And just like that, the end of another semester already!
This course really helped me define what my personal teaching strategies are and how I plan on using my ideals in the classroom. With the support of my peers, I made lesson plans, websites, and even this nifty blog that helped me further understand where I am in this field, how far I have come, and how far I still have to go. Using technology in a classroom environment is very important, especially in today's ever-growing digital world. With new advances every day, students need to be exposed to the basics of computer usage and lingo to fully understand what will be available to them next.
It is especially important to utilize these machines for those students whose families may or may not have computers of their own. Technology doesn't seem to slow down. Children in today's world need to learn the ins and outs of computers early so that they can continue to keep up with the latest devices and updates.
Some technologies I learned about that I'm eager to use with my future students are Edmodo, Classdojo, Discover Education, and Edutopia. These sites will help me connect with both students and their families, as well as help me provide the very best information, videos, and content in class. Connecting with the families of students is very important to their growth and development. Keeping one's family in the loop may be what helps the student succeed and pass to the next grade. Some of the sites I mentioned above have apps that make it even easier for parents to comment, ask questions, and submit concerns to teachers on the go.
Resources:
Maloy, R., Verock-O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc. Saad Irfan (2011). Android eating Apple. Flickr.com. Web. Accessed 29 November, 2015.
Smart Technologies EMEA (Education). The History of technology in education (3 October, 2011). YouTube.com. Web. Accessed 10 December, 2015, via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFwWWsz_X9s
The idea of digital inequality was probably not expected to happen with the rapid rise of technology in the past 30 years. While it's main purpose is probably to help people obtain information, stay up to date with news, and to reach out, technology definitely does seem to cause quite the stir among friends, family, and social groups. The idea of children having smart phones and other devices no longer seems to surprise me, though it can be a big deal for their peers. It's not too rare for me to hear a student talking about their iPhone and an adult walking by saying "I don't even have one!" or "I didn't have one until I was 40!", though the latter had different circumstances not growing up with them! Children are naturally drawn to technology today and often inquire about their peers' devices. Unfortunately, cliques seem to arise even from what brand of technology you may have.
I like to think of owning technology as similar to having a favorite sports team. While the two couldn't be more opposite, they do cause people similar feelings. iPhone owners might cringe at the thought of using an Android, while a Windows user might poke fun at both the other two for their choice. Usually it is harmless, playful teasing, but just like in sports, people can get very competitive and lash out at others. This fine line between playful and harmful shows just how big or how little a form digital inequality can come in.
At first when reading about one/two/three time I didn't think I'd know what it was! The idea of centers has always been in lower level classrooms and students seem to really enjoy it. To them, it's not learning, it's playing and freedom within the classroom. They rotate through a number of "centers" or activities to further develop their mind in a variety of ways. I know right now, my school is highly recommending students use programs such as Discovery Education, iReady, and FASTT Math. These approved, educational computer programs promote science, reading, and math and can be accessed from home or school my students. During one/two/three time, students feel independence and success as they do activities on their own and without adult explanation. I think along with expanding their knowledge of academic content, this helps boost their confidence and independence levels.
Resources:
Maloy, R., Verock-O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.
Saad Irfan (2011). Android eating Apple. Flickr.com. Web. Accessed 29 November, 2015.
While student assessment is obvious to happen in a classroom, it's often forgotten that teachers are assessed as well. Right now with my small amount of experience in the field, the thought of being observed and graded on my teaching skills seems very frightening! There is so much that goes with teaching that many people do not even realize. During a lesson, the educator must decide on the spot how to deal with things like interruptions, questions, unrelated comments, and bickering, all the while keeping it together so the students cannot tell there is any issue at all. Pointing out interruptions may distract more students causing a snowball effect. While monitoring a certain child's choices and continued behavior during a lesson or activity, teachers must decide in their head how they must deal with any given situation.
I've often heard in this field that it is extremely important to choose your battles. When you are in charge of 20 students, many situations come up at any given time. Knowing how to correct a student's behavior and let them know you do not appreciate it is an important task teachers must accomplish frequently. Most of the time, a simple look or silent gesture will do. These options notify the child to stop while keeping the rest of the class's attention on the activity with little to no distractions. For a teacher, knowing which situations to address aloud, which to speak privately to the child with later, or which to ignore will help the classroom run much more smoothly.
