Reflecting on the Role that Technology Plays in the Classroom

This semester has been quite the journey for me. Learning about different tools, strategies, and resources to use has allowed me to see just how much technology contributes to the elementary school curriculum, and how it allows us as teachers to make learning flexible for all students. 

One project that my classmates and I did that I found especially interesting was the Technology Tool Evaluations. In this project, we split into pairs and did a presentation about a Tech Tool, explaining how it can be used and how makes learning accessible for all students in the classroom. Another classmate and I did our presentation on Screencastify, which is a great tool for students to use when creating a video assignment. Though I had used Screencastify before for assignments in other Education classes, it never occurred to me how much it could be helpful for diverse learners until doing more research on it with this project. With its use of both auditory and visual elements, Screencastify is also great for Think Aloud lessons, which we have learned in EDU 302 (Teaching English Language Learners) are great ways to guide students through lessons in which they are learning new skills. Another tool that was presented by two other classmates which I absolutely loved was Book Creator. This tool allows students to create projects such as research journals and science reports in the form of a book or portfolio. I thought this was a great tool for students to use because it gives them the ability to allow their creative juices to flow, and to present their material in a way that is both comfortable and fun for them. I'm glad I was able to watch the different presentations of tools that can be used in the classroom because if I had not, I may not have realized just how many ways technology can enhance learning for students, and how each tool has something to offer for all students. Not only will these tools help students learn, but they will also be able to show students how technology is an important resource in today's world, and how it can be used in many different ways to solve problems and think creatively. As teachers continue to use technology in the classroom students will be able to better adapt to it, which will help them become more and more well-versed with technology and will help them become digitally literate for the future.

Another thing that we learned about this semester which I found to be quite resourceful was learning about the different ISTE standards that can be used in planning lessons with technology. Learning about these standards has taught me how to align my lesson appropriately with what I want my students to accomplish in regards to the use of technology, while also considering what I want them to accomplish academically. I found it especially useful that there are two sets of ISTE standards, one for teachers and one for educators. This differentiation can guide teachers to decide exactly what expectations to set for their lessons, while also allowing students to understand what those expectations are. One ISTE standard for teachers that I found to be most important was the Designer, which means that "Educators design authentic, learner-driven activities and environments that recognize and accommodate learner variability" (ISTE Standards for Educators). As teachers, it is our duty to ensure that we are accommodating our instruction to support all learners and ensure that they are being given the opportunity to succeed, and this should also be the goal when considering the use of technology. Therefore, this standard is essential in helping all students meet your expectations as well as scaffolding them into becoming fluent in the use of technology. As for the ISTE standards for students, one standard that I believe would help students both see the importance of technology while also practicing higher order thinking while using it is the Innovative Designer, where "Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to identify and solve problems by creating new, useful or imaginative solutions" (ISTE Standards for Students). Because this standard allows students to explore different tools and get creative when finding solutions to problems, it can allow them to see how technology helps us find new ways to approach problems, and the different strategies and ideas that different tools can bring to the table.

Considering all that I have learned this semester, one thing I can say is that technology not only makes teaching easy for educators, but it makes learning accessible and flexible for students. When we use technology in the classroom, we consider all the different ways that it can help all different types of students and how the features that tools and resources offer help students become fluent in the digital world and realize how technology can be used to enhance learning and working. After all, "kids—they are our curriculum. Everything we do can be planned and scaffolded from our initial rapport-building activities and dialogue with our students" (Ahmed, 2). Though we as future educators are the ones taking this course to learn how to use technology in the classroom, it is really the students who we are learning for. We are learning to plan our curriculum in a way that will support all students for both short term success in the classroom as well as long term success in the real world, and technology is something that plays a big role in that plan. 

A question I have for my readers is: What is one thing about technology that you would like to learn more about, and how do you hope that this tool, resource, etc... can support learning for all types of students?

I have enjoyed working with you all this semester, and I hop you have a wonderful summer!! :)

Sources:

Iste standards for educators. (n.d.). Retrieved May 03, 2021, from https://www.iste.org/standards/for-educators

Iste standards for students. (n.d.). Retrieved May 03, 2021, from https://www.iste.org/standards/for-students

Ahmed, Sarah K. Being the Change: Lessons and Strategies to Teach Social Comprehension. Heinmann, Portsmouth NH. PDF.

Let's Talk About Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Hello Readers! Welcome to today's blog post. I am very excited for our topic today, which is Universal Design for Learning!

