Final Reflections

What are some things that you have learned about effective teaching strategies when integrating technology?

This course has definitely opened my eyes to how I can effectively integrate technology into my classroom teaching.  I have always been hesitant to try to incorporate it, as I work with younger students and always felt there weren’t many technology tools that were appropriate for that level.  Reading the course material, exploring different sites and working with classmates has truly given me a different mind-set.  One of the most important lessons that I will take away from this class is my knowledge on UDL.  I will now approach my lessons in a different manner.  I will create instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone.  Children (especially in this generation) really connect with technology.  It is something that they want to use and learn about.  Students stay engaged in the lessons and have an easier way of expressing themselves when different technology options are available to them.    

How did integrating web-based technologies help you think about and evaluate uses of technology?

Students are excited about technology!  It is rare that you can gain everyone’s attention in a room…yet technology has enabled me to do this.  Children want the opportunity to work with different web-based technologies and explore them.  I think that the StAIR project will be one that they really connect with.  Creating an interactive game (of sorts) for them to use will capture their attention.  I am looking forward to seeing how the students react to it.  This will help me when creating future StAIR projects down the line.  I can visualize these being at a center during literacy time.  I also think that the WebQuests are a great resource.  It is one that has a lot to offer, yet needs to be closely critiqued to see if it is appropriate for the audience.  I have seen some strong WebQuests out there; however, some sounds great in the beginning, but were not a good fit in the end.  On the teacher side, web-based technologies have given me a different way to gather my students’ understanding of various topics.  For example, using the survey feature in Google docs or clickers allows me to evaluate my students understanding of the material easier than going through each test page by page.  The data is sorted through and organized properly for assessment purposes.  How great is technology?!

How have you met your own personal goals for learning about technology integration?

One of my main goals was to feel more comfortable with using technology with my first graders.  This class has introduced me to many different technology tools that I will be able to implement in my classroom (StAIR, WebQuests, Merlot, Webpages).  I definitely had doubts when it came to teaching and incorporating technology for such a young group of students.  I truly feel I have grown as an educator in this aspect.  I now feel confident to teach with these tools.  Another important part of this class for me was learning about UDL.  Students bring a huge variety of skills, needs, and interests to learning.  It is amazing how technology can help in a student’s ability to perform tasks and understand information. 

Do you have any new goals? What are your plans for reaching your new goals and your long-term goals after this course is over?

One of my new goals is to take a look back at the different lessons I have taught and created for my students.  My nervousness and apprehension about using technology in the classroom is slowly going away, so I would like to incorporate meaningful technology into my teaching.  This will be beneficial for both the students and I.  I will become more comfortable with teaching with technology, and the students will absolutely love being able to explore the different tools.  Another goal is to continue my education to attain my endorsement and hopefully my Master’s in Ed Tech.  This is an on-going goal and I will continue!  In addition, I love that I had the opportunity to work with others from this class.  I look forward to continuing to grow my PLN and learn more about incorporating technology in the classroom as it advances. 

Online Learning

The online teaching experiences that I feel would connect most with my students are the Online Field trips and WebQuests.  I have always taught lower elementary, so it was helpful to see how these tools could be applied to that age group. 

Online Field Trips can be used by students in all grade level classrooms.  It was easy to see what online teaching experiences the older grades (middle school and high school) could really connect with, learn from and do independently vs. the ones that a teacher would have to lead for lower elementary classrooms.  One website that I bookmarked was called Tramline.  It includes field trips that cover many different contents.  Science topics, such as oceans, dinosaurs and deserts were published.  Social Studies topics, such as American Presidents were also spotlighted.  The examples that I looked at were wonderful!  They are definitely resources that I would use in my classroom.  They would be best presented as a large group.  One field trip that stood out to me was on the Science topic of Volcanoes.  The information was basic and simple to understand, while pictures were authentic and attention-grabbing.  I am looking forward to exploring more websites that focus on online field trips…I know my students will love them!   

