Final Reflective Thoughts

As someone who has always considered herself whatever the opposite of tech savvy is, I have to admit that I have learned so much from this course! I went into it with an anxious yet open-mind. I am so glad I did! I have learned things that will make my life so much easier once I become an educator!

At the beginning of this semester, I felt overwhelmed. I have taken online courses before with little trouble, but all of the websites I had to use within each assignment made me incredibly nervous. The first site that I found to be helpful was THIS valuable resource! As a student and a Mom, I am lucky if I remember where to put a planner let alone what to put in it, using Delicious helped me organize all of my new found teaching tools into one place that I can not lose! I also found the blog to be an engaging way to break down my thoughts. What I particularly liked about this portion of the assignments was how laid-back it was. It encouraged thought. Utilizing WEBQUESTS was another beneficial task. I actually can not wait to get into my classroom and make assignments that will entertain and teach my students!

My favorite assignment though was the website/e-portfolio. This was almost like a midnight snack for my motivation. Doing this made me realize that in just a few short years I will be making a real website for my elementary school classroom. I saved all of my new tech tools for when that day comes!

My only feedback is not necessarily from a teaching standpoint, but I found the group projects a bit unorganized on the student's end. It felt like a few people did all of the work and everyone got the credit for it. At one point I felt like I was begging for a job to do. If maybe there were more emphasis put on the teamwork aspect, they might run smoother? Other than that, I felt like the class was never a wasted moment. I especially appreciated the lack of busy-work. Everything we did in the class will benefit us as educators.

References:

Dodge, B. (n.d.). QuestGarden.com. Retrieved December 12, 2016, from http://questgarden.com/
Welcome to del.icio.us. (n.d.). Retrieved December 12, 2016, from https://del.icio.us/

Chapter 8: Communicating and Collaborating with Social Media

Social media is like the elephant in the technology driven classroom. We all know it's there, most of us use it, yet somehow it's not quite being used within the teaching realm yet. It's a fine line of inappropriate and useful. The use of social media within the classroom would have to be monitored closely not only by the educator but also by parents and administration.

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION BETWEEN TEACHERS AND STUDENTS

Email, teacher or classroom website, Blogs, Online Discussions, and Wikis are just a few ways to utilize social media within the classroom. The first thought that comes to my mind when hearing this is how students would be able to communicate with the teacher after school hours, this leaves little opportunity for excuses to not have things done. Assuming that the teacher was able to check this at least within specific hours each night, they would be able to communicate to answer any questions the student may have. However, it also leaves little time for the teacher to unwind after an already hectic work day.

While teachers would be able to communicate with students, they would also be able to communicate with other teachers they would not normally have access to. In one of my observations the teacher asked if I would be interested in joining a closed Facebook group of elementary school teachers, they share lessons, ideas, what works for them, what does not work for them, and also the occasional moral support.

SHARING INFORMATION WITH FAMILIES

This is a concept that I like, and will most certainly use within my classroom. Being able to communicate with families instantly is to me a game changer within the classroom. One of my core beliefs is that education is a full circle, I can only do so much as an educator if I do not have the help of the family at home. By using a form of social media within the classroom, we can engage parents in the students classroom. I was at lunch with a mom friend of mine the other day and her daughters preschool class has a private instagram for the parents. They are able to see photos, lessons, activities, a sort of 'behind the scenes' look into her daughters preschool education. I thought this was such a neat idea. Another potential benefit is that while it would be great if students could be in school everyday of the year, it is not a perfect world and sometimes life and emergencies happen, By being able to communicate with parents, the student could continue to stay in the know and keep up with lessons, even if they are not able to make it into the school.

WEBSITES AND BLOGS FOR TEACHERS

Just like this website, 'Blogger', it is an excellent way for students to reiterate and discuss in their own words what they have learned. What I find particularly beneficial in these lessons, is that is is more laid-back than a normal assignment. Instead of being hung-up on formatting, grammar, every little detail, I feel like I am more able to speak freely and communicate with the professor. In return, I learn far more than if I were writing a formal paper on each chapter. The other aspect of a blog for students, is that many students can contribute. In fact, everyone can log on to look at their blog. Parents can simply check-in to see what their child is learning, Teachers can keep up with progress, Administrators can monitor for efficiency, and see what the teachers and students are up to. Blogs are an excellent way for everyone to stay engaged in the learning environment of the student.

Chapter 7: Exploring Problem Solving With Software, Apps, and Games

This chapter introduces the notion that learning can be enhanced and even possibly achieved at a higher level when apps and games are utilized within the classroom. 

