Lil' Techies

I use a laptop and am often sitting on the couch “browsing” while the boys are nearby coloring, playing games or watching me “browse”. At the times when the boys are watching me surf the net, I alter my searching a bit to include things that might interest them, for example, doing an image search in Google for “Rhino” or other superheros.

In these browsing sessions, I like to think the kids are little sponges soaking in all the capabilities of the Internet as they watch me move around the web. Using the philosophy of teaching by modeling, the kids are learning:

• To use the keyboard
• That the Internet has a wealth of resources on every topic
• How to form a search string
• Basic internet literacy (links, images, searching, URLs, videos)
• About different media sources (images, video, audio)
• Pearl growing (moving from resource to resource based on new material gleamed from the different resources)
Reference

Haston, W. (2007). Teacher Modeling as an Effective Teaching Strategy: Modeling Is a Technique that Can Help Your Students Learn Effectively in Many Situations. Music Educators Journal, 93(4): 26.

The National Literacy Trust in the UK  released a report that explores how our kids think about writing. One of the research questions in this report probes the issue about technology damaging literacy. I’ve heard many instructors complain about texts and tweets as a direct cause for poor writing skills. The results are inconclusive, but it looks like tech writing is actually good for literacy:

• 82% of kids send text messages at least once a month
• 77% of kids still use pen and paper to take notes in class
• Young people who write a blog were more likely to enjoy writing
• Young people with social networking sites write more frequently
• There is a link between texting and literacy achievement
• Today’s kids type faster than any other generation

The most fascinating results of this study indicate that the more technology kids use for writing, the better they feel about their writing abilities.

Clark, C. & Dugdale, G. (2009). Young people’s writing: Attitudes, behaviour and the role of technology. National Literacy Trust. Retrieved from http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/research/Writing_survey_2009.pdf.

What makes your child like a website? Louis Lazaris describes how to design websites for children at Smashing Magazine.  To design a website that your kids will love, the web designer will use:

1. Designs that stimulate the senses (bright colors, a happy mood, designs from nature)
2. Larger than life design (animated characters, depth in design, clear-cut navigation areas)
3. User interaction (animation & sound, video, games, printing)
4. Unconventional methods (changing cursor style, talking navigation, using diagonal/slanted elements)

5. Responsibility (promoting education, parent information)