New and Emerging Technologies: Reflection

Through this course, I have been exposed to new software and applications, and also a new vision of myself as a teacher who fully utilized technology in instruction. It is not enough just to use new methods and technologies in my own classroom, it is also my responsibility as a teacher leader to share this information with my colleagues and encourage them to try new things.
The Horizon report (http://wp.nmc.org/horizon2010/) is certainly a reference I will use each year and share with others that are looking to learn what is coming in the future of technology. It’s a way of thinking that needs to be explored by teachers; how can new developments in mainstream technology be used for education? We know that computer screens and moving figures engage children, but what else? How can we make technology more interactive, to lead our students through puzzles and problem solving activities to sharpen their minds?
With the conclusion of this course, I am wondering, what is the best way to get teachers at my school talking? I could create the modules for teams to try, but would it be more valuable to have them make their own? The latter is slower, and most teachers want something ready to use, they are already short on time. I think I would like to informally start a group that meets monthly, with each month having a technology that we explore. For example, one month could be about using blogs, another could be about podcasting, and then we could follow up the next month by showing the podcasts we created to one another and talking about how it enhanced our students’ learning.
I have been looking forward to this class since I started work on my Master’s degree. I wasn not disappointed. The way this course stressed being a teacher leader and always searching for new applications has really brought all of the coursework and knowledge I’ve gained together.

An argument for virtual classrooms

Attached is a presentation for virtual classrooms and their potential impact on student achievement.

http://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dgfcvgtm_2c9rjb3zm

EDUC 6714 Reflection

The differentiation station group was very heterogeneous, with an art teacher, two special education teachers, myself a first grade teacher, and others. I found that we all looked for resources that we would use, not necessarily that are broad enough to work for each teacher. What I gained from the resources that my group shared was perspective on how they differentiate, and questions of my own. One person posted a link to an art museum that had a lot of great art information, which made me wonder what museum websites I might be able to access that align with what I teach in first grade. Connecting in real time with other individuals in an online program was refreshing, posting to a discussion board weekly feels like always leaving notes for someone but never actually seeing them. It made me realize that while discussion boards might be the easiest choice logistically for me as a teacher, real time interaction would be a lot more meaningful for my students. I will certainly use the many resources we collected as a group regarding determining a student's learning style as well.

As a result of this course, I have come to accept that all students do learn differently, and the difference can be vast or incremental. If I want all students to reach their goals, I need to create different experiences for each of them that will trigger their motivation and learning. I've done a profile on each of my students by watching for the different behavioral indicators of their learning styles and I have also started to offer 2 or 3 ways to complete an assignment. I let them write about it, draw and label, act it out, or tell me orally. This usually pertains to Science or Social Studies. Also, I am using technology to reinforce sight words for students that struggle with recognition. There are quite a few online games and software provided by my school for this purpose. I am trying to take the differentiation process one step at a time so that I can stay consistent, and I am on my way!

EDUC 6713 Reflection

My GAME plan included a variety of goals. As a result, I have learned a great deal about how to keep students safe on virtual communication networks, and experimented with communicating with other classrooms virtually. Also, I am much more aware of all of the choices of virtual networks and ways to use them. I plan to use virtual networking and communication to enhance the year long study of seasonal change next year.

My second goal focused on using technology to assess my students' learning styles and differentiate for their needs. I found many online quizzes that are easy enough for a first grader to read, and give insight into how they learn. I created an inventory of behaviors that demonstrate various learning styles and have been keeping anecdotal records for each student with these indicators marked. I have also expanded my understanding of technology in the classroom beyond computer software, and have been considering using digital cameras and FlipCam technology as an alternate way for students to demonstrate their learning.

For this school year, I plan to lead my class in communicating online with our partner class. Also, I have taught my students how to use both types of cameras and will be experimenting with their ability to use these effectively and making changes as needed.

GAME Plan for my students

As I've been thinking about the GAME plan for the past few weeks, it has often reminded me of the LEARN model that we are encouraged to use in our lesson planning at my school. LEARN stands for: Link, Engage, Active learning, and Now and then. It has a lot of different ways to approach teaching new material, just like the GAME plan has several ways to reach a goal. When I think about using the GAMe plan with my class, I envision combining it with the LEARN model of teaching. Maybe after the Engage and Educate part, we could set a learning goal for the active learning section. Now and then encourages students to "monitor" and look at what they've learned and what new content that they can understand as a result.

Also, setting goals and realistically monitoring themselves has to be taught, so I would start this process as a whole group, and see where it evolved to from there. With first graders, I think that is the best place to start to teach them about working towards meaningful goals.

Evaluating my progress

What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice?

I have found a lot of ways to assess student learning styles and gained more information about the ways that children in my class learn best. I’ve also learned about a lot of different virtual environments that could work for my students. I’ve also thought a lot and learned a great deal about the safety and security of my students online, especially through reviewing the i-SAFE training I completed last year.

What goals are you still working toward?

I would really like to have a class that my class could communicate with through skype, and now I just need to find a way to find that class and start talking to them!

Based on the NETS-T, what new learning goals will you set for yourself?

