Early Learning Technology Handouts

Transcription

1 Early Learning Technology Handouts 2 Maintaining and troubleshooting My Young Explorer 5 Helpful web sites 6 Workshop evaluation questionnaire 7 Introduction to constructivism and scaffolding 10 Teacher survey for Kidsmart Technology Training 12 Attendee sign-in sheet 13 Certificate of completion

2 Maintaining and troubleshooting my Young Explorer Maintaining My Young Explorer How do I switch on my Young Explorer? 1 Press the large white button on your CPU (Central Processing Unit) tower, which is located inside the Little Tikes chassis. 2 The CPU, monitor, and speakers will turn on. The KidDesk window (U.S. only) will automatically start up on your computer. How do I keep my Young Explorer in the best condition? 1 Cover your Young Explorer. Dust is harmful to the computer! 2 Keep your Young Explorer away from heaters. Heat can damage parts inside the CPU! 3 Keep magnets away from your Young Explorer. Magnets can erase information on the hard drive! 4 Keep water, glue, paint, etc., away from your Young Explorer. 5 When moving your Young Explorer, please be EXTRA careful. Parts within the CPU can become dislodged, causing your YE to malfunction. How do I properly shut down my Young Explorer? 1 Exit all programs. 2 Click the Start button located in the lower left corner of your desktop. 3 Highlight and select Shut Down. 4 Select Shut Down. 5 Click Okay. 6 Your computer will automatically turn off. 7 You may now unplug your Young Explorer. I ran one of the programs and the computer froze. 1 Attempt to end the program by simultaneously pressing the Ctrl., Alt., and Delete keys. Do this one time only 2 A dialog box will appear that says Close Program. 3 Highlight the appropriate program (i.e.: KidDesk Family Edition, Bailey s Book House, etc.) 4 Click on End Task. 5 If your computer is still frozen after you have attempted to End Task, you must restart the computer using the Ctrl., Alt., Delete function. To do this you will simultaneously press those keys two times. The computer should automatically shut down and restart. 6 If all else fails, shut off the computer by holding in the on / off button on the CPU. Restart the computer and allow it to reboot. It will automatically scan the hard drive for any problems. The monitor (and/or keyboard, mouse, speakers) does not work. 1 Open the backside of the Little Tikes computer chassis. 2 Check that all of the wires on the CPU are connected and pushed in completely. 3 Check that all of the power cords are connected and pushed in completely. 4 If these devices still do not work, contact the IBM Hotline. Their contact information is located on the inside of the Little Tikes chassis door. The volume is too loud or too low. 1 Click once on the megaphone icon on the bottom right-hand corner of the adult desktop. 2 Increase or decrease the volume by moving the lever on the volume control. 3 To do this, move the pointer over the lever and hold down the left mouse button. 4 Release the mouse button to hear a sample of the volume level. 2

3 Maintaining and troubleshooting my Young Explorer Do I need to use the CD provided in the Teachers Manual to run the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt software? You won t need to use the CD if you have followed the instructions provided in the section: Running a Riverdeep CD-ROM application from the hard-disk and loaded your applications on your computer s hard disk. You may choose to install other software programs into your computer for your students to use. To do this, you must run the software to be added and then use the Add Application function in the KidDesk Adult Section to add the program to your students desktops. (Refer to the KidDesk instructions in your Teachers Manual.) The students have difficulty maneuvering the mouse. If your students hands are too small to maneuver the mouse effectively, you may use the Scanning for Single Switch Users mode within each Houghton Mifflin Harcourt software. Please refer to the Students with Special Needs pages in the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Teachers Manual. 1. Within the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt software (i.e., Sammy s Science House, Millie s Math House, etc.) simultaneously press the Ctrl / Alt and A keys. The Adult Options window will appear. 2. In the Single Switch Input box, select On. 3. You may click on the Options box to select the Scan Rate and the Scan Progression. 4. Click Okay to exit out of the Adult Options window and resume the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Need software support - where do I call? Software support is provided by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt via this web site only 3