WebQuests are another form of technology that I definitely see my students using. Since learning about this tool, I have come across many different WebQuests that not only cater to the grade level of my students but to the topics we cover throughout the year. The audience of technology seems to be an older group, so learning about WebQuests are definitely a bonus for my first graders! The specific WebQuest that I explored for our class assignment was dedicated to the topic of Insects. It is a fabulous resource that I will use when we come to that chapter in the school year. I love that the students have the opportunity to interact with each other, sharing ideas and working together. The teacher plays an important role, as she guides the students and helps when necessary, and the students have the opportunity to actively work with technology in a manner that is not overwhelming for them. Being able to move through the different Internet links allows the students to see authentic pictures, hear videos about the topic, read text and more! This type of interaction caters to all learners. It is important for the teacher to choose and/or create appropriate WebQuests for this age group, so they have positive experiences when working with the showcased technology tool.

As the class moves through the Online Field Trip or WebQuest as a group there are a multitude of pedagogical strategies that are employed. The instructor is using inductive teaching when using these technological tools. She is exposing the students to different concepts and giving them opportunities to learn. The students are taking in this newly learning information and processing it. Other pedagogical strategies that are employed partially depend on how the instructor decides to administer the lesson. The students will be building their vocabulary and giving feedback to the class regarding different open-ended questions that are proposed through the lessons. Nonlinguistic representations will be included as real photographs are used to capture the topic. The teacher may also require the students to be take notes during the WebQuest or Online Field Trip.  Creating this active learning environment will be beneficial to the students as they will listen, talk, read and reflect on the material. 

The online teaching experience that I feel would be hard to use with my students is Wikis.  This is simply because of age. While lower elementary students are exposed to technology very early in life, they do not have enough experience to be able to compose, peer-edit and conduct discussions online. I would prefer to see them focus on the content of the material that they are writing and get their thoughts down on paper rather than taking up the time trying to find the “m” button on the keyboard. I think that Wikis are a great online learning tool for a teacher and older students (middle school/high school) or teacher/teacher collaboration. While the students in first grade may not be able to work with Wikis independently, an idea would be to work on one as a class.  Another classroom could be involved and share the Wiki with our class.  Showing the students how this tool works would be a great introduction for them to use it later on in school.  I feel there are more important and beneficial online tools that the students should use at this age level.

Wiki Creation

The wiki that I created is going to be used for teacher collboration.  There is often a lot of planning that my team does not get a chance to finish, so creating this wiki will give us a chance to "talk" to each other without actually meeting in person.  This wiki is still in the process of being created; however, I envision each page focusing on different parts of the school year.  For example, Valentine's Day is coming up.  Every year we plan a party.  I have started to create a list of the things that we are going to need.  Everyone can continue to add to the list.  We can refer back to the wiki when this celebration comes up next year.

I am not currently teaching, so I created a basic wiki for the company that I am working at.  The company is called BigTime Software, Inc.  I introduced the company, and gave basic information about what we do.  I also included a link to the website.  The company is acutally in the process of a major "face-lift."  It will be fun to up-date this wiki, as changes are released at the company.

Check out both of these wikispaces at:

http://mfreedman.wikispaces.com/

http://bigtimesoftware.wikispaces.com/



Merlot Evaluation: Introduction of Primary and Secondary Colors for Early Elementary Students

Merlot

The resource on the Merlot site that I decided to evaulate was a lesson plan that that was targeted for the lower elementary skill level.  This appealed to me, as I have always been in a first grade classroom.  The author of this lesson uses a combination of tools to teach the students primary and secondary colors.

http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=567226

Quality of the Content:

The quality of the content for this particular lesson is perfect for  the lower elementary school level.  It is valid and accurate. The plan flows together perfectly from beginning to end. The software aspect was brought into play, as the instructor used Corel Painter on the SmartBoard in order to show basic principles of color mixing. The teacher first models how to use the software by virtually showing them how to mix paint. Then she allows the children to actively participate by helping to “mix” colors in groups. Schools are actively receiving and requesting SmartBoards in their classrooms, as they are amazing educational tools that engage learners. They can be used in all classrooms and have material on all topics.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching-Learning Tool:

The materials used in the learning process would be in the demonstration stage. During this time, the teacher is using the Corel Painter software on the SmartBoard to demonstrate how mixing different colors together can create new colors.

