The Reflective Potential of Blogging

I have found a blog an interesting reflective tool. I do think that in the act of writing and the thought process which is required in choosing your words and deciding what you are going to commit to paper (or screen), you do naturally reflect much more deeply on something. However I am not personally keen on having my thoughts and ideas in a public arena and would not usually choose to do so. Not just for protection reasons but also because I do not consider myself an expert in most subjects at the moment or at least not enought to be an authority on them or for my opinions to be particularly worth sharing. However I do think reflective blogging could be a lovely tool for a class because of progression of the blog and the opportunity to keep returning to a subject and track a change in attitudes or knowledge. It is something I would certainly consider incorporating into my classroom practice.

13.06.09

ICT in School

My Reflections on the use of ICT in Schools

Over the last 9 months I have seen lots of ICT used in schools but probably still less than I expected. Sometimes I have felt that the Interactive Whiteboard in particular has been used just for the sake of it, i.e. that I have been used to scribe on but has not had the children interacting with the material in anyway. However I have also seen the Interactive Whiteboard used very effectively especially as mental and oral starters with word or number games in literacy and numeracy lessons. Also active primary has been useful in English lessons for displaying texts up in full view of the class where they can really interrogate them and search for evidence of particular language use. I have also found Active Primary vitally useful in the way that it allows for work to be stored so that it may be accessed in the following lesson and have particularly used it as a tool for planning with the children.

I have come across photography as a useful record of assessment and also as a record for children on school trips or of particular activities so that they can then sequence them or use them as inspiration to write from. I have also used photography myself on a school shape hunt where we captured images of the shapes around the school playing areas.

Another form of ICT I have come across is work on computers themselves where even really young children have had experience of using publishing packages for their work or presenting data. I think this can only be a good thing getting to grips with technology at such a young age.

I have also encountered the logo robots where children programme in instructions to make the robot move in particular directions and turn to specific angles and this has thoroughly captured the imagination of children.

I think there is a definite space for improvement, especially for children using technology as a communications device to hook up with other children across the world or even to use blogging as a way of sharing and reflecting upon their work.

I have also been disappointed to discover how restrictive the Hampshire schools internet is (although I can obviously see a great need for protecting children from dangerous material) there are sights like youtube with videos of an educational nature that could greatly enhance teaching. All in all I will definitely endeavour to incorporate ICT into my teaching and the learning occurring in my classroom and can see that it has a great deal of potential not just as a single subject but as a means to enhance other areas of the curriculum.

13.10.06