While teachers are told what students should be learning and may even be given the tests to assess them with, the choices are nearly endless when it comes to deciding what technologies should be used to teach the material. Many teachers use software such as PowerPoint to present their topics. This is a great tool to use because of its great customization. Any subject can be taught using PowerPoint and its many features. Charts, graphs, pictures, or even strictly text can be presented in whatever way the teacher wants/needs.
I have also seen the site BrainPOP Jr. used for note-taking. This site offers videos teaching a variety of subjects for all different levels of learning. When I saw a teacher using it for his first grade class, the students learned science and had the video paused often to further discuss topics or write down key elements. This was interesting to me because I originally thought they'd discuss what was learned after the short video had ended. This teacher's way proved to be much more successful than my way, as the children got to ask questions and get answers before they'd forgotten they'd even had one! Writing the information down as they went also helped the students by further reinforcing the new content learned.
Something else I found interesting when assisting in the classroom is the way things were sometimes taught. Due to current standards, students must always draw a picture to help solve their math problems. While the students were not told they HAD to draw one, the teacher highly suggested they should and that it would help them the most. The result was that everyone drew their pictures and it gave these students an element of fun where they could choose what to draw that might help. As long as students weren't spending too much time on the picture (sometimes it became an art project to some!), drawing the picture aided them through their math processes.
Resources:
BK. Flickr. What the teacher is, is more important than what he teaches. 21 August, 2013. Web. Retrieved 1 November, 2015.
Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.
The document camera is definitely one of my favorite pieces of classroom technology. There is so much that can be done with it and I think it is truly an important asset for a teacher to have. In a first grade classroom, I have seen it used for making science journals. The teacher makes the example right there in front of the class as they help think of more examples or ideas to add to it. Charts, pictures, or just note taking was done with the document camera. While the students were thinking of what to add next, they were able to look up at the board and see how a certain word was spelled or how much they should have written down at any given point. This piece of equipment is also great for sharing the class's work without the worry of it ripping or tearing by passing it around physically.
YouTube is another great resource for teachers, though I know its risks. Right now, my school district does not even allow teachers to use this site. Even if the video is 100% appropriate and educational, it's the advertisements at the beginning of each one that might cause harm. The ads are random and can be different each time you watch the same video. Even if the teacher viewed it at home, the next day in class might bring something unwanted. Instead, my school highly promotes Discovery Education for us to use. A related issue is with the music site Pandora. The ads and banners on the page are also random and may not be fully appropriate for teachers to use in class. We are now no longer to use this site and are encouraged to use others.
After some research about YouTube, I came across something the site actually provides for educators. "YouTube for Schools" is a way school districts can provide teachers with the YouTube they are familiar with, without the worry of unwanted content. While I'm unsure about the other risk that the advertisements provide, this is a sure way for the video itself to be safe and welcomed by parents.
Resources:
Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.
Schools (6 December, 2011). YouTube for Schools: Join the Global Classroom Today! Retrieved 25 October, 2015, from https://youtu.be/NegRGfGYOwQ
During my first two years working for the school district, having a school email served little to no purpose for me. My first year, spend with an afterschool program, I was not even told I had an email address. When I returned as a part-time lunch/recess aid, I found literally thousands of emails from the previous school that I didn't even know I'd had access to (and boy did those take a while to delete)!
This school year, my first year as a full-timer, I couldn't imagine the day without the use of email. I send at least ten a day for all sorts of reasons. In the media center, I let teachers know when books are ready for students, if a student made bad choices with me, or what their students' progress reports for tests they've taken on books. Email is essential for schools to run effectively. In my observations, I have also seen that it is a big part of the educator's day as well. Teachers communicate daily with parents to let them know how their child is doing, what is going on in the school, or even what was learned that day. Many parents are unable to volunteer in their child's classroom due to work or other priorities. Email keeps that important element of communication open for those with little extra time on their hands.