At the end of the lesson, students will be able to mix primary colors to create secondary colors, identify the primary and secondary colors and verbally recall how to mix secondary colors, categorize colors as primary or secondary and use their knowledge of mixing colors to create a painting.

The target learners are lower elementary students, such as Kindergarten and First grade. They should be able to identify different colors by this age. This activity will introduce them to how they can create new colors when they are creating art pieces (a new discovery for this level learner).

The interactive presentation of material improves the students’ abilities to learn the material.  This is  Instead of just watching a video on colors being mixed together or just showing a picture, the students actually get to participate by choosing different colors and virtually “mixing” them together on the SmartBoard. The students have the opportunity to guess what color will be created from the ones they are choosing to mix. Since technology is fast, the children get their answer fast. At this age group, it is essential to make sure that the students are engaged and involved in their learning. They have a tendency to lose focus easily. The interactive presentation of material also improves the faculty’s abilities to teach the material in regards to using the SmartBoard in general.  It gives them the ability to project the information onto a huge screen so that all learners can see and participate. In art class, all students want to gather around the table to see what the teacher is doing, but SmartBoards improves this aspect of the project. In addition, new material for SmartBoards is always being released. This means new downloads for the faculty to use to improve their learning and teaching on different topics.

SmartBoards can be integrated into current curriculum and pedagogy within the discipline. You can use pre-made templates and interactive lesson activities through the SmartBoard software. It also houses images, graphics, and multi-media activities that are broken down by subject area. Teachers use United Streaming for thousands of videos, searching by subject or grade level. This site also features a writing prompt builder, which allows you to combine a video segment or image with a prompt of your own design. Interactive whiteboards can be incorporated into classrooms of every age and ability. They are used to differentiate lessons and address a variety of learning styles.  The actual lesson that I am reviewing would be brought up in a lower elementary classroom, as well as an art class.   

In addition to the advantages of being able to integrate into all curriculums, SmartBoards can be used in a variety of ways to achieve teaching and learning goals. As an example, an instructor may want to teach children about collaborative learning. Doing a lesson on the SmartBoard is a perfect opportunity to achieve this learning goal. The same goes for achieving teaching goals. All classes may be learning different topics, but using this remarkable tool will allow the teacher to achieve their teaching goal for that particular topic. I would also add that it is a great teaching and learning goal, in general, to learn how to use a SmartBoard and all its features and functionality.  In regards to the lesson itself, the teacher could possibly use it an as assessment tool where the students had to tell her what colors would make a certain color and mix them, but it is mostly a demonstration tool.    

The teaching-learning goals are easy to identify within the lesson. It is stated in the beginning of the lesson plan.  It is then reiterated throughout the lesson, as the teacher circles back around to the topic with different strategies, such as a book, song, technology and hands-on learning.

Learning assignments can be written for using SmartBoards. This information would be created by another teacher or curriculum specialist.  A children would not be someone that would create learning assignments for the SmartBoard.  SmartBoards are not the type of application where you would write out instruction for a student to follow (not at the lower elementary grade level). It will important for the teacher to model how to appropriately use this technology tool. The lower grades would benefit from the teacher first modeling what the assignment is and then having the students work in pairs or small groups. Since there is only one SmartBoard in a classroom, it requires a lot of sharing. The teacher will have to keep a close eye on it. The class will be able to practice different concepts together as a large group and then take home assignments that compliment that lesson.  Perhaps the teacher can create those assignments on the SmartBoard.

