Ashley Barnard Article Summaries and Critiques

September 13, 2013

Dreon, O., Kerper, R. M., & Landis, J. (2011). Digital Storytelling: A Tool for Teaching and Learning in the YouTube Generation. Middle School Journal, 42(5), 4-9. Professional Practice Summary: The article talks about how Tyler Brinkley a middle grades math teacher integrates technology into his classroom. He wanted to learn more about how to reach students in his class and took a course on instructional technology in elementary education. The course focused on showing how to use technology in the classroom to teach skills. Tyler used this knowledge and started creating videos for his students to watch that taught about awkward social situations middle school aged children face as well as cover the content he wanted to teach in mathematics. The use of his YouTube videos in the class allow students to see the concepts in different situations and they also have access to the videos at home, or wherever they have access to the internet. In the classroom if students are the ones creating the videos they are using a variety of skills to do so. Not only do they have to record the video, but it is necessary to plan it out using digital storyboarding where the students will write out the planning prior to setting up the recording. The videos created not only help students in the classroom but have the ability to help from home as well. Critique:

The paper was useful to someone wanting to learn more about video technologies available and how they can be applied to the learning in their classroom. The problem with the paper was the lack of expansion on the topic of using YouTube videos. The paper needed to go more in-depth about how the videos can be used across the board in all subjects. The paper focused on mathematics and had a small focus on how the story boarding could help students with their expression. The problem with the project described is how to get the internet access into homes if the students do not have a computer or internet available. The videos do not require student participation at home, but it is suggested that students and watch the videos as many times as needed to help understand the concept being taught. I feel this article could be helpful in my classroom due to my students enjoying when we use technology. The hard part about it is my students are in Pre-K and are not able to create videos themselves, but could definitely learn from videos shown to them in the classroom.

Shifflet, R., Toledo, C., & Mattoon, C. (2012). Touch Tablet Surprises: A Preschool Teacher's Story. Young Children, 67(3), 36-41. Professional Practice Summary This article from Young Children accounts one teachers journey integrating touch tablets into her preschool classroom. The teacher was reluctant to try to implement the technology due to thinking it caused children to play independently and would cause problems with fighting. However after receiving tablets for her class, she found herself asking what else she could use the tablets for within the classroom. The tablets provided opportunities for cooperation, collaboration and digital citizenship. Critique I found the article very helpful to me as a Pre-K teacher who recently was given an iPad for class use. I have been worried about what applications the students should use and how to effectively integrate the iPad without causing fights to break out. The article gave me tips on how to introduce the iPad and applications without having twenty-two students bombard me wanting to have the first turn. The article did not have any major problems; however a more indepth explanation of how the tablet was explained to the children would be nice to include.

Gahwaji, N. M. (2011). The Effects of Using Interactive Teaching Programs on Preschool Children's Literacy Development: Case Study. Journal Of International Education Research, 7(1), 99-108. Research Article Summary Research has been done in international countries to determine if using interactive teaching programs has an effective on childrens literacy development in a preschool classroom. The study tested children at two different times throughout their year in preschool to determine if the interactive teaching program had any effect on their learning. Students were tested three months into the school year and then again three months later after using the interactive programs. Students were tested in an individual setting. The research proved that students who had been taught through interactive programs achieved higher test scores. Critique The research proves to be interesting to me as a Pre-K teacher since I do not have any physical computers for my students to use throughout the day. The information could be useful to a teacher trying to gain funding for a classroom to use interactive software as an enhancement to the learning environment. I found a few problems with the research paper, the study did not have a control group of children who were not using the interactive software. It is likely the improvement upon the scores were due to the ways the teacher taught the students throughout the school year. Students had an additional three months of instruction by the time the second test was conducted. I find the article is helping me to decide that I would like to integrate more interactive programs in my classroom, but only to enhance learning not to replace teaching.

Aronin, S., & Floyd, K. K. (2013). Using an iPad in Inclusive Preschool Classrooms to Introduce STEM Concepts. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 45(4), 34-39. Professional Practice Article Summary: In this article a teacher is discussing the use of an iPad to introduce STEM concepts that are being addressed in multiple levels of education. STEM concepts include science, technology, engineering, and math. These concepts are being stressed to students today to prepare them for jobs within these fields when they are ready to enter the work force. Students in the preschool classroom are given the opportunity to work on these concepts through using an iPad in small group settings. The children are grouped with differing ability levels to aid in answering questions for those in the group who need help. The iPad allows students the opportunity to work on fine motor skills and gives students the opportunity to work with technology and become familiar with it before moving onto using one in the upper grades. The article also discussed using the iPad with students with disabilities; these students may be able to experience situations through the applications that they would not normally experience. Critique: The article had valuable information regarding applications that are good for STEM concepts as well as giving ideas on how to teach students to use the iPad before allowing them to use it on their own. The article is useful to early childhood primary grade teachers who have the access to the technology for their classrooms. The only problems with the article are the size of the groups, in my classroom we rarely will have the opportunity to limit a group to four children. Our groups range from 6-8 children and it is difficult to accommodate that many children with

one iPad. I enjoyed reading this article, I have been searching for applications at reasonable prices for my classroom use and did not know the best options to start with, I will take these applications and consider purchasing them for my classroom.