Each student in a classroom is unique, with different needs and different preferred methods of learning. So, how do we ensure that we make our instruction so that it is feasible for all of our students? That is where Universal Design for Learning, or UDL for short, comes into play. Universal Design for Learning is an approach used by teachers that makes learning accessible for all students, and works to minimize difficulties in student understanding. When we use UDL in the classroom, it is necessary that we consider the different backgrounds of each and every one of our students. That being said, one size does not fit all, and we must design our instruction so that it is versatile and accommodating to needs of multiple students. We must present our content in different ways that cater to each of our students, give students multiple ways to express understanding, and provide multiple opportunities for engagement. 

Though I am still new to the concept of UDL and have not yet had the opportunity to use it in the classroom, from what I have read about it I certainly understand why it is important. I am a firm believer that all students are different in so many ways, and that a cookie-cutter approach to designing lessons just will not work. Students must be provided with multiple options to be engaged in learning, otherwise some students are not going to have an equal opportunity to succeed. I read an article titled Holistic, Single-point, and Analytic Rubrics, Oh My! which helped me better understand the concept of Universal Design for Learning. In the article, the author Katie Nowak writes a quote that I think perfectly describes UDL: "Students cannot become expert learners without multiple options for engagement, representation and action and expression" (Nowak, 1). I completely agree with this. If students are not taught that there are many different approaches to learning and solving problems, they may not understand that being "smart" has multiple meanings and just because one thing isn't one of their areas of strength doesn't mean that they are not intelligent. Therefore, I believe that Universal Design for Learning not only makes learning achievable for all students, but also helps each of them realize that they are capable of succeeding. 

I would certainly like to learn more about how to use UDL in my instruction, and different approaches that I can use to give all students an equal chance to learn. Though I have learned about different supports to use for English Language Learners and students with disabilities, I would love to be given the opportunity to write a lesson that specifically focuses on using UDL, so that I can practice it. I think it would certainly be helpful for me, as I learn new things by doing them and experiencing them.

One question I have for you all is, have you ever created and/or taught a lesson that is specifically focused on using UDL? If so, what things did you consider and how was the lesson successful in ensuring learning for all students? :)

Sources:

Holistic, Single-point, and Analytic Rubrics, Oh My! (novakeducation.com)

Post #3: All About Tech Integration Models

 Hello, Readers!

Welcome back to my blog. Buckle up, because today we will be discussing Technology Integration Models!!

These past couple weeks, I have been learning all about Technology Integration Models, and how they support students and teachers in the classroom. Some specific approaches I have read about include TPACK, Triple E, and SAMR. Models such as these are used to assess how technology is used to promote content understanding for students, and create a more enriching classroom experience with that technology. For example, the SAMR model stands for substitution, augmentation, modification, and redefinition. Specifically, redefinition is how technology creates new opportunities for students that would not have been possible otherwise. Redefinition can be implemented in a foreign language classroom in which students Skype call a person that currently lives in a different country that speaks the language being learned in the classroom. This is redefining students' learning as without the use of technology and video calling, students would not be able to talk "face to face" with a person who currently resides in a different part of the world. 

I would have to say that the model that I find most useful is TPACK, or Technology, Content and Pedagogical Knowledge. This method is one that considers content knowledge specific to a certain lesson as well as pedagogical knowledge or the processes and procedures used to promote learning, both in relation with technology. Both content and pedagogical knowledge are important in creating a lesson, as teachers must ensure that the type of activities and instruction used in the lesson are appropriate to help students learn the content. In turn, any technology used in a lesson must satisfy both of these needs. This approach is also something that I find quite easy to understand and follow in terms of determining whether or not I created a lesson that uses technology appropriately. I read an interesting article the other day called Associations among Teachers’ Attitudes towards Computer-Assisted Education..., which helped me better understand the purpose of the TPACK approach. In the article, I found a specific quote that helped me better understand the purpose for this model: "Indeed, technology-based education does not mean solely the provision of a technology...but rather the whole process concerning the pedagogical methods and techniques for using technology within education" (Baturay et al., 2). In other words, technology isn't only something that should be used with students meaninglessly, but should be used to as a means to make a lesson more enriching for students when appropriate, given the opportunity to do so. 

An example of how I would use this method in a classroom could be when giving a PowerPoint presentation in a history lesson. I could ask myself questions such as "Does this PowerPoint promote better understanding of the content knowledge in this lesson?" and "Is this PowerPoint an appropriate tool to use for instruction in this lesson?" If the answers to such questions are "yes", then the presentation would be an excellent choice for the lesson according to the TPACK model. However, if my answers to such questions are "no", I may want to take another look on how I can improve and enhance the use of technology in my lesson. For example, if the lesson involves introducing a new vocabulary word to the students, it may be helpful to use a video which can further explain the definition of the word, and maybe how the word is used in a sentence. 

