1. What you have learned?
This class has been incredibly beneficial to me as an educator. In fact, by mid-semester, I found myself being quite disappointed that I hadn't taken the course earlier in my program. What I found particularly beneficial was the exposure to different resources, such as Google Earth, Storyjumper, Glogster, etc.. There are so many resources that can be used that often times it is hard to find a place to start. It was nice to not only be given a direction, but then to also have other options in each area, was very beneficial to me as an educator.
2. How the course work demonstrates mastery of the AECT standards?
The coursework demonstrates mastery of the AECT standards in many ways. The standards below are very important to the development and implementation of technology in the classroom. Standard three, utilization, in particular, discusses the implementation of media, which was a main objective in this course. I included the other standards as well because they involve the planning and evaluation of the media usage.
1.3 Instructional Strategies - Instructional strategies are specifications for selecting and sequencing events and activities within a lesson.
Standard 2: Development
Candidates demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to develop instructional materials and experiences using print, audiovisual, computer-based, and integrated technologies.
Standard 3: Utilization
Candidates demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to use processes and resources for learning by applying principles and theories of media utilization, diffusion, implementation, and policy-making.
4.1 Project Management - Project management involves planning, monitoring, and controlling instructional design and development projects.
4.4 Information Management - Information management involves planning, monitoring, and controlling the storage, transfer, or processing of information in order to provide resources for learning.
3. How you have grown professionally?
I have always liked to use technology in my classes, and the benefits are clear as day. However, this course has helped me hone my use into more specific and succinct way. I think that any time an educator looks for new and innovative ways to educate, not only are the students benefiting, but the educator is growing as well. I feel that I have gained a better understanding of how to integrate technology in meaningful ways into my classroom.
4. How your own teaching practice or thoughts about teaching have been impacted by what you have learned or accomplished in this course?
I teach in a virtual academy, where technology already has an obvious emphasis. This class has just strengthened, not only my belief in the use of technology in the classroom, but also increased my confidence when using technology in my classroom.
5. How theory guided development of the projects and assignments you created?
Theory is always present in planning, even though it may be working in the background, and not always sitting in the forefront next to the planning book. However, it is always there, and particularly obvious when planning larger units of instruction. Integrating Educational Technology into Learning was a very helpful book to me as I worked through the various modules and projects in this course because it offered evidence that what I was creating was academically sound and would directly benefit student learning. It gave me guidelines as I was working that kept me on a proper path to ensure that the technology I was adding was necessary and not just added to say I had technology in my lessons.
References
Association for Educational Communications and Technology (2001, October). NCATE Public Standards.
Retrieved September 1, 2010, from NCATE: http://www.ncate.org/public/programStandards.asp?ch=4#AECT
Roblyer, M.D.(2010). Integrating educational technology into teaching.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Technology and Special Needs
In recent years, technology has started to become commonplace in many of today's classrooms. Piles of evidence, along with the actual usage, have shown, parents, students, and teachers alike the many advantages of using technology in the classroom
The benefits of being able to go beyond the textbook, engaging students using the very technology they use for entertainment, increasing attendance scores, and behavior, and creating an organized learning environment for students has made the lives of willing teachers easier in a field that is becoming more and more demanding. Giving teachers the tools to help students be successful as teachers are being held to higher standards and levels of accountability is only going to help all stakeholders.
However, there are still naysayers who believe that technology takes away from learning, can be a distraction, and offers little assistance in improving the classroom environment. Beyond the fact that evidence is overwhelming for the positive effects, teachers can still be hesitant for various reasons, and administrators often hesitate due to budget concerns.
However, all students, and in particular, students with special needs, can benefit greatly from the use of technology in the classroom. Students with all needs, great and small, and on both ends of the spectrum, can benefit from the use of technologies for physical disabilities such as assistive technologies to aid in visual, audio, and physical issues; classroom resources to adjust the needs of students with learning difficulties; enrichment resources for gifted students; and even resources for parents to have a greater hand in the students' learning process.
As the push for inclusion increases and the need for teachers to take on that responsibilities due to budget cuts, students from very wide ranges of abilities are now in today's classrooms. The need for differentiation is great, and technology is one way of alleviating the stress on teachers to provide a quality education to such deeply varied classrooms.
Resources
Martin, Sylvia. Special Education, Technology, and Teacher Education.
The benefits of being able to go beyond the textbook, engaging students using the very technology they use for entertainment, increasing attendance scores, and behavior, and creating an organized learning environment for students has made the lives of willing teachers easier in a field that is becoming more and more demanding. Giving teachers the tools to help students be successful as teachers are being held to higher standards and levels of accountability is only going to help all stakeholders.
However, there are still naysayers who believe that technology takes away from learning, can be a distraction, and offers little assistance in improving the classroom environment. Beyond the fact that evidence is overwhelming for the positive effects, teachers can still be hesitant for various reasons, and administrators often hesitate due to budget concerns.