PROBLEM SOLVING AND INQUIRY LEARNING WITH TECHNOLOGY

Inquiry based learning is something that I will absolutely utilize in my classroom, I think that it provokes the habit of inquiring. This is something that if a student learns to do at a young age, will help them tremendously as adults. It is so important to always wonder, inquire, ask questions, and learn even once there will be no test. So this strategy in the classroom uses real-world situations to inquire. It can be exploring primary sources such as newspapers, census data, historical events, etc (Maloy, 2011). Also according to the article, when students are engaged in researching open-ended problems, they are honing in their "thinking skills, risk-taking, creativity and mental self-discipline". When this is used hand-in-hand with computers or other forms of technology, the student is able to see the possibility of several outcomes and able to consider different solutions to get to that outcome. 

HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING

Software is the term for the instructions within the computer while hardware is the basic machinery of the computer (Maloy, 2011). Software is then broken down into two general types, system and application. Software programs include; Adobe, Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, things that make organization and teaching with software possible. Another type of software is the open-source software, this is open to the general public, which means that students can utilize these sources for free, and typically easy use. 

TYPES OF PROBLEM-SOLVING AND INQUIRY-LEARNING SOFTWARE

The first type of software I would like to discuss is the Composing and Calculating Software, this is the basic software including applications such as Microsoft Word and Excel, it uses writing and mathematical calculations to help students become masters in this area. 

The other type of software is used for building and inventing. This is where exploring open-ended questions through technology can come in handy. I will include a project I recently did with QuestGarden.com to help young elementary students explore the Bill of Rights HERE. This would be an example of utilizing technology to help the students inquire about a certain subject. What I found particularly interesting about it is that the educators are able to tweak the lesson to fit any age group. A kindergartner can do a lesson related to the a fifth grader, all with a few minor revisions. 

   Maloy, R. W. (2011). Transforming learning with new technologies. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

Chapter 3: Transforming Learning with Unique, Powerful Technology

Transformative Learning is one of the core aspects of the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) and the Student Outcomes for Learning. Technology is what the education of the future will be centered around.

RESEARCH ON THE SCIENCE OF LEARNING

        The "How People Learn" series went on for years, it determined that people of all ages are 'goal-directed agents who actively seek information'. The study also showed that people only form new knowledge based on things they already know. This is interesting when taken into an education standpoint, if students only can learn off the foundation of what they already know, then it is imperative that teachers form a basis for which their students know. They can utilize technology to build on their students learning, influencing far more students than the educator who does not use technology.

SCIENCE OF LEARNING VIDEO

BEHAVIORISM, COGNITIVISM, CONSTRUCTIVISM, AND CONSTRUCTIONISM

These are the learning theories that teachers generally use in their classrooms, at least a combination of the above.

• Behaviorism- is the idea that learning is achieved through memorizing, demonstrating, and imitating. 
• Cognitivism- this is typically done through active learning, transfer of learning, comprehension, and metacognitive skills
• Constructivism- idea that learning is the result of interpreting and manipulating your surroundings
• Constructionism- Learners build their own knowledge. 

It is easy to see why generally teachers believe in a combination of these ideas. Put together they would benefit every students needs, however it is just not feasible to do so within every lesson, so by choosing at least two of each for every lesson, the teacher would be able to interest and connect with at least the majority of the classroom. 

THINKING CRITICALLY AND SOLVING PROBLEMS

I just read an article saying that some measures of intellect are based on how quickly one can solve problems. One idea that the book relates to is alternative ways of not only thinking, but acting. Before, in a traditional classroom, the student generally only had one source of print. The printed textbook, now they have access to several different forms of sources, magazines, computers, etc. This forces them to have to inquire on their own, and form their own opinions. We are able to check every fact several different ways.



Work Cited

G. (n.d.). Goldman Sachs. Retrieved December 05, 2016, from http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyz6-taovlaOkPsPtK4KNEg?v=y17l-hxFz1M

   Maloy, R. W. (2011). Transforming learning with new technologies. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

CHAPTER 11: Engaging Students in Performance Assessment and Reflective Learning

INVOLVING STUDENTS IN LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT:

According to the textbook their is a link, that should be rather obvious when you actually consider it, that  children who are asked to be involved in the classroom have a better chance at success in a democratic society. Some psychologists suggest that students are more motivated to do their homework, if the student is give a choice in the homework. I think that this could be an excellent addition to the classroom, as long as the teacher is ultimately in charge of the lessons. For example, if you give a child the option to wear the blue shirt or the orange shirt, so long as they are wearing an adequate shirt, it does not matter which one they choose, however they are still given the choice. This approach could be utilized during assignments and homework as well.

