Source:
Harrison, Denise. (06 October 2010). 'Action!' Student-Generated Video Web Site Teaches Visual
Communication Skills. Retrieved from: http://thejournal.com/Articles/2010/10/06/Action-Student-
Generated-Video-Web-Site-Teaches-Visual-Communications-Skills.aspx?Page=1
In this article, an early/elementary teacher named Donna Guthrie has decided to take on a project that involves the virtual world meeting the real world in the classroom. Guthrie is heading up the Website and project called "Meet Me At The Corner," which takes classrooms on virtual field trips. The idea of virtual field trips came to Guthrie while she was working on her Masters in Children's and Young Adult Writing. Many concerns were up in the air about emphasis on testing and incorporating more technology into the classroom. Guthrie's idea was in order to continue to place emphasis on reading and stories, she would create a virtual non fiction world for young children in classrooms. At the beginning of the article, one classroom is participating in a virtual field trip with the Denver Zoo, and conversing with an animal behaviorist about the zoo and about what she does for her job. After participating in this virtual field trip, the children will go on to complete extended activities on the subjects, as well as other strategies to see what they learned. Besides new vocabulary and extensive knowledge on specific topics, children are also learning how to research and skills for story content.
I really think that this project is awesome. I know that there are many teachers who fear a change in curriculum and being pushed to present the curriculum in different ways, especially when it comes to technology; however, it is really refreshing to read about an educator who fully embraced technology and found a fun and interactive way to incorporate it into her classroom for reading and language skills.
I immediately thought of the quote from Malaguzzi that we heard in our Infant/Toddler class that says "Environment is the invisible teacher." It is merely a fact that children learn most by whatever environment they are in. Since we have young children under a rigorous curriculum, providing many of these experiences is difficult for educators to do. With this project launched by Donna Guthrie, she is bringing many different environments into the classroom virtually for all of the children to see, which I feel, can only be considered to be a positive thing.
Katie,
ReplyDeleteIt think the best educational products are those that teachers create, or are a part of the creative process. Ms. Guthrie had the opportunity to get her masters and while she was there she noticed a gap in the curriculum and was able to have other professionals suport her in her efforts. Believe me, she did not do what she has done alone, no one does, we all need help to be successful. I am glad she has done something that has produced good results and that other educators can use as well.