Teaching+with+Technology

Course Reflection** 1. What outcomes had you envisioned for this course? Did you achieve those outcomes? Did the actual course outcomes align with those that you envisioned?
 * Friday, December 18, 2009
 * ~ [[image:http://www.wordle.net/thumb/wrdl/1458583/Teaching_with_Tech]] ||
 * www.wordle.com ||

The course covered more specific classroom examples than I had envisioned. Prior to starting the course, I envisioned reading about another generic story of how technology helped this particular teacher and improved student learning but never stating the name of the software or how it was implemented with instruction. At this point of the program, after completing a semester of courses, I’m aware that technology is beneficial and critical in reforming education. This course definitely reaffirmed the need for meeting the universal needs of individual students through the incorporation of technology in the classroom. The best way to learn is through modeling. I need examples of what and how technology was implemented into specific lessons, and I wouldn’t mind counter examples as well showing what doesn’t work. Many of the weekly readings provided websites and other resources for teacher and student use. I visited the websites listed in each reading and found many useful sites. However, I was disappointed to find some of the teacher blogs outdated, but it’s expected due to the immense speed of technology innovations.

2. To the extent that you achieved the outcomes, are they still relevant to the work that you do in your school? Why or why not?

I have had a gmail account since the days when the accounts were by invitations only, but I have never used any of the various google tools. This may be due to the fact that I have too many email accounts. Through this course, I was able to use google documents and google sites for the first time, and I love it! It took me a few hours one evening to figure out most of the tools, and then I created documents and our group project site with ease. I even did an excel file to keep track of our family finance and shared the file with my husband. For our Science department of about 30 teachers, I created a google doc to plan for our Christmas party this week. All the teachers loved it! Technology needs to be at every facet of our teachers’ lives. If our teachers keep technology at a distance then our students will suffer.

3. What outcomes did you not achieve? What prevented you from achieving them?

In recent years, our school district has become more //centralized// in order to provide a more //equal// education to all students. In my content area, every Chemistry teacher is asked to teach the same topic at the same time and assessing our students with the same assessments. Scripted instruction has become increasingly evident across various content areas. After watching the video, //Big Thinkers: Sasha Barab on New-Media Engagement//, from Edutopia, I agree with Sasha Barab that our teachers’ professionalism is being stripped away gradually. The ones who are accepting this scripted instruction are the ones who come to work only to wait for that bell to ring at the end of the day. The administration pushes for technology in the classroom yet limits the time and resources that teachers can utilize. As stated in my week 1 reflection, I wish to ultimately incorporate technology seamlessly into the classroom. I’m learning alongside my students. My students may need more time out of the prescribed time frame to master the tools and content. The lessons may not be perfect. There is nothing wrong with learning through trial and error. Learning from our mistakes has tremendous value. How can I try new tools and incorporate more technology when I'm walking on egg shells trying not to step outside the prescribed frame?

4. Were you successful in completing the course assignments? If not, what prevented or discouraged you?

For our group project, it took some time for everyone to jump in and start participating. It’s understandable that all of us have a full-time job during the week and rely on the weekend to complete the course assignments, but I think the online collaboration rather than face-to-face really hindered our initial progress. While working in a group, role definition as well as the group objective must be clear to all members. This is especially essential with online collaboration. Even though our group had role assignments, I think we would have benefited more if the roles were more clearly defined. As we progress through the course, I found the rubric for a cooperative multimedia project and group roles in a cooperative multimedia project from //Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works// very helpful in providing a clear view of what to expect in collaborative assignments. Online collaboration is definitely not a natural skill for any of us. Some are more comfortable than others, but can you imagine having our students collaborating online academically, not only socially? To ensure student success, front-load instructions are vital. Each group member must have an assigned role and the roles need to be clearly defined. The success of the assignment depends on each member’s awareness of the group’s goal and participation to attaining those goals.

5. What did you learn from this course: about yourself, your technology and leadership skills, and your attitudes?

Prior to the course, I had very little confidence at implementing technology in my classroom. I knew of its importance and benefits, but I was confused at where to begin. I needed more guidance. I was looking for examples in my specific content area. I’m still looking, but the examples through the reading in this course, especially CAST’s UDL examples, were specific enough that I feel more confident at applying the principles to my classroom. As I get to use wikispace, google site, CAST’s online book, and other tools more, the goal of incorporating technology becomes less overwhelming. Technology is no long this giant monster to conquer; rather, it’s a tool to share with others. Both UDL and McREL provided a framework for me as a starting point to teach with technology.