Easy of Use:

This lesson is well written and organized. It has a beginning, middle and end that are easy to follow. A substitute walking into the room would not have trouble following the lesson. Have no worries about getting trapped or lost in the material! The information is basic and straight-forward. If something is not working properly with the SmartBoard, then there will be information that comes up regarding the system status. User’s responses are not captured on SmartBoard for this particular lesson. The students can see the end product of their color mixing and have a group discussion. The teacher can capture those responses with anecdotal records. SmartBoards are very flexible in their use. A kindergarten student can be successful with this technology, as can an experienced teacher.

This lesson does not require a lot of documentation or technical support. The teacher models how to virtually mix the paint together. She then has the students come up in groups to practice this action. The class has been in the classroom or art room before where they have interacted with the SmartBoard, so students are successful with it. They are however not allowed to use it alone at that age group. The children may also be familiar with the SmartBoard and how it operates if their another classroom teacher has one.

This lesson plan presents information in ways that are attractive to students. The creator of this plan definitely understands the skill level and age group that she is working with. Incorporating the reading of a book, singing of a song, interaction with a SmartBoard and a culminating activity of actual mixing of paint is perfect! How could these students not be engaged and entertained?

Personal Learning Reflection

When technology is integrated into teaching, different learning styles can be accommodated. There are many different tools that can be used to effectively connect with each student’s learning style. Some students may be visual learners, where creating a presentation on PowerPoint or Prezi is the best way for them to organize their thoughts. Other students may be more hands-on and want to work with a SMART Board. It is amazing how integrating technology into education has made such a huge impact!

Social media is another form of technology that is often integrated into teaching. Twitter and Facebook have given educators opportunities to share their experiences and exchange material. Learning how another teacher approaches a problem or hearing someone’s opinion on a topic allows you to grow your PLN and enrich your teaching strategies.

With a simple search and click of a button, the Internet provides an endless world of resources. Without the Internet we would not be able to stay up-to-date on all the technology tools that are available. Not only does the Internet give you access to the product, but it provides you with full descriptions about the features and functionality of the tool, pictures and customer reviews. Integrating the Internet allows you to read what other educators have experienced when they have used certain technologies in their classroom. Their feedback will help you evaluate if this tool is a good fit for your teaching style.

The assignment that most exemplifies good teaching, and the area that I have grown most in would be the SIG project on SMART Boards.  There is material for everyone in this presentation. We included audio, visual and text for our audience’s different learning styles. This assignment also taught me about the other technology tools we used when creating this presentation, such as PowerPoint and DropBox. This assignment shows good technology because it can be easily updated as new features are released. Another part of good teaching is about working together, valuing each other’s opinions and respecting each other’s work and time. This was a true team effort.

My first goal for my personal growth plan was to explore and learn different technologies that can be incorporated into lower elementary grades. I definitely feel I have started to reach my first goal. There are certain technology tools that I have been introduced to and know I will integrate into my future, lower elementary classroom. Exploring Facebook as a classroom page, using Voicethread and possibly having a class RSS Google Reader are some of the ideas that I would like to incorporate as part of my technology teaching. I know that I will definitely be using Google Docs with the other teachers in my grade level team, as well as Twitter to keep my discussions with other educators open. My technology file is just beginning to get filled. I can’t wait to see where technology will take me next!

My second goal was to increase my knowledge in some of the basic technology applications. I had the opportunity to explore Microsoft Outlook during the assignment on PC Maintenance and apply the lesson at work. Google Docs was something that was difficult for me at first. I wasn’t sure if I was sharing the document correctly or who was able to edit it rather than view it. This was important to me to learn, as I feel more districts will be adopting cloud-computing solutions for their schools.

An obstacle that limited my learning and growth during this course was lack of physical interaction. Technology really is an amazing tool, but, nothing will replace the physical interactions and connections among people.  An area that I would have liked to learn more about is creating videos. With having a full time job and taking classes, it is hard to just play around with different programs.  If it was part of a lesson, I think students would enjoy exploring it.

One of my new goals is to continue being active in my PLN.  I feel that this is one of the strongest parts of the class that I am walking away with.  Being able to talk with other educators and share experiences about teaching is extremely beneficial.  I want to continue to learn about technology and its advances in the classroom.  I look forward to taking other classes through MSU in order to continue my education as a teacher and a learner.

