I want to use technology as away for my students to broaden their horizons. Some things I hope to not use all the time. (For example, I know that Smart Boards are useful, but I still love whiteboards, and its easier for a child to write on one.) But I love the idea of using technology to promote research and creativity. (For example, I was astonished to learn how much Google Earth and Google Maps have to offer. You can take virtual field trips around the world, or you can create a personalized map!) Basically, I want to take the ideas from my lesson plans and ask myself if and how technology could contribute to make the lesson better. Then I can research and apply the correct technology to increase student engagement and interaction.
Standard 1: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
- promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness.
- engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources.
- promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes.
- model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments.
1) My best example of using this was in my last lesson which had the students creating iMovies that told a story to a song. This first promoted creativity in the sense that the students were able to explore a wide variety of songs and pick their favorites. Then, they came up with a story of their own invention, and finally, they were able to put that story and music to pictures. This project allowed the students to explore and have quite a bit of creative autonomy.
2) I don't feel that most of my work this semester dealt with authentic problems. In a classroom, however, I would want to use technology to help my students keep up with current, age-appropriate news. Scholastic Kids and Time Kids would both be great resources. I would also want to encourage my students to research what they find interesting and important. If I can have a few safe online resources, then I can allow my students to think critically as they explore topics in-depth.
3&4) I learned that a great way to allow students to reflect and collaborate is through a thinking map that is on the classroom Smart Board. This allows all the students to see the collective work of the class, and they can come up and contribute to it. Then, the teacher can take a picture and the work is saved. Furthermore, I think it is extremely important for students to be able to share their work with the class. Whatever they have created and whatever technology they used, I will want to try and make that available for the entire classroom.
This is important because it allows students freedom to explore and navigate difficult topics with the help of technology. Technology is a very integrated part of our society and we can use the advances in technology to either help or harm others. Students need to learn how to gather information and collaborate in order to contribute to their environment.
Standard 2: Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
- design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity.
- develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress.
- customize and personalize learning activities to address students' diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources.
- provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching.
1) One of my lessons from this semester that I really feel demonstrated Standard 2 was a Google Maps project. Each student researched a country of their choice and labeled that country with facts that they found relevant or interesting. Then the students were able to add pictures of that country and share their work on the class map.
2) I liked this because the students were given such a wide variety of cultures to learn from, and those cultures can reflect their interests. If a student loves ballet, they might choose France or Russia. If a student has ancestry in Germany, then they can choose Germany. Students could use the general outline to make sure their information was relevant while still having lots of choice.
3) This met different learning styles and abilities because students could use different resources to research their country. They could watch videos, listen to music, read a story, etc. Students were also able to vary the amount of information they posted depending on their abilities. In addition, students could work in a group and help each other to better use the computers to succeed.
4) In my assessment, there was simply an end goal of a certain number of informational points. But in a real classroom students could journal their experiences, continue independent study on their country and present the information, etc.
This standard is important because it allows students to begin to take responsibility for their own learning in an authentic way. Students will need skills to work with technology and self-regulate their learning all throughout their lives. This is a great way to begin modeling how to self-regulate and responsibly use technology in the classroom.
- demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations.
- collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation.
- communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats.
- model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning.
1) This is a hard standard for me to meet, although I definitely stretched my limits this semester by incorporating the Smart Board, Google Maps, and iMovie. What I've learned is that as a teacher I should never be afraid of new technology. Instead, I need to embrace the change and ask questions that will teach me how to utilize it.
2-3) I want to do this by having a classroom page that has information for my students and their families. I also want to make sure that if my students create something using technology, they are given the opportunity to display this for the community in a showcase of some sort. I need to be careful however, the use of technology should not cause stress for students who don't have access to it at home.
4) What I really learned from this course is that technology is very valuable, but there are times that it cannot replace face-to-face interaction. As a teacher, I need to keep this in mind when I incorporate new technology into my classroom, or when it is introduced to my school. I also need to be careful with electronic testing, because it only measures one aspect of a student's intelligence. However, I want to continue to explore technology and share what I discover with my peers. All of this will make me a better, more relevant teacher.
Standard 4: Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility
- advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources.
- address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources.
- promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information.
- develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools.
1&3) This is such an important part of society today because we are still learning what the online rules of etiquette are. Cyber bullying in particular has become a huge issue with young people, because they don't understand the consequences of what they cannot see. I believe a huge part of fixing this problem is teaching students to take the same responsibility online that they are expected to demonstrate in other areas of their lives. If we model respect in the classroom, we can then begin to transfer that respect into online etiquette. We don't cheat in class, so we won't steal someone's intellectual property online, etc.
2) The wonderful thing about technology is that it encompasses such a broad range of tools and subjects. With the help of colleagues, research and technological studies, I feel confident that I can use technology to meet the needs of all of my students. No matter how diverse the classroom, I should be able to find some way for each student to participate, which is an important attribute of a good teacher.
4) Technology affords students some wonderful ways to connect with people around the globe and learn about them. I love the idea of having international email pen-pals, which would allow students to get to know about another culture very specifically. There are also wonderful programs to tour important sights around the globe, learn different languages, study world maps, etc. Online communication has become very important to our world (look at how people used Facebook to locate missing family and friends after the attacks in Paris) and it is imperative that students know how to use it in a safe and appropriate way, in order to collaborate with people from many different cultures.