 * Friday, December 18, 2009**

In the video, //Big Thinkers: James Paul Gee on Grading with Games//, from Edutopia, James Paul Gee relates student assessments in school with games. He states, “The form of schooling that we engage in, that basically privileges people who know a lot of facts but can’t solve problems with them, is on its last legs… Next [trend in education] will be schooling that stresses the ability to solve problems, not just to solve problems, but be able to do it collaboratively. So, you can work in a group where the group is smarter than the smartest person in the group and, also, where you can innovate with the tools you’ve learned and not just to do standard solutions to problems.” One of the attributes to their success and popularity is that video and PC games have embedded ongoing assessments while providing the user immediate feedbacks. The player is learning and being assessed while playing and having fun. Some collaborative games even self-regulate among players, and the top players of those communities admits other players with some form of quality control. Within those communities, players constantly share strategies and techniques on how to improve their performance via multiple platforms of media, including videos, tutorials, and forum discussions. Very little time is spent re-solving the same problem. Educators talk as if this is the future. This is now. This kind of ongoing collaborative problem solving is our students’ world.

As stated in Dr. Mason’s week 5 lecture, “When students are engaged in solving worthy problems or questions of importance in a collaborative environment, it’s a natural fit to share the results and reflections with an authentic audience for feedback and presentation.” Technology offers an array of possibilities. Regardless of which technology we use in the future, the instructional design needs to remain true to our educational purposes. Teachers must help students develop skills to organize, think, analyze, and reflect in order to guide them to use higher order thinking skills.


 * Sunday, December 13, 2009**

In today’s classrooms, many students have the opportunity to learn about the processes and knowledge needed to solve problems and extend applications through the use of technology. Technology, undoubtedly, has transformed our education system. The actual practice of implementing technology in the classroom, however, has been a mix of different approaches and instructional methods. Some schools operate with technology as the supporting part of the curriculum related to the whole. Others struggle to relate to technology and its effect in our world. “With technology evolving at the speed of light, and everyone looking to benefit from the latest, greatest hardware and software, keeping up can be challenging for educators, administrators, and school districts themselves.” (McCrea, Bridget. 2009, Dec. 10. 5 K-12 Technology Trends for 2010. //T.H.E. Journal//. Retrieved from [].) Among the list of top tech trends to watch for in 2010, the article lists //technology will enable tailored curricula//. Can you imagine using “tech-based way to assess, record and track individual student performance in the classroom” on a regular basis?

“First, most students find the options available within a multimedia environment (images, sounds, animations, and simulation) fun and appealing. Second, teachers' ability to level and scaffold embedded assessments can ensure that every student is working at a comfortable and appropriate stage of difficulty.” (Rose, D., & Meyer, A. 2002. //Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning//. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Chapter 7.) Ongoing, embedded assessment can offer guidance to truly meet the differentiated needs of individual students. Technology can offer the flexibility in presentation, expression, supports, and engagement to provide accurate assessments that are dynamic and universal. “The result will be a curriculum that becomes //smarter//, not more outdated, over time.”


 * Sunday, December 6, 2009**

Based on the provided student background from our classroom scenario, the class is composed of students with a range of learning abilities, including some students who have been identified as gifted and talented, students who have learning disabilities, a student who is blind, and another student with hearing impairment. Our learning team has the opportunity to create and model technology enriched lessons to positively impact student achievement for these diverse learners under the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework. “Certain instructional techniques are very effective in supporting students as they learn to recognize patterns; other techniques are better suited to supporting students as they learn strategic skills or as they build engagement with learning. We can accommodate diverse learners by using a repertoire of teaching strategies suited to each of the brain networks.” (Rose, D., & Meyer, A. 2002. //Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning//. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.)

In this lesson, students will explore the identity of planets and their positions in relation to the Sun. This lesson is a part of a seven- to eight-day unit, //The Planets in Our Solar System//. Students are pre-assessed through a five-question “thumbs-up, thumbs-down” activity on their previous knowledge of the solar system. The pre-assessment questions are presented both visually and orally by the teacher. To learn the identity and position of the planets, recognition networks need exposure to multiple examples. With students representing planets, kinesthetic learners will experience the position of the planets in relation to the Sun. The student who is blind can walk from one “student-planet” to the next in order to physically experience the scaled distance between the planets. The digital image of the Solar System will visually reinforce the learning objective for all other students. The simulation activity from Explore Learning Gizmo, //Solar System//, will allow students to work individually or in pairs at their own pace. The teacher can provide ongoing feedback to students one-on-one or in small groups. Submission of student response to the assessment questions at the end of the simulation will provide immediate feedback to the students as well as the teacher. In a journal reflection, students will be able to choose a planet of their choice and respond to the posed question. The student response will reflect understanding of the identity and characteristics of the planet. Students will then share their reflection with other students.

