DEAR KAIA

This weeks blog assignment is to read, listen, and watch several blog post regarding a little girl named Kaia. The first blog is tittled Dear Kaia: Voicethread and Video. In this blog post Mr. Chamberlain is doing is weekly blog on commentskids when something usual happened. Kaia's father contacted Mr. Chamberlain class about using a video/audio in their post since Kaia cannot read yet. Mr.Chamberlain's class Incorporated voice thread to their videos. Voice thread is new technology that lets you have a conversation around media. It allows you to upload PowerPoint files, picture file, movie files, and much more to voice thread programs. This is what Mr. C's class did. They used their thoughts and comments incorporated with pictures to share with Kaia. She is now able to see and hear Mr. C's class post. It is amazing how this tool can connect children of all ages. It is great to see where the future is headed. With tools like this the opportunities are endless.

Dear Kaia is the next blog I viewed. In this blog post Kaia and her father grab a camera to go exploring. He wants her to explore the world around her, to use her senses to see what she can find. She is given her own camera to capture what she sees. In the post there are a variety of pictures of Kaia exploring. Kaia's father down loads her pictures and incorporates voice thread into them. Kaia shares in her own words about the pictures she took. I thought this was a wonderful blog post. As a parent I felt it was very inspiring. I loved how her father let her express herself and then shared it for the world to see. She was very creative and I loved how she looks for the beauty in everything!

Singing Hearts was the last blog I viewed. In this blog twitter was used to connect a group of 8th graders in Missouri with a 3 year old girl in Qatar. In this blog Kaia's father was reading the book, The Last Child in the Woods. While reading this book her father started to ponder the time he and Kaia spent outside discovering nature. She wanted to explore her world even though it was a dry desert. The father discusses how beauty is in everything. Later they produced a photo essay of what she discovered. Kaia's father wanted everyone to know that learning extends outside the classroom walls. Kaia's blog became a documentation of her life and with the use of blogs she is now connecting with people around the world. All three blogs were very inspiring. I am glad to see that young children can share the use of technology. I believe that it is important to start children off early with the use of computers. I like the use of voice threading. I think it is new, fun, and exciting way to do reports. As an educator I agree with Kaia's father that learning does extend outside of the classroom walls and technology makes this possible. Kaia' story can be found at the following link http://is.gd/3WSsn. I hope you find it as inspiring as I did!