Following from our “Learn to Read : Read to Learn” session with Sarah McDonald from Charles Sturt University, I have found some good sites with graphic organisers that will be very helpful. As Sarah said, research has shown that summarising and use of graphic organisers are among strategies that improve comprehension.

In our information abundant world, these tools are also used frequently in our Information Skills process, especially in the Select, Organise and Present  steps.

Look at the sites listed below, especially the edhelper site, which has visually attractive organisers that are still very practical. There are lots to choose from, but as Sarah reminded us, choose only 1 or 2 at a time to introduce so that the children can master them without confusion.

Houghton Mifflin

http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/  

S.C.O.R.E.

http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/actbank/torganiz.htm  

More attractive visuals may appeal to younger students http://edhelper.com/teachers/graphic_organizers.htm  

Enchanted Learning http://www.enchantedlearning.com/graphicorganizers/

Let’s hope that this new blog can be a useful resource for the staff of St. Michael’s as we press forward with our challenge of integrating technology into classroom learning. Especially in 2007, we are presented with the amazing opportunity of beginning to integrate Interactive Whiteboards (IWBs) into our classrooms.

We need your help on choosing a name! I came up with Technoblog really quickly needing a title when I set this blog up. You may think it’s a really creative title, but a quick Google search will reveal that there are many like-minded creative people in the world. Suggestions from staff for a permanent title for Technoblog are welcome. Just hit the comment link and post your idea.

Make sure you come back, and do so regularly!