When choosing resources teachers should be sure to consider the importance digital resources have to instruction and student learning. Incorporating digital resources that are pointless can limit the benefits of their use. A wide variety of resources have different affordances that would be better suited for certain activities. The digital resources that I chose for my implementation plan were purposely chosen based on the usefulness to the activities I have created and instruction. I also consider how much knowledge my students have before implementing the resource into an activity or instruction. When teachers have a clear understanding of student knowledge, teachers can plan instruction based on student current levels(Casey & Bruce, 2011). Each resource chosen should be modeled to students and the purpose clearly expressed. Students should understand how necessary each resource is to their learning and the inquiry process (Coiro, et al., 2016). Digital resources are always fun and engaging for students to use and I want my students to have fun completing activities. The three resources I have evaluated are Jamboard, Seesaw, and BookCreator. I have used Jamboard and Seesaw in my classroom often, the students will have their first experience with Book Creator during my implementation plan.
Jamboard
Jamboard is an online resource that is provided through Google. This resource is a great way to keep track of students' questions, responses, and notes. The tools provide a wide variety of ways for students to add notes, draw responses, add pages, visual elements, and attachments. This resource is easily accessible through a link that is created through a Google account and provided to students. Students who are struggling readers can easily manipulate and use this resource due to the pictured tools located and their diversity of uses. Students who have their own google account can also create Jamboards on their own to create activities and share resources with other students. This source can be comparable to Padlet, a posting digital webpage that I have also used in my classroom.
Students are eagerly engaged when using Jamboard as multiple students can actively participate and collaborate at the same time. I chose to use this resource in my implementation plan because it allows for adequate opportunities for students to share, critique, and create responses. Teachers can engage students in a critical thinking activity by using Jamboard for discussion to prompt students to communicate with each other while they offer suggestions and reflect on their own ideas and posts. The drawbacks of the Jamboard resources is the requirements for adequate internet service and devices. Many classrooms do not have adequate access to devices or steady access to the internet.
Seesaw
Seesaw is an interactive webpage source that is used in classrooms worldwide. This source was mandated to be used in my classroom this year and was easy to implement. The affordances it provides to students at all levels of learning are spectacular. Classrooms as young as pre-kindergarten can all have uses for this online web page program. The program provides ways to add activities and link outside resources to the activities. Teachers can post critical thinking activities that help students engage in collaboration and self reflection as all activities have to be approved by the teacher. My students enjoy utilizing the variety of tools that are available when working on activities. Students who have difficulty writing have the option of video or voice recording their responses to questions or using drawing tools. The blog option provides an interactive way for students of all ages to actively engage with their peers and people in their community. This resource can also be used to include parents and get them more involved in the work your students are doing in your classroom. The family option allows parents to continuously monitor what activities their children are working. Students then have the opportunity to share what they are learning as they practice organization skills through the options of having a personal activity journal.
This resource can be implemented to use for any subject at any time. It supports literacy through the abundance of affordances it offers to students and teachers. The greatest part about this resource, in my opinion, is the activity library that is shared between teachers worldwide or within a school district. Teachers can even differentiate activities by assigning certain lessons to a particular set of students. The drawbacks that I have noticed in my classroom pertain to student access to technology and student digital skill levels. Seesaw may be easy to use, but requires extensive teacher modeling due to the amount of classes that can be added to a students journal. Even though this resource is mandated in my district, using this resource in my implementation plan will allow students to feel more confident when keeping track of their work and navigating through the internet. It will also help me with my organization skills, helping me keep all student work located in one location.
Book Creator
Book Creator is a very fun and engaging resource that provides a seemingly endless variety of tools for students to create interactive eBooks, drawings, or videos online. I chose this resource because of the options it has for students to be more creative in their final project of my implementation plan. The affordances it provides allows students at all levels of understanding to input videos, pictures, voice recordings, and other visual elements to express their new found knowledge. This resource can be easily used in any grade level, as students have independence of their creations and have opportunities to collaborate with others. Many projects created with Book Creator can be completed independently or in small groups. When I decided to use Book Creator in my implementation plan, I considered the engaging aspects of this program. My students are always interested when they can actively use information they found online to create a digital representation that displays their understanding, identity, and pride in their work. The versatility of this program allows it to be beneficial to use in any content area and incorporate a variety of literacy skills. Teachers should be aware of the drawback that students can possibly share personal information online when using this program. Teaching digital citizenship and responsibility is an important concept to teach when implementing any digital resources into the classroom.
I'm looking forward to hearing how these worked!
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