4 Maintaining and troubleshooting my Young Explorer Available Technology Resources Effective use of a computer always requires technical assistance. This does not mean that your computer is likely to break down, but it is important to be proactive in the maintenance of your computer. Hands On Network A non-profit umbrella organization that provides services and volunteers to non-profit organizations and schools. There are over 30 Hands On Network organizations throughout the United States. The Hands On Network National Technology Initiative Program provides technology support to community non-profits and schools in need of assistance. To search for a Hands On Network affiliate in your area, check their web site (see above) or contact them directly at Local universities and colleges Many local universities and colleges have technology departments with students who may be interested in gaining experience through volunteering at non-profit organizations. Contact the computer science departments at these universities or colleges to discuss possible programs that are available or can be created. Local computer stores Contact local computer stores for possible volunteer services that they provide or low cost technical assistance that they may have. Local public libraries Most public libraries have computers with Internet access available to individuals in the community. Many public libraries also offer computer classes free of charge. Contact your nearest public library for more information. Note: For those conducting training sessions outside of the United States, you will need to contact your local Corporate Citizenship Manager for local technology resources. 4

5 Extras Helpful web sites General Educational Information Web Sites KidSmart Early Learning Program Web Site Guide to early learning and technology for home and school. This web site is helpful for both teachers and parents. It provides suggestions for effectively integrating technology into the classroom and home. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Web site for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt software. Education World Large educational web site with links, searchable database, classroom activities, and more. Edupup Links to free online math and logic games. Scaffolding and Constructivism Web Sites and Links Education World Professional development and other resources for teachers and administrators. Schools, Skills and Scaffolding on the Web Web Sites and Links for Selecting Developmentally Appropriate Software 5

6 Workshop evaluation questionnaire Your evaluation of our workshop will assist us in planning for future activities. Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each statement below regarding your experience in the KidSmart Early Learning Workshop. Thank you for your assistance! Each has rating ; Strongly Agree, Mixed Feelings, Strongly Disagree The workshop improved my understanding of using computers with children The format was sufficiently interactive The exercise Exploring Children s Software was valuable The exercise Understanding KidDesk was valuable I have new ideas for approaches to use with children at the computer The exercise Troubleshooting was valuable The workshop handouts are useful The length of the workshop was adequate The workshop leader was effective The workshop objectives were all met I will change or revise my teaching approach in some way based on what I learned I would recommend this workshop to others What aspect(s) of this workshop did you find most valuable? What aspect(s) of this workshop did you find least valuable? 6

