Taylor

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As with any technological medium, my future classroom's use of this specific Voicethread depends heavily on the grade level I end up teaching. I believe that third grade is a great starting point for students to begin experimenting with this type of software. If I taught in grades kindergarten through second grade, I don't picture using this medium although I would introduce my students to the different pieces of the entire idea that is Voicethread. For example, in the earlier grades I would focus on explaining and demonstrating who a narrator is and what role they play in this entire process. I would also explain the same for an author, illustrator, publisher, and so on. While I grew frustrated with this program initially due to confusion, upon looking at my finished product my feelings on it have changed. As a future elementary school teacher, it would be crucial for me to repeatedly model for my students each step of the process of creating a Voicethread. Diving even further into the concept of using this in an elementary school classroom leads me to enjoy the idea of creating a single story together, as a classroom. I believe my students would enjoy the taste of collaboration with a product they can honestly say they contributed to in some way, while also learning about the different roles and how these concepts fit together in making one product.

As I have gained more knowledge and experience of what goes on inside of different classrooms, the more I see a dire need for an increase in the use of technology. All too often school systems have awesome programs such as a one to one program (1 laptop per each student), however there is a multitude of teachers who do not fully use this to an educational advantage or motivation for their students. Unfortunately, in most cases laptops or other electronic devices turn into a distraction and eventually hinder the learning process for many students. As a future educator in an elementary school building, I look forward to completely saturating my classroom with technology. I'm a firm believer in the idea that when technology is used properly, it helps grab the attention of students and it keeps them engaged in the learning process. After speaking with many elementary school students daily, the majority of these students complain about their teachers if they rarely use the technology in their classroom or if the technology is used solely as a note-taking option. Students want more and as educators we cheat them by not creating engaging activities and methods for carrying them out. I find this Voicethread to be a challenging, yet phenomenal idea in giving students something to work towards, with the teacher providing constant modeling and scaffolding throughout the process.

Even as a current university student, I can acknowledge that I need to be pushed sometimes in order to avoid complacency! I know that my future students will need that same push at times and I fully plan on incorporating aspects of a Voicethread into future lesson plans, with the hopes of shining a light on their true potential they may have never seen otherwise.

https://voicethread.com/share/5637177/