EDC 665--Blog 7

Melissa asks: "For your ARP, how did you select the technologies that you are utilizing? How have your learners responded thus far?"

My Action Research Project focuses on the development of a technology club and various learning components that are involved with the process. I created this technology club for fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students because I felt there was a lack of technology integration in the elementary curriculum. I wanted my students to learn various technological mediums, so that they can use their new knowledge within their classroom and homework assignments. My hope is also that they will train other students in utilizing the technology.

There following are the technological components that I am incorporating within my club:

1. Digital Cameras
2. Video Cameras
3. Video Editing Software
4. Creating a Brochure using Microsoft's Publisher
5. a Website

My goal is to utilize all of these mediums to create a brochure, video, and website illustrating fun and kid friendly places to go in the Santa Clarita Valley. My decision to include various mediums is such that I want my students to be well rounded in their exposure to technology. I firmly believe that my students will have much exposure and will feel more comfortable in pursuing the technological mediums further.

My students have had 3 one hour sessions of using the Digital Cameras, Video Cameras and Video Editing software, and the cease to amaze me. The first time we used the the equipment, I felt that my students would need two entirely different class meetings (1 to learn the digital camera, and one to learn the video camera, but I was surprised when they were able to complete their missions within one meeting.

My club is designed in missions (or mini learning adventures :) ) Each meeting the kids receive a mission that they needed to accomplish. The first and second mission had various tasks that they students needed to complete using the digital and video cameras. The tasks ranged from deleting footage, using various camera functions like zoom and color, as well as hooking and viewing the footage on both a television and computer. This first and second missions were completed by within 1 hour.

The next mission was to shoot video footage of the school and create a video highlighting various important places around our school. This was a two day mission because the students needed to prepare for their filming, shoot, and edit their footage. The preparation of shooting and the actual filming was easy for all students. The challenge came when the students had to edit the video. We ran into some roadblocks with the video footage from the digital cameras, but this also taught students that sometimes you run into difficulties using technology.

So, how did I select the various pieces of technology for this club? Well, I wanted students to have the opportunity to use technologies that they might not use at home or in the classroom, or have little experience in using. Also, knowing that my broader goal was to create awareness of fun and kid friendly places in our town, I had to choose technologies that would meet this goal.

Ultimately, my goal of this club is to utilize technology as a tool and not merely just teaching them how to use it. My hopes are for these students to identify with this concept. Time will tell.