Something many people dislike about email, however, is how it is an asynchronous communication. When communicating via email, text message, or through other online sources, there isn't a guarantee you will get your response right away. Many times, email is a waiting game. While it's contents may be of importance, it is not dire that the receiver read it the second it is received. A phone call would be an example of the opposite! When being asked a question on the phone, an answer must be given right away, known as synchronous communication. Both types of communication are great for many different things. Asynchronous is great for asking a question you know will take some time to get or for making announcements that don't even need a response. Synchronous communication is great for that face-to-face feel and for relaying urgent, time-sensitive information.
Sending physical letters is what I like to call extreme-asynchronous communication!
Something I found very interesting in the reading was how researchers have found texting to be a positive influence on children's reading proficiency. While some abbreviations made through text and email by youngsters seem a bit ridiculous, it does promote the freedom to write words as they hear them and practice the phonetics they might have learned in class. Being able to communicate through text is fun and interesting to children - let's face it, most children do have smart phones today! Communicating outside the traditional face-to-face or phone call methods can give children control of their conversation and might even prove to be educational to them. They will further learn the ins and outs of their phone, as well as begin to remember where certain letters are on a keyboard (a must for adults wanting to type without frustration!). Jan V. Pixabay
Resources:
Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.
"Will the child program the computer or will the computer program the child?" (Papert, pg. 56). This intriguing quote really made me stop and think. I've always had the mindset that everything I do with the young children I work with affects them, even if neither of us realizes it just yet. These young minds are absorbing so much at once and will retain things I say to them that I won't even remember saying - computers are no different. Students of all ages now have access to many types of technology that will help them progress academically and, in today's world, even socially. As working on computers will help expand their knowledge not only of technology, but of problem solving and working independently, students will continue to learn more about what computers are capable of each time and could eventually improve how easily some programs work. I have seen for myself problem solving and independence through navigating technology. Though this is very different from what a student might do in a classroom, recently I had issues with my dryer at home and was able to get it fixed without calling maintenance by finding tutorials, videos, and articles online (It has worked perfectly since!).
Concept-mapping software is a great tool for teachers to use as part of their daily activities. Programs like Kidspiration allow students to map out all sorts of ideas with personalized visuals and hands-on learning through a computer. Adding personal touches to school work, such as choosing what color font to use, will increase the student's focus on the task at hand by making disliked subjects more interesting. Students can use programs like this to make charts, graphs, or even to solve math problems as shown below! Another great mind-mapping tool that can be used on mobile devices is Mindly. This is also a great visual students can use to link their thoughts together, take notes, or brainstorm. I think the element of customization, such as choosing colors and shapes, is what will help students feel they have control of their learning environment.
An important part of teaching is getting your students attention with some sort of hook or interesting opening statement. What I found really interesting in the reading was the section about the video game club created for students in a high school. So many students have gaming systems or participate in some form of video games on a daily basis, so it is no surprise that two-thirds of the school in question were interested in this club (Maloy, pg. 176). Unlike my high school's video game club, the school mentioned in the book did not have its participants simply play video games during its time, but review their storylines, graphics, and overall gameplay. This club wrote reviews and even ended up designing their own game concepts; tasks most gamers would absolutely love! Clubs like these spark the students' creativity, keep their interest, and build social skills as friendly debates and predictions are made about what might happen next. While the basis of the club is video games, what was accomplished in this particular club was so much more!
Children in today's world are exposed to so many types of technology and at such a young age. Working on computers throughout their academic careers will ready them to tackle challenges both inside and outside of school. The programs students might use will help them further understand the concepts they are learning about in a fun, interesting way that may vary from what was learned in class (many times, a concept presented one way may not make sense to everyone!). Lastly, remembering to intertwine the students' interests with skills such as problem-solving, thinking outside the box, and thoroughly analyzing content will help advance students' sense of world and self. Extracurricular activities, in my opinion and as promoted in the text, should highly promote academic skills while still keeping the participants' attention.
Resources:
Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.
Papert, S. (1996). The Connected Family: Bridging the Digital Generation Gap. Atlanta, GA: Longstreet Press.
TeacherTube Math (2009, August 28). Area Models for Multiplication Partial Products. Retrieved October 4, 2015, from https://youtu.be/mjYYbwuued0
