Primary Students & Technology

Many times teachers, especially of older students,  are reluctant to use more technology because they feel they aren't proficient enough to lead students through it. Teachers of younger students are the opposite; many feel their students cannot handle the learning curve of mastering the technology AND the content. With today's "digital native", I find that to be rarely true. Students are like sponges when it comes to using technology. They will soak in this information as fast as you can produce it. When incorporating new technology into curriculum, it is vital to give students time to learn the ins & outs of it without worrying about content. After they have had a chance to get familiar, you can then throw content into the mix.

I have been working on point of view with my group of second graders. They have done a good job of mastering the basics, such as recognizing the key words to identify point of view and figuring out who is telling the story when there are multiple views present. Today we added new technology into the mix. I created a QR code activity where they scanned a code, received a passage & then had to give the point of view on notes. This is the first time they used a code reader or notes. They did a very good job helping to troubleshoot issues, and most finished 8 or 9 passages in a 15-20 minute period.