However, all students, and in particular, students with special needs, can benefit greatly from the use of technology in the classroom. Students with all needs, great and small, and on both ends of the spectrum, can benefit from the use of technologies for physical disabilities such as assistive technologies to aid in visual, audio, and physical issues; classroom resources to adjust the needs of students with learning difficulties; enrichment resources for gifted students; and even resources for parents to have a greater hand in the students' learning process.
As the push for inclusion increases and the need for teachers to take on that responsibilities due to budget cuts, students from very wide ranges of abilities are now in today's classrooms. The need for differentiation is great, and technology is one way of alleviating the stress on teachers to provide a quality education to such deeply varied classrooms.
Resources
Martin, Sylvia. Special Education, Technology, and Teacher Education.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Relative Advantages of Technology in the Classroom
If used properly, technology in the classrooms has clear and measurable advantages. Students today are so immersed in the various technologies available to them that is only seems logical to embrace some of those technologies and put them to good use in the classroom.
With little to no money at all, technology can transform the classroom and make a positive impact on students. Studies show that technology can improve student proficiency scores, behavior, and attendance, as well as increase the likelihood of students attending college and receiving scholarships (Stratham & Torrel, 1996). This evidence alone should be good enough reason to use technology in the classroom.
However, beyond these pieces is the dramatic need to keeps students engaged. While technology can be an awesome resources, the constant flood of entertainment in today's culture, it can be very difficult to hold the attention of these very same students with pencils, paper and books. The need to embrace technology to hold student attention and ensure students are remaining engaged.
Technology is not going anywhere. In fact, it is becoming an integral part of our culture, so it should be a part of our educational system as well. If used properly, students can have access to educational opportunities unheard of in even our recent past. Learning how to use it properly and in meaningful ways is key to using technology in the classroom.
Stratham, D. S., & Torell, C. R. (1996). Computers in the classroom: The impact of technology on student learning.
With little to no money at all, technology can transform the classroom and make a positive impact on students. Studies show that technology can improve student proficiency scores, behavior, and attendance, as well as increase the likelihood of students attending college and receiving scholarships (Stratham & Torrel, 1996). This evidence alone should be good enough reason to use technology in the classroom.
However, beyond these pieces is the dramatic need to keeps students engaged. While technology can be an awesome resources, the constant flood of entertainment in today's culture, it can be very difficult to hold the attention of these very same students with pencils, paper and books. The need to embrace technology to hold student attention and ensure students are remaining engaged.
Technology is not going anywhere. In fact, it is becoming an integral part of our culture, so it should be a part of our educational system as well. If used properly, students can have access to educational opportunities unheard of in even our recent past. Learning how to use it properly and in meaningful ways is key to using technology in the classroom.
Stratham, D. S., & Torell, C. R. (1996). Computers in the classroom: The impact of technology on student learning.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Walled Gardens
According to Webopedia.com, a walled garden is "a browsing environment that controls the information and Web sites the user is able to access." The article goes on to say that walled gardens are used for both safety and marketing purposes. While I don't agree with walled gardens being used to push users to advertisers, I do think it has its place in the educational world, if used properly.
I think that walled gardens promote the safety of all students, which is very important on the internet anymore as social media allows students to freely share information, even with people they may not mean or want to share the information with. Predators lurk around every corner of the internet, and adolescents can't possibly be aware of all those types of people. They think they are invincible, and that the "private" setting will keep them safe. For these reasons alone, I think walled gardens are a good idea.
Additionally,according to nais.org, social media opens students up to viruses, scams, spyware and adware, software hacking, etc., and the risk cannot be worth the gains using some of these media in the classroom.
However, the use of a walled gardens also has the potential to block out very valuable tools for the classroom. The most notable is YouTube. There are thousands of fantastic resources on YouTube, but most often, that site is blocked in schools. Teachers can get around it with a password to show a video, but students lose access to interactive quizzes and videos that are valuable tools to them. However, there are some alternatives to this situation. Students can create a personal channel that is listed in the filter as an acceptable site, or teachers can use TeacherTube to show videos in class.
I think walled gardens definitely have their place in today's classroom, so that while students are under the schools' responsibility, they are safe in the virtual world.
I think that walled gardens promote the safety of all students, which is very important on the internet anymore as social media allows students to freely share information, even with people they may not mean or want to share the information with. Predators lurk around every corner of the internet, and adolescents can't possibly be aware of all those types of people. They think they are invincible, and that the "private" setting will keep them safe. For these reasons alone, I think walled gardens are a good idea.
Additionally,according to nais.org, social media opens students up to viruses, scams, spyware and adware, software hacking, etc., and the risk cannot be worth the gains using some of these media in the classroom.
However, the use of a walled gardens also has the potential to block out very valuable tools for the classroom. The most notable is YouTube. There are thousands of fantastic resources on YouTube, but most often, that site is blocked in schools. Teachers can get around it with a password to show a video, but students lose access to interactive quizzes and videos that are valuable tools to them. However, there are some alternatives to this situation. Students can create a personal channel that is listed in the filter as an acceptable site, or teachers can use TeacherTube to show videos in class.