7 Introduction to constructivism and scaffolding In these next few pages, we provide an introduction to the constructivist approach to education as well an overview of the principles this workshop is based on. Throughout your facilitator s handbook, you will see references to this approach. Please refer back to this overview to deepen your understanding of your role in helping participants learn. Constructivism When educators speak of the constructivist approach, they refer to a theory and an approach to education thoroughly studied and discussed by Jean Piaget and many other individuals. As Constance Kamii states, constructivism is a theory that explains the child s acquisition of knowledge as a process of construction from within, in interaction with the environment, rather than as one of internalization from it (1984). By engaging with and exploring their environment, children mentally construct knowledge and continuously evaluate and revise their understanding of this knowledge through further interaction with their environment. Kamii explains this process of differentiation and coordination of previously constructed knowledge as the way in which children construct new knowledge (1984). In an educational setting, specifically in an early childhood classroom, a constructivist approach empowers young children to interact with, engage in, and explore their environment. Rather than educating children by focusing on a particular subject or lesson to be taught to the child, constructivist educators focus on the child as a learner with a powerful mind; continually capable of synthesizing relationships that he or she experiences into knowledge. In order for young children to build knowledge, though, it is necessary for educators to provide and cultivate relationships with objects and people in their environment from which knowledge can be constructed. The relationships that children use to build knowledge are ones that must be made available to them by their educators. Martin Ryder (2003) simply explains that there is no such thing as knowledge out there, independent of the knower, but only knowledge we construct for ourselves as we learn. In an early childhood classroom, opportunities for children to construct knowledge are constantly available through the teacher s choice of materials. For example, an educator may encourage her students to explore the various shapes and sizes of wooden building blocks. She may provide guidelines with which to build and then ask her students to work in pairs to construct a building of their choosing. As the children work to build their buildings, it may become evident that they are mentally constructing knowledge about the qualities of the various blocks. For example, children may understand mentally and state verbally that a triangular shaped block must lie on its flat side in order to be stable. As the children initially engage in and explore blocks and block building, they begin to construct their knowledge of geometry, stability, and spatial relationships. With scaffolding and guiding questions from the educator, and as they continue to engage in block building, children will elaborate on and evaluate what they know as they construct new knowledge. The scaffolding support that teachers provide as they work together with their children fosters social development through social interaction, language development, and an opportunity for children s questions to emerge. This is constructivism at work in a classroom using traditional early childhood materials. As technology becomes more and more prevalent in our daily lives, it is important that children are introduced to and engaged in the use of computers and other technologies. Educators in early childhood classrooms can easily integrate technology into their classrooms using a constructivist approach. As blocks and block building can be applied to a child s every day life, computers and technology can be applied to daily classroom life as well. With developmentally appropriate software and careful and thoughtful introduction of technology, students will be quickly engaged in the exploration and discovery of the technology. As with block building, where children construct new knowledge through elaboration and evaluation of what they know, educators must continue to guide and engage students through scaffolding. It is crucial that educators integrate technology with other components of daily classroom life. Technology must be woven into the fabric of the classroom environment, as are blocks, dramatic play, and story-time. 7

8 Introduction to constructivism and scaffolding Scaffolding Scaffolding is a term used by educators to describe a process of guiding and supporting students learning. Just as scaffolding used in construction serves to provide support, scaffolding in an educational sense shares the same purpose. To scaffold in a classroom setting, educators provide support as students construct new knowledge. Scaffolding by educators occurs in the form of coaching and modeling. As students achieve competence, the scaffold structure is continuously modified to provide support when needed and to enable the student to work independently when possible. An important idea for educators to be aware of in understanding and practicing scaffolding is Lev Vygotsky s zone of proximal development. This is explained by Berk and Winsler (1995) in their book, Scaffolding Children s Learning: Vygotsky and Early Childhood Education: The zone of proximal development is the hypothetical, dynamic region in which learning and development take place. It is defined by the distance between what a child can accomplish during independent problem solving and what he or she can accomplish with the help of an adult or more competent member of the culture. (p. 5) The educator plays an important role in assessing a student s zone of proximal development. By assessing and observing his or her student, an educator will be best prepared to ask questions and provide suggestions to the student through the framework of scaffolding. Through scaffolding, a student s learning can be stretched and supported as he or she begins to explore and understand a problem. Berk and Winsler go on to quote Tharp and Gallimore: The teachers role, rather than instructing children in what they are ready for or giving them tasks for which they have already acquired the necessary mental operations, is to keep tasks in children s zones of proximal development, or slightly above their level of independent functioning. In this way, adults can rouse to life the cognitive processes that are just emerging in rudimentary form. (p. 26) Scaffolding involves meeting the child at his or her developmental and interest level, while at the same time observing and assessing the child and intervening when necessary to provide the child with a balance of support. This support is consistent with the teacher s understanding of the curriculum. While keeping in mind the particular child s zone of proximal development, the following are suggestions on how to scaffold, either from the teacher to the child or by pairing up advanced learners with developing ones: Model performance while thinking out loud. Pair advanced learners with developing ones. Provide prompts, links, guides, and structures. Fade when child is succeeding on own. Move back in when necessary. Please see Bernie Dodge s website at for more information on scaffolding. 8

