I am excited by each of these tools and have loved watching my grade 2 students learn to use both programs.
It is amazing to see how quickly the students can figure things out and how these tools can enable some children to demonstrate knowledge and understanding in ways that may otherwise be difficult.
I have targeted a few specific children with Clicker 5 and regularly make simple vocabulary grids to support them with writing tasks. For one of my students the ability to use Clicker 5 has allowed him to go from a dependent writer (asking how to spell each word and not being able to re-read his own work) to an increasingly independent, more motivated writer. By reducing the writing frustration and scaffolding the student through access to key words he can independently produce text that is coherent and legible. I have watched excitedly as both on-task writing behaviour and productivity have increased.
The next step for me is to learn how to use Clicker 5 beyond the creation of basic grids.
In the new year, I am hoping to learn how to create Digital Stories with this tool and will offer another job embedded PD sessions for a few teachers on Clicker 5.
Photo-Story is being explored by my grade 2 students thanks to the support of our wonderful teacher-librarian Rose Gordon-Rak. Mrs. Gordon-Rak and I have been working in collaboration to create meaningful tasks for the students as a way for them to demonstrate their learning in the content areas. The students have recently learned how to find and import pictures and use voice overs using Photo-Story with our Science Unit on Solids and Liquids. By the end of January each of the students will have completed their first Photo Story which they can share with others.
It is my hope that the students will be able to create their next digital Photo-Story project independently and will be able to choose to use this program for a future culminating task.
A special thanks Rose!!
Sounds like there's already some capacity-building happening on staff with you and the TL, that's great to hear!
ReplyDeleteOnce the students have completed their first Photostory3 project, they'll see how they can use it to support any subject, and even use it for personal projects at home.