I think walled gardens definitely have their place in today's classroom, so that while students are under the schools' responsibility, they are safe in the virtual world.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Module 4 Educational Software and Its Relative Advantages
There are many advantages to using educational software in the classroom. However, one must be cautious not to use software for the sake of using technology, and must find ways to incorporate it in meaningful ways.
One advantage to educational software is the opportunity to allow for better organization for both students and teachers. Students can use software like Kidspiration to organize writing, or excel to create more organized graphing in math. Working in a word processing software and saving files eliminates the need for multiple drafts of work and the potential for that work to get lost. Additionally, teachers can use databases for organizing student information, or classroom libraries; excel or other grade recording software to streamline the grading process and even offer online grades to students; OneNote, a program in Office, could be used for keeping student files. The opportunities for software allowing for organization in the classroom are endless.
Another advantage would be time management. Students can save files in one place and work on them and change them as needed, saving time in creating entirely new drafts. If students can work in a program while teachers are helping others, it opens up new educational opportunities and keeps students engaged in academics instead of sitting around.
Educational software also allows opportunities for both remediation and enrichment. If a student is struggling with a topic, or way ahead of the class, educational software can be used to tailor to individual student needs.
The site below comes from Education World and has reviews of commonly used educational software. It rates software based on various elements, and divides the software into different categories to help a potential buyer more easily find what they are looking for. It also provides prices and links to places it can be purchased. I found this website to be very helpful.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech102.shtml
Another website I used was called SuperKids. It offered reviews of some of the top names in educational software What I liked about this site was its review of "kid appeal." After all, they are the ones using it, so it is nice to know how they feel about it!
http://www.superkids.com/
One advantage to educational software is the opportunity to allow for better organization for both students and teachers. Students can use software like Kidspiration to organize writing, or excel to create more organized graphing in math. Working in a word processing software and saving files eliminates the need for multiple drafts of work and the potential for that work to get lost. Additionally, teachers can use databases for organizing student information, or classroom libraries; excel or other grade recording software to streamline the grading process and even offer online grades to students; OneNote, a program in Office, could be used for keeping student files. The opportunities for software allowing for organization in the classroom are endless.
Another advantage would be time management. Students can save files in one place and work on them and change them as needed, saving time in creating entirely new drafts. If students can work in a program while teachers are helping others, it opens up new educational opportunities and keeps students engaged in academics instead of sitting around.
Educational software also allows opportunities for both remediation and enrichment. If a student is struggling with a topic, or way ahead of the class, educational software can be used to tailor to individual student needs.
The site below comes from Education World and has reviews of commonly used educational software. It rates software based on various elements, and divides the software into different categories to help a potential buyer more easily find what they are looking for. It also provides prices and links to places it can be purchased. I found this website to be very helpful.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech102.shtml
Another website I used was called SuperKids. It offered reviews of some of the top names in educational software What I liked about this site was its review of "kid appeal." After all, they are the ones using it, so it is nice to know how they feel about it!
http://www.superkids.com/
Friday, September 3, 2010
Module 2 - Essential Questions for Technology Integration
How is educational technology defined?
Educational technology can be defined as the implementation and practice of technology in the classroom for educational purposes. Educational technology can be directed at student use of technology as well as an instructor's implementation of it. As technology changes, the definition of educational technology adapts and changes as well.
How is technology affecting the learning process?
From all the various reading I have done about technology in the classroom, there is a constant consensus based on various studies that points to increased student achievement, participation, and proficiency test scores. Technology also has a positive impact on collaboration, allowing students to extend cooperative learning outside of the classroom. Technology can provide feedback that otherwise could take days to receive or may not even be possible. Providing that feedback opens up time for teachers to have more time to work with students as well.
References
Technology Integration
Educational technology can be defined as the implementation and practice of technology in the classroom for educational purposes. Educational technology can be directed at student use of technology as well as an instructor's implementation of it. As technology changes, the definition of educational technology adapts and changes as well.
How is technology affecting the learning process?
From all the various reading I have done about technology in the classroom, there is a constant consensus based on various studies that points to increased student achievement, participation, and proficiency test scores. Technology also has a positive impact on collaboration, allowing students to extend cooperative learning outside of the classroom. Technology can provide feedback that otherwise could take days to receive or may not even be possible. Providing that feedback opens up time for teachers to have more time to work with students as well.
References
CARET Center for Applied Research in Educational Technology. (2005). Retrieved April 21, 2009, from http://caret.iste.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=questions&topicID=1
Deubel, P. (Sept, 2010). Technology integration: Essential questions. Retrieved September 3, 2010, from Computing Technology for Math Excellence Web site: http://www.ct4me.net/technology_integr.htm
Stratham, D. S., & Torell, C. R. (1996). Computers in the classroom: The impact of technology on student learning. Boise, ID: Army Research Institute.
Technology Integration
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