Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
The world around us has changed drastically over the past 15 years. The technology available today is that of which we couldn’t have even imagined. Every day we use different forms of technology, in school I believe we need to be making greater use of these amazing developments and in turn also teaching our students the skills they will need to engage with this themselves.
Integrating coding and computer science into our education systems is a positive step in setting up children for the future. Fundamentally, allowing children the opportunity to be curious, creative and explore these new areas, helps them to develop critical thinking skills, resilience, independence in their learning, and allows them opportunities to basically learn a new language, a new way of using their brains.
My limited experience with coding in school has only been through using bee – bots, which children code simple movement instructions into their bee robot to move around a series of obstacles etc. From my experience it is clear that children are fully engaged when interacting with such a unique experience. It was amazing to see them work through the thought process of logically instructing the bee in sequence. This opportunity to keep trying until you succeed is incredible – if we get something wrong in a lesson, sometimes this knocks our confidence, but the resilience built through persevering with the bee until you use the right sequence is a great way to build self esteem.
In terms of using coding this year, I would love to implement minecraft education with my 6th class, I also aim to use make code arcade where children have free access to code a little video game – another Microsoft initiative. My only issues i see arising are internet speed, and access to enough devices. I look forward to making my classroom a more child centred space through the use of technology.
Politics, conflict and change: 1916 and the foundation of the state.
1916 Easter Rising : History/ Geo/ Literacy
Children will be enabled to develop a sense of the mindset of the people at this time, further developing their sense of national identity.
Acquire some knowledge of Michael Collins, Eamonn Dev, Padraig Pearse and recognise the names of the other leaders. Be able to summarise the events of the Easter Rising and what events built up to it, and the results of this period.
Compare and contrast with Ireland now. Make connections with this period, e’g place names, politics today etc.
Through collaborative work of building accurate depictions of 1916 Dublin’s main locations they have learned about, they will brainstorm, design, delegate, build, collaborate and communicate. They will then present their work to their class mates/ teacher. Build a map of Dublin at this time – GPO, Jacobs etc. Include NPCs (Non Player Characters) who were there on the day e.g Padraig Pearse etc. Have them explain what is happening through posters or dialogue.
Team work: Leader, researcher, reporters recording step by step using book and quill, time keeper, presenter, builders.
Pre work and additional activities: Videos, discussion, reading about the time, map work, book work. Diary entry, reports, newspaper articles. Music – Grace, Ámhrán na BhFiann. Art –construction: building a GPO in teams etc. Drama, Role play. Tour to kilmainham/ glasnevin?
We live in a modern, digital world, and as educators we have the responsibility to provide our students with the skills they need to participate in this world, and be confident enough to develop their skills in the future as this digital world progresses. Most children have daily interactions with technology, with phones, tablets, laptops, in school with the interactive whiteboard etc. It would be remiss of us not to explore this medium to see how it could benefit our students learning experiences. Personally I find that digital technology has been incredible in terms of inclusivity. The use of ipads for children with physical needs, takes away the need for using a pen and paper to attempt a task in the traditional way. I have seen students gain such confidence and access to their learning through using digital technology, even as simply as understanding exactly what a text has said, as it has been read aloud for them by the device as many times as they need, or a word they don’t understand can be highlighted and explained. The individualised learning this provides is incredible and also the differentiation is so personalised, much more than a teacher can provide on a daily basis with 30 students in their classrooms. Children are growing up in a digital world and therefore are more drawn to these experiences, they really enjoy using the ipads to carry out research rather than searching through a book every time, they love playing games with the interactive board instead of the teacher calling out sums for them to do on their whiteboards. Using a good mixture of our traditional methods and pairing them with the aid of technology will allow us as teachers to provide a much more inclusive learning experience for our pupils whilst also setting them up with digital literacy, confidence using technology and encourages different ways of thinking.