Reflective Post

This is not the End, but the Beginning:

I feel that our textbook throughout the semester was a little unbalanced in favoring technology over more traditional methods in the classroom. Even though I feel there could have been more debate over the integration along with the information provided, there were chapters that did discuss alternate stances. While it explained and spoke of the positive aspects of technology incorporation in classrooms, it did not fail to include negative/opposing views on the matter. When looking at any topic, I feel it is important to look from all angles; otherwise the decision will appear biased. Because of the format of our readings, some chapters provided sole information on technology options, while others remembered to include other viewpoints on the matter. However, I feel that even though technology is still debated today, that it is worth trying and in the end it will be worth the effort.

I must admit, I’ve never liked group projects. They require you to work with unknown possibilities and possible slackers. When it comes to these, especially when their online, it becomes harder for those involved to communicate effectively. However, this semester proved otherwise due to the fact that the majority of people in the group fought to keep in touch with one another and relayed information and work progress swiftly. Not only that, but the way the assignments were set up, each person was still responsible for their own work, which eased the stress of possible failure due to an outside party. I have to say, the fellow work I saw put into those projects was pretty encouraging and gave me hope for any future group projects.

I admit that I liked the idea of responding to a classmate’s discussion post. However, it was rare to see a comment receive a response and allow the conversation to continue. I understand sometimes we as students want to get our assignments completed and turned in, never to look at them again, but being able to dive into an intellectual discussion would have been great. I did notice one or two classmates would go back and forth from time to time, but to see more of an interaction among different viewpoints would have been inspiring.

In conclusion, during this semester I have been able to feel both positively and negatively about the subject of technology in teaching. Certain topics or approaches I did not necessarily agree with, while others seemed like great ways to interact with students and materials. Throughout this learning process, I had to remind myself that everyone has their own style of teaching, and what may not appeal to me would likely be gold to someone else. Although I may not be that creative, this course was able to show me simple ways to make any assignment or lesson more imaginative and personal. Instead of writing a plain essay, or turning in a standard worksheet, creating a blog or website filled with ideas, feedback, and personal growth seems like a great way to make any writing assignment more fun and artistic. I must admit this class has humbled me and altered the mindset I originally had about technology in the classroom. I now understand there needs to be a balance to everything, but that technology is inevitable and in so many ways reaches students in ways that traditional methods just couldn’t measure up to.

Just a little thought to leave you with: Technology is definitely a fascinating tool that with time can only move forward and become more advanced. Even though we may not exactly be there yet, I would like to you to see the possibilities of technology in future classrooms.

Resources

Goshay, N. (2015, December 10). Technology? [JPEG] Created with bubbl.us 

Goshay, N. (2015, December 10). When the Semester is Over. [JPEG] Created with Bitstrips https://www.bitstrips.com/user/F2TP8S/read.php?comic_id=GJZQK&subsection=1

Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2014). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.

Nemroff Pictures (2014, January 28). Technology in Education: A Future Classroom. Retrieved December 10, 15 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ73ZsBkcus

Chapter 12 - Digital Blog Post L

We’re All in this Together!

A particular section within the chapter spoke up about issues involving the integration of technology. The reading argued that some educators use technology to divide the classroom, separating students based on educational level or how advanced they are. If this is done in a way where it becomes discouraging to students, I can understand the issue. However, based on what I’ve witnessed and experienced, it’s usually counterproductive to lump students together who are on different academic levels: Students who may learn at a slower pace feel rushed and confused without a firm grasp on the material, and students who may be further advanced feel held back and bored with the presented material. I feel that teachers, who can effectively use technology in a way that encourages students, can harness its functionality for each group of students at their current level. Separation is necessary in certain cases, and if executed in a way that benefits students instead of discouraging them, then it’s all the more useful.

