In the Moody to Read

    An image of a robot with AI reading a "book" from Unsplash AI is becoming increasingly more prevalent in education, and Mollick (2024) suggests that education is now even more critical than ever. Although AI is ubiquitous, a baseline knowledge is essential, and teachers possess the expertise to help utilize AI more effectively. In the YouTube video, he refers to educators as coders, and as educators, it is our time to build.  For this exercise, I "dove in" and started experimenting with ChatGPT, something that I have not really done before. I chose the prompt "teach the AI an exercise" after being asked to specify my request further, and I selected the option to have AI teach an exercise to others. It proceeded to give me stretching exercises and then asked for more specifics. After this, I typed a math exercise for first graders that focused on addition.  It provided me with several on-task math exercises for first grade and then asked if I wanted a p...

An excellent online tool that serves elementary school-aged children (as well as others) is Voice Dream Reader. This web and mobile app is designed to help support young readers with reading difficulties. It is fully supported by iOS devices like iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. It has limited support for macOS and the web browser ( https://www.voicedream.com/ ), and is not available on Chromebooks (unless running iOS apps) and Windows PCs. Some difficulties that these students might struggle with may include, but are not limited to, Dyslexia, ADHD, ELL students, emergent readers, and visual impairments. What it does is it converts text to speech (TTS) from PDFs, books, web pages, and more. Then it shows as highlighted text as it is read aloud.  An image of different ways that Voice Dream Reader can be used.  Voice Dream Reader is not free and is a subscription model. To access this digital tool, go to: https://www.voicedream.com/  and click "Get Started."  There i...

A Google Chromecast is a media player that can cast content to your computer, TV, phone, tablet, and a SMART Board. It is a small dongle-like device that connects to the Wi-Fi network through an HDMI port. For casting, the user will have a compatible app on the device they are using, like Netflix or YouTube, and then “cast,” and the content will be sent to the device being used. Another factor of Google Chromecast is that the user can mirror the device’s screen, which shows everything that is on the tablet or phone to the TV or other display piece. For teachers, using a Google Chromecast would enhance classroom efficiency and engagement. It is a way to display multimedia easily, all while being user-friendly with a simple setup. In elementary school, it would be a great tool to play games, interactive apps, interactive read-alouds, show student work, brain breaks, virtual field trips, and more!  An image of a Google Chromecast 3rd Gen dongle The Technology Integration Matrix (TIM) ...

In today’s world, information literacy is something I personally struggle with, especially in a culture where “fake news” is everywhere. It can be challenging to find accurate and factual information, and this is a critical skill in both education and everyday life. Sometimes it feels like we’re drowning in information, and the overload makes it difficult to know where to begin. I’ll admit that I, too, often fall victim to the temptation of clicking this headline or that post, especially when using specific media platforms. The concept of an information diet was new to me, but once I learned about it, it made complete sense. A diet, whether for food or information, should be intentional and selective. I’ve come to realize that my own information diet hasn’t always been healthy. Lately, it’s felt a bit sad...I find myself binging bad news on Instagram or other social media platforms, and once I start, it’s hard to stop. This habit can affect not only your mood but also your perc...

Throughout my time as an early childhood educator, the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards weren’t something I encountered often, at least not until I began working toward my first master’s degree in Instructional Technology at Coastal Carolina University. Before then, I wasn’t fully aware of their purpose or importance, which, looking back, feels like a missed opportunity. As I aspire to become an elementary school librarian, I now understand the importance of both the ISTE and AASL (American Association of School Librarians) standards in supporting learners at various developmental levels and abilities. In my experience, some younger students arrive at school already confident in using a keyboard, while others act as if they’ve never seen one before. This range of digital readiness underscores the importance of having a standards-based approach in place. As a future school librarian or media specialist, integrating both ISTE and AASL standards can help ...