtu.be/aPqvlz_qGzs


The audio recording below is of me reading the book "Spooky Hour" for use in the preschool classroom during Halloween.


http://ed584f10.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/32042174/Spooky%20Hour.mp3

Some of the lesson plans that I have developed in the early childhood classroom use technology, but reallly keep the hands-on learning feel that is needed for preschool aged children.  Below I describe some examples.

Using digital cameras in the classroom:
- make personalized puzzles of the children or objects in the classroom to give the puzzes a real-life learning feel.
- use of pictures to make a picture schedule.  This is useful for children with special needs and their typical-developing peers.  In early childhood it makes children more comfortable to know what is coming up next, especially since they have not developed abstract thinking concepts such as time.
- use of digital cameras to take pictures of activities and then make sequencing cards for a later math, science, or literacy skill building activity.

Use of music sources (CD's, online sites, MP3s and iPods):
- These can be used for special events, inside recess, to indicate transition times, or for large motor activities such as dancing.


Use of gaming:
- There are a large number of educational gaming sites and software targeted towards early childhood education
- Wii games can be used to promote activity, build social skills, and build academic skills such as math activities

Digital-Age Learning Experiences for Preschoolers

During my course work, I did a large portion of training with the classroom teachers to help them learn how to incorporate technology into the early childhood classroom.  I did some lesson planning with the students to role model some age appropriate activities that can be implemented into a preschool classroom environment to enhance the teacher's current curriculum.  My current position as a school administrator gave me the opportunity to pass on the knowledge and experience that I have gained through my Masters classes with early childhood educators across the surrounding counties.  I developed a training session called Technology in Early Childhood: Finding the Balance.  Within the training I use powerpoint presentation, Prezi presentation, and hands-on learning.  I was able to get the training approved through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment as a recognized training for early childhood classroom teachers.  

Some websites that are geared for early childhood education are listed below:

http://starfall.com


http://abcya.com


http://poptropica.com


http://disney.com


http://scholastic.com