9 Introduction to constructivism and scaffolding When computers and software are part of the daily classroom materials, opportunities for scaffolding are still available and important to provide to children. Many times, the educational software programs provide children with some sort of scaffolding. For example, in Sammy s Science House s Sorting Station, created by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, when the child gives a wrong answer in the question and answer mode of play the characters gently guide the child to the correct answer. The characters may say to the child, You can do it! Try again. The number of answer choices provided to the child may also become limited as he or she chooses incorrect answers. Even as the software programs use assessment and intervention to scaffold for the children using them, it is important that teachers continue to intervene when necessary and provide scaffolding support to students using the computer and software. As discussed in Bredekamp and Rosegrant s article found in Wright and Shade s book Young Children: Active Learners in a Technological Age (1994), the teacher s role in an early learning classroom using computers is one that mirrors the role played in other learning situations. Bredekamp and Rosegrant explain in their article, Learning and Teaching with Technology : The teacher creates the environment in which children become aware and explore, and then acts to support their exploration and inquiry in many different ways. The children and the teacher learn something new together as they engage in the process of learning. The teacher does not have to be an expert but instead is a co-constructor of knowledge with children. (p. 60) The same suggestions proposed by Bernie Dodge on his website can be used when scaffolding for children using computers. Vygotsky s zone of proximal development must always be kept in mind, whether a student s learning experience is through the use of traditional classroom materials or through the use of computers and software. 9

10 Teacher survey for KidSmart Technology Training How best would you describe your comfort level with computers? (Check the appropriate statements) Extremely comfortable, I use a computer on a daily basis. Comfortable with the computer operating system, word processing, turning the computer on and off. Comfortable with troubleshooting problems. Uncomfortable with the computer operating system, word processing, turning the computer on and off. Uncomfortable with all aspects of computing, including using a mouse. Other How best would you describe your comfort level with the IBM Young Explorer? (Check the appropriate statements) Extremely comfortable using the Young Explorer unit in the classroom, navigating and working with the children on the programs. Comfortable, but I d like to have the opportunity to learn new ways to be more effective in integrating technology into the classroom. Other Comfortable with the software Houses, but not the KidDesk tool. Uncomfortable, I don t know how to use the computer with the children. Uncomfortable, although I know how to use the computer with the children, I avoid using it. I have not explored the software yet. I don t know how to set up the system. Please answer Yes or No to the following questions: I use the KidDesk software to manage the programs the children use. Yes No I have an icon on the KidDesk for each child in my class. Yes No I have explored the software manual that came with my Young Explorer. Yes No I have explored each of the software Houses and organized my classroom program following the learning opportunities offered by each software. Yes No Are parents aware of the learning opportunity for their children offered by the use of technology? Yes No How often does a child in your classroom use the Young Explorer? daily once a week twice a week bi-weekly monthly other 10

11 Teacher survey for KidSmart Technology Training Do the children in your classroom work independently or with you or another adult when using the Young Explorer? independently with teacher or other adult both I d like to learn how to do the following: Attach a printer to the computer Attach a modem to the computer Learn how to adjust the volume Learn how to navigate to the KidDesk adult section Learn how to use earphones and microphones with the computer Learn how to install additional software on the computer Explore the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt software and learn about the skills the software can teach Learn about ways to integrate technology into the curriculum, Please submit this completed survey to your IBM volunteer or IBM corporate citizenship manager. Thank you! 11

12 KIDSMART TECHNOLOGY TRAINING FOR PRESCHOOL TEACHERS Name Agency Name Agency Address Phone Number Fax Number Address 1

13 C E R T I F I C A T E O F C O M P L E T I O N IBM CONGRATULATES FOR COMPLETING THE KIDSMART TECHNOLOGY TRAINING PROGRAM