In previous chapters we’ve discussed the digital divide and how low income households differ from higher income households. This mindset is reiterated in this chapter under the term digital inequality. This emphasizes that “simply adding more technology to homes or schools will not, in and of itself, address differences in access among social groups” (Maloy, et al, 2014, p. 306). Simply placing some form of technology in front of students is not going to bring out the best in those students if the majority of them don’t even know how to efficiently use that device. As seen by the chart on page 305, lower income households have a smaller percentage of broadband, Internet use, and personal cell phones (let alone a smart phone). This being said, even with Internet access, there is no guarantee that students will have the most updated software and search engines available. Figuring out a method to properly introduce the uses of technology to students who do not have a solid understanding is key if we hope to continue using technologies in the classroom. Otherwise, a different approach will have to be made.

With all this talk of issues in the integration process of technology, one wonders what the next step could be? Towards the end of the reading we come across ways we, as teachers, can become technology-leading and pave the way for our students. Even though there are many areas within the educational system that we have no power over, we can make a difference within each of our classrooms. The choices we make every day to how we will deliver the things we love while incorporating technology, we can find a way to enhance student learning by using technology in ways that complement our every day functions and lifestyles.

In conclusion, technology can allow for students to show what they otherwise could not. Technology may bring out the best in students, but it can also become a source of separation; in terms of skill, social communication, and in terms of being technologically savvy. As teachers, and leaders, we need to be creative and critical thinkers that leave students with the desire to follow and learn from us. We can be told to carry out a responsibility, but we have the ability to choose how we will carry it out to make the best impact we can.

Resources

Goshay, N. (2015, November 29). Diversity [JPEG]. Created with Tagxedo http://www.tagxedo.com/app.html?url=https%3A//www.aacu.org/publications-research/periodicals/diversity-teaching-and-learning-affirming-students-empowered&shape=Apple&orientation=Any&font=Avril%20Lavigne&theme=Cloud%20Over%20Castle

Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2014). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.

TeachForAll (2013, July 1). A school that keeps learning - Part 3: Growth mindset. Retrieved November 29, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKM6QwQpe3g

Chapter 6 - Digital Blog Post K

Into the Future but Remembering the Past:


Towards the end of the chapter there was a compelling section that discussed the use of educational websites interactively. The portion that stuck out the most to me was engagement. In other chapters we’ve discussed the importance of interactions between students and technology, as well as ways to engage students. However, this small section brought up the point of how information is presented in a way that would compel students to interact and better respond to information. Instead of providing information in a bland way through regular textbook readings or assignments, introducing a more exciting and engaging method would reap more benefits. The book describes “a compelling storyline, interesting characters, a perplexing mystery, or a controversial issue or idea” to attract the students (Maloy, et al, 2014, p. 150).

A tool for managing information electronically that has vastly gone unnoticed in our daily lives is the use of bookmarking. This utensil has become so common and secondary that we forget just how useful and vital it actually is. Remember the days when we had to look through countless books just to find one page or paragraph of information we needed? Then we would fold the page, highlight the information, or place of bookmark in so we could go back and find it later. Now, imagine finding multiple sites or web pages with information you need, and having to leave up all the tabs hoping you don’t accidentally exit out of one which would mean you lost that page you might have searched for hours. Thanks to bookmarking, once we find a page with valuable information that we would like to view again in the future, we are able to SAVE that page online and refer to it later; even after we exit out of it! We may take it for granted, but bookmarking is just as handy as it was when it was first introduced.

In conclusion, virtual tools are becoming more and more powerful and useful within the world of education. Virtual schools have become more popular and are able to cater to a diverse group of students that benefit greatly from its flexibility, availability, and the resources it provides. Interactive and engaging websites and programs are paving a new path for students to better understand and relate to the information they are being presented with. And lastly, even though technology is forever moving forward, we are still benefiting greatly from the features that were first introduced when the online world was beginning to take off.