I would like to learn more about “collaborating” with other classes through virtual environments on a first grade level. I think that it is really hard to get children that are emergent readers to use wikis and blogs, so I would like to learn how other teachers use technology with young children effectively and meaningfully.

What learning approaches will you try next time to improve your learning?

I would try to find more blogs to give me examples of what other teachers are using in the classroom to enhance their instruction with technology and how they overcame obstacles that I might also be facing.

GAME Plan Update

How effective were your actions in helping you meet your goals?

I feel that I have made progress in meeting my goals. The main hurdle has been thinking out all of the issues that go into my goals and what the real effect will be on student performance.

What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice?

I have learned that assessment is the key to starting any new instructional technique, Effectively understanding where students are with the material will inform the next steps.

What do you still have to learn? What new questions have arisen?

I still have to learn how to make many of the technologies in education age appropriate for first graders and young children. How much involvement with technology is age and developmentally appropriate?

How will you adjust your plan to fit your current needs?

I am inspired to get in touch with some of my mentors from my undergraduate degree in education and see if they have any insight on how to use technology in exciting and meaningful ways with young children.

The GAME Plan so far...

• Are you finding the information and resources you need?
• Yes, I am reading a lot of technology blogs and I've met with my colleagues to discuss how my goals can help us as a team. I've also had the chance to observe my students to see how using virtual environments would benefit them. I've also gotten clarification on the policies for communication via the internet to allow me to move forward.
• Do you need to modify your action plan?
• I think I need to add developing specific assessments that target the areas that I am trying to enrich through my goal to see if the plan is working.
• What have you learned so far?
• Technology is very exciting to teachers and students. VoiceThread seems to be a great way to communicate as a whole class, and the kids liked looking at other people's VoiceThreads. However, it is hard to prepare appropriately, because the teacher should screen everything that the kids will see and participate in.
• What new questions have arisen?
• What is the best way to assess whether or not these new tools have helped my students?
• Is there a better network out there for specifically young children and teachers?

Next Steps for Action

What resources will you need to carry out your plan (video, reading, experts or colleagues, etc)?

I need colleagues to tell me what sites worked for them in the early grades and how they used these sites to create meaningful learning. I am planning on looking through some education blogs to find more information and experience to guide how I will use the virtual networks.

What additional information do you need?

I need to find out what the policies are for involving children in online communication through virtual environments and what networks are approved by the county school board.

What steps have you been able to take so far?

I have spoken to the school based technology specialist and checked to see if any of my students have “opt out” forms signed by their parents that would bar them from participating if their picture would be taken.

GAME Plan

NETS Indicators

1. d. model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual

environments

2. c. customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using

digital tools and resources

GAME Plan

Goals:

- find and use virtual environments to model how to collaborate for my students

- use virtual environments in a safe and secure way

- assess students for their different learning styles

- locate and utilize technology tools to suit all learners need and create a plan for implementation

Actions:

In order to find safe virtual environments for students to use, I would first meet with the school based technology specialist and ask for his suggestions for safe ways for students to network. I would also reach out to other colleagues on my grade level team to see if they have had any experience with virtual environments. I would also check with the school board to see what the policies are for this type of activity to maintain safety for the students. I would observe and collect data on students to determine how their needs could be better met,, and do some independent research to find programs through technology that they could use. Also, I would ask our reading and math specialists to pool resources to help all students as well. After I had the tools, I would create a plan for implementation based on my findings and resources.

Monitor:

I would reassess the students regularly to see if the new methods had improved student understanding and confer with my team and other specialists to see if they had anything to add. I would also make sure that the children were understanding the purpose of the virtual sharing and communication.

Evaluate and extend:

After each activity I would reflect on my blog regarding how they were going and whether or not the data showed that they were meeting the needs of my students. If the new methods are effective, I would share them with interested teachers at my school through an after school training.

Week 8: Reflection

Through the work completed in “Supporting Information Literacy and Online Inquiry in the Classroom”, I have come to understand how technology can help students work through their thought process to learn more about a topic. Creating the inquiry project unit plan involved thinking of a lot of questions to ask the students. How did they know that the website they were using was reliable? How did they know that they had complete information on their topic? Developing the essential questions for the unit was a good reminder that there should be essential questions in every lesson that I give, whether it is based in technology or not.

The most striking thing that I learned through creating the unit plan was that internet research isn’t just for older children. In my first grade class, the structure of the internet research had to be modified. I used “delicious.com” to bookmark sites that I wanted them to consider, but they were able to choose which ones they wanted to use based on the quality of the webpage. The children were able to navigate easily using “delicious” and that was what surprised me the most. They can use the internet more freely with this tool, and I can trust them to do so appropriately and productively.

Going forward, I will use what I have learned in this course to have more inquiry based learning in my classroom. Although the focus was on technology in this course, I could also see how this could be done with books and other media. I think that I will use different elements of the project, like creating essential questions and considering what new literacy I am trying to have the children use in their work.

My goal is to find more resources that make technology and especially the internet; more child friendly. Through using Jing, Delicious, and other tools that I have rediscovered during this course, I’ve found ways to make the information on the web accessible to 6 and 7 year olds. I would like to continue to find more tools that make projects like this inquiry based learning plan possible. I also hope to share what I’ve learned with other teachers at my school.