Learning Styles

According to the learning styles online quiz, I am a social learner.  This style fits me perfectly, as I enjoy collaborating with others and working together towards a common goal.  When learning new material, I like to be physically in the classroom with the teacher and other students.  I am always taking notes while the teacher is speaking, so when there is a test or a project I like to work with someone to make sure I understand the information correctly.  Working with a partner or in a group allows you to ask questions and help each other, as well as share feedback about the information you are working on.  It was interesting to read that people with this learning style commonly find themselves in pursuits of teaching!   

The most effective ways for me to learn are by incorporating visual and auditory strategies.  In addition, different types of groupings support social learners like me.  Some examples are working with a partner, collaborating in small groups or working in a large group setting.  One example is having students work in partners, such as reading buddies.  Students can sit with a partner, read together and share their favorite part of the story or a text-to-self connection.  If there is a word that is difficult for one of the students, then their reading buddy can help them figure out what word would make sense.  Another way to promote social learning is having students work in small groups, such as centers.  The students can work with each other to problem solve putting a puzzle together or use team work to build a volcano.  Working in a large group is another beneficial teaching strategy to support social learners.  Having whole group discussions and the opportunity to ask questions freely allows social learners to grow in their learning and feel comfortable in this atmosphere.         

The teaching style that does not fit my learning style would be verbal teaching.  If an educator is simply standing in front of the class and lecturing, it is hard for me to pull out the important information, write it down at the same time and continue to actively listen for more essential information that is being presented.  I like to have the information that is pertinent already given to me, so when the instructor is presenting, I can make additional notes to help me understand and remember the information. 

In addition, it is difficult for me to learn the tasks where you have to basically just memorize the answer.  I made a prediction before I took the learning style test of what my lowest score would be in…I was right!  I can confidently say I definitely am not a logical learner.  I am not the most mathematically inclined person.  It brings me back to elementary school when I had timed multiplication tests.  I remember my heart beating fast, only thinking about the clock ticking, seeing other people finish their test when I was only in the middle- AHHH!  At that age, those skills were strictly rote memorization.  The test not only made me feel nervous, but sadly made me lose confidence in my math skills early on.

A teacher’s classroom is filled with students that have different backgrounds, abilities, ages and learning styles.  It is impossible to teach each lesson focusing on every learning style that is the classroom.  I feel that teachers have to aim for a balance of instructional methods.  During a particular lesson a teacher can represent a few of the learning styles while keeping the lesson on track.  For example, if the classroom is learning about insects, they can have non-fiction books about these insects to read about and/or actual insects in the classroom to observe (even hold if they want).  This balance will allow the students to be taught either in the method that is best for them or one that will teach them to approach thinking and solving problems in a different manner.  It is important for an educator to know how each student learns best.  If you have certain children in your class that may need to take a test verbally versus written, this is something that you need to be aware of.  It may not be that they do not understand the information, but just need to use a different way to express it.  With all the resources that I have learned about in this class and have seen through my research, technology is certainly a way to reach out to students with various learning styles as well.    

Creative Commons

Photo Attribution:

Original image: "Vietnamese Stick Insects, Baculum estradentatum"

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6137/5970286747_eaf1e27a91_m.jpg 

By:  Ryan Somma
 

Released under an Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike License:

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

I feel it is very important to incorporate images into my curriculum.  Some students are visual learners who need to see the character we are talking about or the actual numbers that are being added.  They are most productive when images are shown.  Other children may learn in different ways, but possibly have not been exposed to the specific material that is being discussed.  For example, we engage in a unit on insects for Science.  Some of these insects do not live in America; therefore, my students have not had any exposure to them.  Using images the students will be able to learn about and explore these diverse creatures and imagine what it would be like to have them as part of the outdoors (maybe even indoors)! 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/68124415@N03/6268181820/in/photostream