Resources

Goshay, N. (2015, November 15). Virtual Schools. Created with Picktochart https://magic.piktochart.com/editor/piktochart/9336684#

Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2014). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.

zSpace (2015, January 19). zSpace VR in K-12 Education. Retrieved November 15, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pd2tgj6KBGs

Chapter 11 - Digital Blog Post J

Time to Engage:

A nice opening to any new class, for teachers and students alike, is to predetermine how much a student knows upon entering the class. The term for this approach is known as a pre-assessment. A pre-assessment has many forms; it can come as a quiz, worksheet, survey, or mini writing assignment in order to evaluate how much material a student knows about the subject at hand. This is important because I feel it is necessary in order to build off of student’s prior knowledge. This also gives us, as educators, a peak into the student’s mind so we can be better prepared when creating lesson plans and finding useful ways to engage students. Instead of throwing a multitude of information at learners that will likely fly right over their heads, or worse, scare them, pre-assessments give us a better idea on how to tackle the teaching process.

Chapter 11 discuses a valuable approach to engaging students through student participation systems. In short, this is a hands-on way of allowing students to interact and respond to classroom stimuli through various tools. One way for students to participate is through the use of clickers. This is a small device that allows students to press a button or type an answer in response to a question. Different types of clickers can let students use “multiple choice, yes/no, true/false, ranking, numeric, and short answer questions” (Maloy, et al, 2014, p. 288). I personally like this method because as the educator it gives you an idea of how many students are grasping the concepts being presented. On behalf of the students, I think this allows students to remain active in their learning and keep them on their toes.

Democratic schools and classrooms was a great topic to cover within the reading. By allowing teachers and students to unite in their decision-making process, it makes for better communication and involvement. This allows students to feel more engaged and are less threatened by participation as well as expressing their thoughts and concerns. By conversing with the teacher as a class or individual, students can relay how they feel about different aspects of the school, staff, classes, and even topics not associated with school i.e. weather, sports, stores, people, etc. I think this form of engagement can be beneficial. It fosters an environment that produces strong teacher-student relationships. This approach would ultimately increase student input because it adds to the students’ interests.

In conclusion, we understand that student reflection is not only valuable, but can be achieved through various methods within the classroom. Whether it’s a pre-assessment  a student participation system, or a democratic learning approach, each method requires students to reflect and take the time to work out their thoughts to better express their understanding. These methods may benefit the student, but they also come as a great innovative way for teachers to evaluate their students.

  

Resources

Chasteen, S. (2009, November 12). Students and Teachers Speak: Clickers in the science classroom. Retrieved November 8, 2015 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpAEx2abKBQ

Goshay, N. (2015, November 8). Engaging Students. Created with Tagxedo http://www.tagxedo.com/app.html?url=https%3A//tackk.com/pucavq/embed&shape=Classic&orientation=Any&font=ChunkFive&theme=Just%20Peachy

Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2014). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.

Chapter 4 - Digital Blog Post I

Plan Ahead:

Chapter 4 brings up a good point in the reading when discussing the formation of lesson plans: “There is too much information in every curriculum area that students need to learn” (Maloy, et al, 2014, p. 81). Teachers have to consider various details when creating a lesson plan. Keeping in mind how much time a day you will have, what materials will be at your disposal, what age group you will be working with, and what key pieces of information will ultimately better the student are all key factors to consider when putting together a lesson plan. Through considering these factors we will, time and time again, have to exclude and include certain details to a plan until we are left with the best possible plan that fits our criteria.

Within a section of the reading, there was one small topic that caught my attention. When teachers consider how to assess students three factors strongly influence their choices, but the first stood out to me: Personal experience. This section explains how teachers are likely to teach and assess students the way they themselves were taught and assessed i.e. lectures, quizzes, worksheets, discussions, etc. Although these all can be linked to classrooms, just one by itself is not enough to evaluate a student or his/her progress. Even though there may have been assessments a teacher went through that stuck out to them or aided their learning, sticking to those methods alone will not benefit the variety of students that teacher will come to educate. Because each students learns so differently, and repetition of the same thing is not always helpful, teachers will need to incorporate and present different forms of assessment to better evaluate their students and offer diverse opportunities for students to show their progress.