(Learning “what”) || Visual and auditory presentations of pre-assessment questions Kinesthetic and visual presentations of the placement of planets in relation to the Sun || (Learning “how”) || Simulation activity (Explore Learning Gizmo) || (Learning “why”) || Immediate feedback and explanation for assessment questions provided to students Flexible work groups – pair or individual Student choice of planet on journal reflection ||
 * CAST Lesson Building Activity**
 * Lesson**: Planets in Our Solar System
 * Grade**: 3
 * Teacher**: Teacher of record
 * Subject**: Science
 * Standard**: TEKS 11(c) – Planets
 * Goal**: Identify and describe position of planets in relation to the Sun
 * =Network= || =Methods= ||
 * =Recognition=
 * =Strategy=
 * =Affect=


 * Saturday, November 28, 2009**

The leaders in our school district are in the process to determine the actions that will be necessary to make our district more efficient and effective during the next few years of economic turmoil. They have taken input from district stakeholders, employees, parents, and taxpayers in an effort to identify areas in which budget and program reductions could be made. One of the items that was identified as unnecessary was our expenditures on technology, computers, white boards, web-based programs, and the high school laptop initiative. For the first time this year, our students are able to use laptops 24/7. A program of this magnitude certainly cannot go without bugs, and the commitment from many teachers and technology specialists involved has been critical to overcoming many inherent obstacles. When you give a student a computer or laptop, even the most withdrawn student will want to get started right away. It’s crazy but so amazing to see. That intrinsic motivation is brought out by the technology. Obviously, the mere presence of technology does not guarantee learning. Pairing up-to-date technology with effective instructions is the best strategy to impact student learning. The results of a classroom interaction analysis conducted in a study by Michael Page from Louisiana Tech University points out that “technology-enriched classrooms were far more likely to consist of a student-initiated environment where students participated in not only teacher-led instruction but also student instruction in the form of computer workgroups.” (Page, M. S. 2002. Technology-enriched classrooms: Effects on students of low socioeconomic status. //Journal of Research on Technology in Education//, 34(4), 389–409.) Even though this study involved students from elementary schools in Louisiana, the principles and benefits of a technology-enriched classroom can be applied to students of all ages, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. In a teacher-led classroom, the teacher determines the learning. In a student-centered classroom, the student takes ownership of the learning.

The world we live in is changing exponentially in the realm of technology. In an article from //T.H.E. Journal// by Ruth Reynard (11/18/2009) entitled “HTML5: The Web Beyond Web 2.0,” the Web is evolving into a “full-fledged application platform—a level playing field where video, sound, images, animations, and full interactivity with your computer are all standardized.” The technology is already with us, and it is emerging and evolving with new potentials and enhanced capabilities for learning engagement. “The idea of students (users) being the developers and movers (momentum builders) of course content and flow is what drives this technology.” The challenge remains for the leaders in our district and other stakeholders to gain acceptance and understanding of how our district can be more efficient and effective with technology and not view technology as unnecessary expenditure.


 * Sunday, November 22, 2009**

I teach on-level Chemistry to mostly 11th graders. There are a handful of 10th and 12th graders mixed in, but I find their classifications irrelevant to their success in the classroom. I used to believe that students who work hard, pay attention, turn in all their assignments, and study for tests will do well in the class, but reflecting on our readings this week, does working hard equate to true content mastery and understanding? “It has been said that the person doing the work is the person who learns. Teachers can structure lessons so they have done most of the work, and students are robbed of the opportunity to discover. Many of these teachers, exhausted at the end of the day, wonder why they receive so little response from their students. Truth be known, the teacher has done all the work and the students are a captive audience, waiting for the end of class.” (Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, 1999. //Learning as a personal event: A brief introduction to constructivism//) I have heard students compare school to prison, and in my mind, I don’t want to agree, but I can’t disagree. They are simply paying their time until they “get out.” Let’s face it. Some teachers share the same attitude about their job. I believe one of the reasons is that these teachers have exhausted themselves over the years trying to find the solution to their students’ apathy, and after years of failed attempts, they join their students “waiting for the end of class.”

I think of the traditional educational system as a funnel where the teacher pours as much information as possible to the students. As the funnel narrows, how much of the material are the students taking in on the other end? When our students walk out of the classroom at the end of the period, their minds stop processing the material. They literally stop learning. “To be literate today involves acquiring new skills, including those of using technology, understanding science, having global awareness, and most important, having the ability to keep learning.” (Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. 2007. //Web 2.0: New tools, New schools//) What our 21st century students need is to have the funnel turned upside down widening their resources in order to gain more knowledge and understanding than ever before. Teachers are no long the gatekeepers of information. Learning needs to be continuous. It needs to go beyond the bell and beyond the next multiple-choice test. Technology holds many promises and opportunities. This year I am trying to use more technology than I have ever used before in my classroom. There’s still a lot of room for improvement. My ultimate goal is to seamlessly incorporate technology to my instructions, but I struggle most with pairing technology with effective instructional strategies. I personally would like to see more examples in content-specific applications of technology into instructions in order to enhance my own lessons.