DIGITAL PORTFOLIOS FOR STUDENTS:

Whenever sustainability is involved, my ears are usually perked and ready to listen. I love the idea of a digital portfolio for several reasons. One being, sustainability of course. Another would be though the accountability. There is a small chance that the dog ate the entire computer, and if that were the case I would be more than willing to listen to the details, however when students are asked to back up their work with a computer, they are taking a lot of the guesswork out of it. Sure, there are computer errors, however with the rate at which technology is advancing the excuses are limited. We can do our homework, email it to ourselves, and back it up in several different free forms. Another concept that could catapult digital portfolios into the future, is that students would be able to access it and use it as both a reference and an outline. If entire schools or counties used a portfolio system, they would be able to take these through their entire schooling process. The possibilities would be endless. They could also be used as a sort of resume putting their work out in the the world and getting potentially scouted by colleges or companies, they would not normally have access to.

PREPARING FOR HIGH STAKES TESTS:

By involving the student in a more engaged classroom, we are preparing them much more efficiently for a high stakes exam. According to the textbook, when the student is more involved in their learning process, it helps them to think deeper about the content of their learning. This may help them to think more deeply about the questions during their county or statewide testing. By taking the time to read an entire question and not being mislead by distractions within the question, they have a better chance in passing the exam. This can be achieved by taking a dominant role in their own education.

QUIZ HERE QUIZ HERE QUIZ HERE QUIZ HERE QUIZ HERE

   Maloy, R. W. (2011). Transforming learning with new technologies. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

Chapter 9: Expressing Creativity with Multimedia

https://tackk.com/dp5cf2



I think it is safe to say that multimedia is one of the most effective ways to reach all students no matter what their learning preference is. Visual learners can access what they need, there are audio books for audio learners, hands on learners can benefit from the projects through either powerpoint, videos, or other applications that meet their needs.

MULTIMEDIA TECHNOLOGIES IN SCHOOLS TODAY

When teachers utilize multimedia within the classroom, they are using the multimodal technique. This mixes talking with visual, technological, and audio reinforcement. Without using other media options, the teacher is using a single-mode learning technique. This is not effective or exciting to the students. According to a study mentioned in the book, students who learn in a multimodal classroom 'outperform' those who are in a single-mode environment. Traditional learning environments used single-mode learning, however in a more modern learning environment, the book gives the example an English teacher having her students listen to an audio of poets reciting their work, and then recording the students as they recite their work as well. 

POWERPOINT AND NEXT-GENERATION PRESENTATION TOOLS

Powerpoints, while as a student make me cringe, are something I will absolutely utilize as a a teacher. They are valuable for a number of reasons, time management, preparedness, planning, and confidence building. By utilizing these presentation tools, the students are fully immersed in their learning. I am also a firm believe that we learn better when we are teaching. It is also an excellent way to engage the entire class, it is always motivating to do something different, instead of listening to a teacher lecture day in and day out, sometimes the students react more energetically to a small, temporary change in the mundane. 

VIDEO IN THE CLASSROOM

This is something that I witnessed firsthand being used in the classroom during my observations for another class, it is also something that I will absolutely use in my classroom. At the beginning of each class the teacher used a video he called the "Bell Ringer", this was a type of informal introduction to the days lesson. This to me is genius, it acts as a 'trigger' for the student to think back on when they think about the subject, this will help them to recall these triggers during exams, hopefully helping them remember it easier. Youtube is another surprisingly effectively video. It helps to break down complex ideas in a more simple manner. 

Technology is the future of education, while I hope it never completely replaces the teacher, it is exciting to see what we are capable of doing inside the classroom in the next ten years. 

Digital Blog Post #G: Chapter 10

Promoting Success for All Students Through Technology

In this chapter we learn how to successfully utilize technology within the classroom. It helps us as educators balance the needs of the students and reach more students.

Technology for Teaching Diverse Students:

Using technology in the classroom can be 'affirming' for diverse students, it can bring together those who come from different cultures, different upbringings, and different lifestyles. I believe as an educator we owe it to our students to expand their knowledge beyond the textbook. If a student is say, from another country and just moved here, we could use videos in the classroom to shed light on their  past. This could help the new student teach the other students about something they would of otherwise known nothing about. As americans, we are fortunate to be a melting pot of culture. Instead of expecting them to fit a certain mold, we can break stereotypes by coming together through the internet.