I believe that electronic grading is a great way to share grades. It allows students to look over their assignments as if they were on one spreadsheet. This grading system allows schools to “manage grades, keep track of attendance, support lesson planning, manage teacher correspondence, and perform other administrative and class management functions” (Maloy, et al, 2014, p. 86). Another feature about electronic grading I like is, depending on the system, it allows parents to have access and see how their child is performing as well as having communication access to teachers. This makes parents feel more involved and lets them see the progress their child is making; they can also see how material is graded and can help their child focus on building those skill sets.

In conclusion, this was a very powerful and necessary chapter to cover in the field of education. As educators we can come up with as many ideas and approaches as we want for the classroom, but without a game plan and goal for our class we would run in circles. By planning out and establishing lesson plans, teachers are able to follow strong and relevant strategies to walk them through the school year/semester.

Resources

Goshay, N. (2015, November 1). Lesson Planning. Created with bubbl.us https://bubbl.us/?h=2d76fc/5d68a5/290aic3WToL5k&r=986949415

Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2014). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.

UW (University of Washington) (2013, June 14). ‪Introducing Canvas: Grading tools‬. Retrieved November 1, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqXFqBQ9q1o

Chapter 9 - Digital Blog Post H

Multimedia Mania:

We have come a long way from transparencies, overhead projectors, and slide projectors.  Thanks to Microsoft’s PowerPoint (PP or PPT), information can be translated in an engaging and fun way. Teachers can produce slides for visual information displays featuring colorful graphics, pop-up or slide-in windows, and other attention-grabbing techniques (Maloy, et al, 2014, p. 220).  PowerPoint has been a staple in the realm of presentations since the 90s where the software became more popular; I remember teachers suddenly incorporating PowerPoint into their teaching methods as well as class projects. I feel PowerPoint has been able to maintain its standing in the technological running because it remains relevant and diverse in its creativity: Text, audio, pictures, video, transitions, numerous slides, and themes/backgrounds.

Videos are another fun way and interactive way to learn. Whether it’s a video found online, a video the teacher created, or a video a student made, the class will be able to react and connect more easily. The great thing about videos in the classroom is that it combines motion pictures with sound. Instead of a simple slideshow that may present audio (or no audio) with images, videos allow the students to follow along without having to slow down or pause their thought process. Chapter 9 provides a very popular and multi-range video site: YouTube. Here, videos can both be found and uploaded/made. Another great feature about this site is that videos can be divided into categories. This way, a video can be found for educational purposes or whichever topic can relate to the class material.

Although the reading did not go into detail on this matter, I feel that surround sound in a classroom can be very beneficial when incorporating a multitude of teaching methods. Surround sound has its perks both in the small or average-sized classroom, and in the big lecture halls found on many college campuses. The advantages of having sound surrounding the area of a room is that students can hear the teacher without straining or missing information, can hear all the little details within an audio clip that may be vital for later reflection, and can even bring a more creative element to storytelling i.e. whispers, loud noises/booms, emphasis on paused speech, and more.

In conclusion, there are so many options to choose from when dealing with creativity and multimedia technologies. The possibilities are not limited to what we read in our books, but can seem almost limitless to what we can find through other applications. Multimedia technologies can come in many forms and pairings, but how we create and put our stamp on that media is what makes it unique. 

Resources

Goshay, N. (2015, October 25). Multimedia Mania. Created with Bitstrips http://www.bitstrips.com/r/HK92K

Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2014). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.

YouTube Help (2014, September 4). Sign in & navigate YouTube. Retrieved October 25, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP7vggHJLVM

Chapter 10 - Digital Blog Post G

You can Succeed:

Diversity can Help!

Remember: There are many examples for differentiated instruction!

Resources

Antonio, B. (2013, December 27). UDL: Reducing Barriers. Retrieved October 18, 2015, from

Goshay, N. (2015, October 18). You can Succeed! Diversity can Help! Created with Prezi http://prezi.com/buchf4-_ar2z/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2014). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.