Here is a picture of a diagram for the TPACK model:

I have thoroughly enjoyed learning all about these approaches. I do have some questions, however, about how they can be used in the classroom. When considering all three models, TPACK, Triple E, and SAMR, and possibly other models, is there an appropriate time and place to use one model over the other when determining the effectiveness of technology in a lesson? How would we determine which one to use in certain situations? If you have any ideas, feel free to share them in the comments below!! :)

Sources:

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1140678.pdf

All About Online Safety

Hello Readers! Welcome to my second blog post. Today we will be talking all about online safety and how teachers can ensure that it is being observed in the classroom.

There is a wide variety of factors that are included in online safety, and therefore it is important for teachers to consider as many of these factors as possible when teaching students about online safety. A very basic example and a great place to start is to teach students what is appropriate to share online, and what is not appropriate to share online. Young students love to talk about anything and everything, and love to share information about their lives and in some cases this information may go into too much detail. Thus, it is critical that teachers stress the fact that putting information on the internet such as phone-numbers, home addresses, and full names can put students and their families in potential danger. One thing that I feel is a bit overlooked when considering internet safety is copyright infringements. Although it is not something that often puts students or the protection of their private information in danger, unknowingly violating copyright laws is something that can potentially one day get students into legal trouble if they do not understand what is and what is not acceptable to freely use on the internet. Even further, it is important for teachers to educate themselves on this matter, so that they will be able to model to their students appropriate use of material found on the web. I read an interesting article the other day titled The Educator's Guide to Creativity and Copyright written by Kelly Gallagher, Larry Magid, and David Sohn. In the article, the authors state "While copyright is a legal concept, learning about how it applies to teachers and students is important not just because of some possible – though unlikely – legal consequences. It’s about doing the right thing, establishing good habits, and ensuring that students are learning to respect the rights of other content creators" (Gallagher, Magid, & Sohn, 1). Teaching students about copyright laws not only helps them learn about how to use information properly, but also about how to recognize and respect other content creator

Because online safety skills aren't things that students are born with, it is critical that teachers instill in them basic skills of online safety, in case it is not something that is taught at home. We are living in a world where technology is being used more and more, and the risk of students putting themselves in a dangerous situation online increases. Therefore, though reinforcing rules such as "Keep personal information to yourself" may seem overused, it may save a student's life.  Thus, teachers and/or parents are responsible for scaffolding students into using the internet safely until they are capable of doing so independently. By teaching students digital citizenship skills, it will help them grow a connection to the world around them, and learn how to properly communicate with others. When we teach students how to communicate with others in a respectful and appropriate manner, we prepare our students for future circumstances in which they will likely have to work with people whom they do not always like or agree with. Therefore, teaching them at a young age not to be hateful or harass others online will help them learn the correct way to address other people online which will be beneficial to them when they are working in a professional environment.

I now have a question and a challenge for all of you! What is one rule of internet safety that you wish you were taught in elementary school? I challenge you to think of ways that you would effectively teach this concept/rule to your future students.

First Post and Welcome!!

Hello, readers! Welcome to Maria's Technology Blog. I am so glad you stumbled upon my page and I am excited to share with you all my thoughts and ideas! Let's get started with a quick intro about my experience with a PLN so far. 

This is the first time I have ever done anything like this, and so far it seems like a great opportunity for me to interact with other educators and resources. I'm also curious to see what it will be like using the internet to connect with others professionally, as it is also something that I am quite unfamiliar with. I'll admit, I did have some apprehensions at first with this concept, as many of us are used to using social media such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to connect with friends. I wasn't sure how easily I would catch on to using social media professionally. I was also worried whether or not my PLN would be successful, and if it would reach many people. However, I read an interesting article the other day, titled How Do I Get a PLN? by Tom Whitby. In the article, Whitby explains the many different reasons why PLNs are great to have as a teacher and educator. One line from the reading that really caught my eye was "Every individual educator becomes a potential source of information" (Whitby, 1). This quote jumped out at me because it got me thinking that whether I have 10,000 followers or 2 followers, my PLN has the potential to help anyone in the world who finds it who may have a question about something I've written or posted about. That's what's so great about the Internet. Your connections are not limited to those in your area and can reach many people beyond your city/town, state or even country. This being said, I'm still a bit nervous about creating my PLN and have a lot to learn, but I think it will be a great learning experience and will hopefully become something I can continue to use further down the line.

Now, I have a question and challenge for all of you!

Have you ever struggled with maintaining professionalism on a PLN? If so, I challenge you to share how you overcame these difficulties!