Using Technology with Linguistically Diverse Learners

Just as we can bring together students from different backgrounds, we can also implement reach students who are not english speakers at home. There are several uses for translators, however with the widening usage of technology in the classroom it can be implemented with students who may not be able to afford professional translators, or fancy tutors. Google translate is just one example of how students can use a free service through their phone, tablet, or computer to help get a better sense of the written word. One thing that comes to mind is the ongoing conflict in Syria, this will cause an influx of Syrian refugees into our country, whether it be controversial in the media, as teachers it is our duty to help these students find a home away from their home. Where they may not have access to several handouts, we can easily translate the handouts and the powerpoints for them giving them the ability to learn in an American classroom.

Assistive Technology to Reach Diverse Learners

Not every student fits the traditional academic mold. Assistive technology can help alleviate the gap that many learning diverse students have. Whether it be a disability such as hearing impaired, or blind, or someone with a learning disability such as ADHD or Autism, Assistive Technology can help expand their learning environment by reaching the student who is often overlooked. With certain apps we can help translate our conversations into written word for the hearing impaired. Or the use of braille can help benefit the entire class, or maybe taking the time to learn some small phrases in ASL.

The technology that we are developing today can help the future student and educator in ways beyond belief. By being open to learning and educating ourselves, we will help bridge the gap to the many diverse students we will encounter in our days as an educator.

   Maloy, R. W. (2011). Transforming learning with new technologies. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

Digital Blog Post B: Chapter 5

Chapter five to me seems the most basic. It is especially helpful for those just now becoming excited for the technology involved classroom. With so much information at our fingertips, it would be naive to think that some students will use that information to cheat, or for negative outcomes. With that said, some students will use if for the greater good. However, they must know where to look and how to be taught to safely use the internet.

Information literacy as a learning goal:

As a goal means that essentially, while we all want the most current information, some schools especially in less than desirable areas may not have the funds to appropriate these goals. While they may still have access to the internet, it may be very slow. I can remember my teachers telling me by the time the book was printed, the information was out-of-date. Students no longer have that concern. With the direction of E-books, they are constantly being updated in a way that students will be able to keep up with the most current information. It is also much more cost- effective. Rather than spending hundreds of dollars per student on a book, a kindle can cost less than one-hundred dollars per student.

Evaluating Online Information: 

One foreseeable issue I can think of with technology in the classroom will be internet trash. The wikipedias of the world. Now, of course I have used wikipedia for quick information, however it will be necessary to teach the students the difference between peer reviewed and wiki or other similar sources. One thing I will be strict on is work cited, not for the purpose of catching plagiarism, but to learn credible sources. This is something that they will be able to take outside of the classroom, both in college as well as personal lives. I have thought many times to myself when I hear something that sounds off, "check your source". According to Nicholas C. Burbules and Thomas A. Callister, Jr. Internet information particularly 'trouble' information can be organized into four terms;

Misinformation- false, or outdated
Malinformation- photos or information that can be harmful or inappropriate to certain ages
Messed-up information- lists, or wordy pages that are poorly organized
Mostly useless information- "trivial or mundane information"

There are several ways to eliminate this type of information from the classroom, the current choices are censorship, filtering software, partitions, and labels.

Using Technology together as Digital Citizens:

The tech world is fascinating for several reasons, the one that is most exciting to me is that we all live without borders in the tech world. I can visit my friends who live in Europe with the click of a phone, rather than an expensive ticket and a passport. We can live virtually without limits. With this can come great risk as well as great reward. David Schimmel suggests that rather than the adults making the rules, we allow the students to collaborate with the set of standards expected in the classroom. That is something that I would love to honor in my classroom. Schimmel suggests that this not only allows children to learn their limitations, but also their rights. I saw this being instituted in the classroom that I did my observations. Rather than fighting with the students over cell phones, a fight he knew he would not win, the Teacher allowed them to have one earbud in for music so long as they took it out while he was teaching. During independent study, they were free to listen to their devices and talk quietly among friends. This seemed like an incredible way to effectively manage the classroom, while also letting the students feel like they're 'getting away with something'.

MIND MAP HERE!!