Cummins, C. (2013). Using Technology to make a Difference. Reading Today, 30(5), 2-4. Professional Practice Article Summary: In this article the author praises teachers who are using technology to make a difference. The article starts by listing things that teachers who are able to change their methods with the changes in technology know and do. Range from the teacher knowing they do not have to have all the answers before implementing a new technology into the classroom, only how to get started and enough information to teach the students where to begin and it can be a learning experience for both teacher and student. To knowing technology is available and should be used in the classroom. Critique: The article was an inspiration to teachers who use technology or who are just beginning to look into using technology in their classrooms. The problem with the paper is it doesnt teach the reader much beyond the inspiration to get out and use the technology. This could be fixed by adding tips for the emergent technology user on how to use the tools in the classroom and where to gain knowledge of the tools. The article was an inspiration and can teach me that as long as I know how to work the technology, I am okay not knowing all of the features and it is okay to allow students to teach me from time to time.

Frazel, M. (2007). Tech for Tinies: How Young is Too Young to Use Computers?. Library Media Connection, 26(3), 56-58. Theory-into-practice Article Summary The article talks of how Piaget theorized that young children show curiosity for the new technology that is emerging. These children want to take part in the developing technology and researchers started making computer programs to cater to these young children. In the article many websites are given as examples of programs available for younger children. The technology is available for younger children now, the only thing standing between the child and the technology is the parent, teacher, or caregiver who needs to supply the child with the technology. Of the programs available there are many at little to no cost, but some do cost much more. The programs have already started to come out in multiple subjects and are available for anyone. Critique I found the article to be lacking for putting the theory into practice. The author started out giving examples of how the young children were fitting into Piagets theory and then never delved back into the theory. I did find the site useful to early childhood educators and parents who are looking for websites and programs to use with their children. One problem with the article was, it started as a paper comparing todays technology and children to Jean Piagets theory and then fizzled out to never explain further about Piaget. This could be corrected with some editing and adding in more information regarding Piaget, or leave him out altogether. I found the article to be helpful with the list of resources given, but lacking as far as helping to persuade someone into using technology for a child.

Johanson, J., Bell, C., Daytner, K., & Western Illinois University, C. (2008). Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Technology-Based Preschool Literacy Project: A Final Report of the LitTECH Outreach Project. Center For Best Practices In Early Childhood Education, Research Article Summary The LitTECH project explained in the article was done over a three year period and encompassed Head Start programs, Pre-K programs, and Special Education Programs. Teachers were given support training in how to effectively implement technology into the classrooms. The researchers studied classes without the new technology as well as those with the newly developed programs. In all cases the students who received instruction from classes with technology saw greater gain in literacy development skills. Overall the research proved that with the technology implemented in the classroom to help enhance instruction teachers, students, and parents were all able to tell a difference in the children, data was collected through surverys. Critique The information was relevant to preschool teachers and helpful to site directors for those schools. The site director looking for a positive impact on technology based instruction would benefit from reading the study. There were no problems with the paper. The project described seemed to be in order, the researchers used controlled groups treated and not-treated to gain perspective of the benefits of the new technologies. The article impacted me and my classroom as a motivation to attain more technology tools for my classroom. We have currently been issued a smart table in the classroom and we are working on training to be able to use it

effectively in the classroom. I would like to be able to use all of my resources to the fullest potential for the students.

Dejarnette, N. K. (2012). Americas Children: Providing Early Exposure to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Initiatives. Education, 133(1), 77-84. Research Article Summary Statistics are showing that todays academics need to focus on more STEM related learning; teaching students science, technology, engineering, and math. President Obama has started an Educate to Innovate initiative, in which American schools should be motivated to work on teaching these skills to our students. Currently the program has focused on middle grades and high school, but researchers are now saying that to get the full impact the students need to start having these skills taught in elementary school. The technology is not being given to students to work with until they are into upper elementary grades, the skills the students need are also being overlooked. The article states most teachers are afraid to teach science because they are not confident with their own abilities in science. The teachers need to be educated and gain the knowledge to effectively teach the material to the students. Critique The article is useful to upcoming teachers who are not aware of the focus on the STEM concepts. These would be teachers who have been out of the school systems or teachers coming out of college. The problem with the paper is the resolution for the actual problem of not enough college graduates from the STEM fields. The resolution needs to be added, not just teach more skills in middle and high school, but an actual plan of how that will occur. The problem with the project described is they do not include students in the most critical years for gaining knowledge. The students in elementary schools need to be a part of the STEM research and planning for a brighter future for America. The impact the article has on me is, it showed me that I need to

focus more on these skills with my students. In Pre-K the minds of these children are malleable and we can teach these skills easier than if they are not taught and wait until middle school to start teaching them.