   Maloy, R. W. (2011). Transforming learning with new technologies. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

Digital Blog Post B: Chapter 2

A CAREER THAT MATTERS:

In the very first section the textbook talks about the basics of how teaching is A Career That Matters, that is something that as an educator I will have to remind myself daily. At the most basic level, teaching is one of the most important professions. It builds the foundation for future presidents, doctors, lawyers, astronauts, teachers, nurses, every one in the functioning adult world, will have been taught. When thinking about it like that it is easy for one to be reminded how important their days work is. We have to leave our problems at the door and give 100% to our students each day. It was predicted that young teachers will teach they way they know how to be taught. This means setting up classrooms in orderly rows, teaching to an entire group, however I remember in high school I always learned the most from the classes that the desks we're designed in one large square, that forces a more intimate learning setting. I think it is most important as an educator to inspire my students so that they will want to learn outside of my classroom too.


YOUR INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY READINESS:

This section reports teachers response to utilizing technology. Many teachers are skeptical mostly because they are unsure of their confidence with using technology in the classroom. We have all been in the room where it took the teacher longer to setup the equipment than to actually teach the lesson, and I have been in even more classrooms where they just end up giving up. It is imperative that the teacher understand how to work the computer or other related accessories, that is why training should be mandatory. Technology readiness is the way our world is going, with more innovations in the classroom everyday, we as educators have to be ahead of the curve rather than lagging behind somewhere. Staying relative will help the students to stay engaged. By definition, I am not sure I will be an innovator, however I hope to at least be informed and ready to utilize whatever my school has to offer in the classroom. To find out your Web IQ I will include a link to a quiz by the Pew Internet and American Life Project website Here.


TECHNOLOGY CHOICES AND STUDENT ENGAGEMENT:

This section mostly reports on motivation in the classroom. Whether it be the motivation of the teacher or the student. I remember my parents saying repeatedly while I was growing up "She's so smart, she's just bored". This can not be an excuse for future generations of students. I tell my daughter there is absolutely no reason to be bored, in the grand scheme of things, you know almost nothing. This is the somewhat sarcastic attitude I will take into my classroom. There is absolutely no reason for students to be bored in a educational setting. As an adult, I would not come back to somewhere that I was incredibly bored, there is no reason that students should have to sit for 3/4 of a year in a boring classroom. I, of course understand that you can not make everyone happy however I will do my best to try. In a study done by Yazzie-Mintz in 2009, Students who participated in the classroom either in group projects or lessons that utilized technology, they found themselves much more engaged that traditional lectures. I had a teacher who would do our test reviews on a quiz that we had to answer from our smartphones, we always had so much fun and were able to learn quite a bit as well, It kept us in competition but mostly engaged.







References:

Brenner, J. (2014). Web IQ Quiz. Retrieved September 14, 2016, from http://www.pewinternet.org/quiz/web-iq-quiz

   Maloy, R. W. (2011). Transforming learning with new technologies. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

Digital Blog Post #A Chapter 1

There are several concepts in this chapter that are so fascinating when it comes to teaching the new generation of students. For so long I tried to stay well behind the technology curve, it was not until I had my daughter who is now three that I realized how much technology is engrained into this new generation. They are born surrounded by technology, watching and absorbing while we use our phones, computers, tablets, apple tv's everything around us is surrounded by the tech world. Which leads me to concept one:

THE iGENERATION: Hand in hand with this igeneration is the social media epidemic. Children these days are filled with the entire world at their fingertips, yet many spend much of that time simply on social media. My thoughts is a way to utilize these different sites into ways to make the classroom more cohesive. Much like this blog we have to do, It would be neat to see the outcome of a younger generation of students also using blogs to journal, create, and share with classmates. Behind a computer screen may allow some of the more shy students to truly flourish without the embarrassment of standing in front of students.

Another concept that I found interesting was the section on technology-based learning environment. I recently read an excerpt that was widely shared on social media discussing with parents how rather than sending homework home, they should spend time learning outside. Contrary to that thought, this section discusses how teachers can reach their students even while they are at home and beyond traditional school hours. This could definitely work to the students benefit though, if they had questions where you would once have to wait until the next morning, students could have virtual conversations assuming they are both online.

The last concept that I felt should be touched on was the learning goals for teachers and students. The text mentions often the ideas of highly interactive and inquiry-based. The first idea that comes to mind is allowing the students an opportunity to be apart of the lesson plan. How much more would we all have listened as students if we got to help make the plan? In a technology based classroom, students could do just this. There opportunities could help shape young inquiring minds.

Where I was once skeptical about technology in a classroom, I am beginning to get very excited at the opportunities I could have utilizing technology as well as traditional learning styles to reach my future students!