Technology in Education

Throughout this course I have expanded my understanding of how to identify new and emerging technologies that have a positive impact in teaching and learning in my school.  I have also become more confident in myself to become a leader for change in my school and helping my colleagues adopt new technologies into the curriculum.  Before taking this course I was weary of using digital games and virtual environments as part of the curriculum.  With stakes being so high for testing, I didn’t believe that games could fit into the lessons.

In my searches for digital games I came across one called Infinite Potential: Coaster Creator from the JASON Project (www.jason.org).  This game, or virtual lab, allows students to learn the content about energy and take that knowledge to build their own functional roller coaster.  It also allows the students to work together, have friendly competitions, and collaborate with other students playing the same game around the country.  Without the use of this digital game my students would not be able to make this real world connection to physics and roller coasters.

I am fortunate to have this summer making adjustments to my efforts of identifying emerging technologies with the potential to transform teaching and learning, influencing and leading the adoption of new and emerging technologies in my school, and incorporating educational technology to support 21^st century learners as a result of my learning from this course.  I will begin searching for technologies that incorporate the change agents- how technology is empowering 21^st century students (Lemke, C. & Coughlin, E., 2009).  Technology can establish new and different environments for student-centered learning.  The old teacher-centered classroom is becoming obsolete, so tapping into student interests and strengths (like technology) can increase their engagement in learning.

I also feel that it is my obligation to teach my fellow colleagues about how to integrate new technologies into the classroom.  There are a lot of negative connotations about using games and virtual environments in the classroom; therefore I need to shift their way of thinking just as this class has changed mine.  I plan on becoming a leader on my school’s technology leadership team.

Finally, I will continue to search for grants to apply for in the next school year.  I will focus on creating a technology plan and reading about technology planning and advice.  This way when I come back to school I can put together a team to help develop the project (Gerding, S. & Mackellar, P., 2006).  School districts have tight budgets and can not fund schools with the money they need to integrate new technologies in the classroom.  This is why grants are so important for schools to receive so that they can acquire the type of technology they want.

Overall, this class has opened my eyes to new and emerging technologies that I would have not considered integrating into my classroom before.  Because I am now more aware of the benefits of using these technologies I feel as though I can teach my fellow colleagues of the benefits as well.  Our school improvement plan supports the integration of more technology in the classroom.  We can only achieve these tools by applying or grants.  Because of this class I feel more confident in applying for grants to fund our technology needs.

Gerding, S., & Mackellar, P. (2006). Wishing won’t work: 10 things you need to know and do when applying for technology grants. Computers in Libraries, 26(7), 6–15.

Lemke, C., & Coughlin, E. (2009). The change agents. Educational Leadership, 67(1), 54–59.

Evaluation and presentation for colleagues on the potential of online learning to support 21st century teaching and learning

http://www.slideshare.net/ebeauvais/spotlight-on-emerging-technology-online-learning-in-k12-schools

In the beginning of this course I felt a little overwhelmed using UDL and DI as part of my every day instructional practices.  The concept is discussed in my school with the faculty and administration, but we never have been formally taught how to implement it.  I now understand that UDL and DI are for all students and structured to allow every student excel and succeed in the classroom.  Giving students different options to meet the same outcome allows for every student to learn in a way that fits their learning profile.

Participating in the Differentiation Station social network has given me many ideas for implementing the principles of UDL and DI in my classroom.  Anytime I communicate with my classmates and colleagues about instructional practices it gives me ideas and confidence for trying new things.  Some of the new tools that I will begin to implement in my classroom are using online surveys and websites in order to know my students’ interests, learning styles, and zone of proximal development.

There are only a few weeks left in the school year, but I will make immediate adjustments by using more technology on a weekly basis.  It would be a fun and educational way to end the school year by giving students the option to use different forms of technology.  Our final unit will be on electricity and magnetism, so having my students perform a web quest, perform an online lab, and using the Smart Board lessons will connect to a wide array of my students’ different learning styles.

There are many websites posted on my group’s social networking page that I would like to explore in greater detail.  The amount of resources and ideas seem endless and I would like to begin now writing lessons for next year so that I can plan ahead for technology needs.  UDL and DI does take a lot of planning ahead of time, but once my students and I get used to the “organized chaos” it will pay off because every student will feel as though the lesson was written specifically for each of their interests, and needs.

Throughout this course I have learned a lot about integrating new technology into my physical science classroom.  I developed a GAME plan that I followed through the course, and as a result it made me meet deadlines and reach goals for implementing the NETS-T standards into my lessons.  The GAME plan helped me keep track of what I wanted to do and in what time span.  I have also discovered that the GAME plan can, and should, be used with my students in my classroom when setting their learning goals for the quarter.  I would like to suggest to my administration using the GAME plan throughout the school.  We are always being asked to set goals and keep track of our progress, but nothing we have done works as well as the setup of the GAME plan.

Integrating 21^st century technology into the classroom is such a vital tool for our students to learn how to use.  It is my job to prepare my students for the ‘real world’ after they graduate, and if they know how to use web 2.0 technologies they will have an advantage over those who do not.  I will continue to integrate the technologies I have learned about in this course into my lessons so that my students can gain a deeper understanding of the content.  By using technology in the classroom the students will become more engaged in the learning process and will solidify their understanding of the material.

Over the past 6 weeks of making and monitoring my own GAME plan I have come to realize that this is not (as I thought I the beginning) a redundant and time consuming activity.  Using the GAME plan actually keeps you aware of the goals that you have set for yourself and makes sure that you are reaching them.  I can see using the GAME plan with my students so that they can keep track of their own progress in the classroom,

Having my students make a GAME plan at the beginning of a unit or major project I think will be most beneficial to them since they are over a longer period of time.  Every quarter my students set learning goals for themselves and reflect on them during interims and at the end of the quarter so that throughout the present quarter and the following quarter they can make improvements.

I give my students the content standards at the beginning of every quarter so that they can have a visual of what exactly they will be learning and need to know for the test.  I can also provide a copy of the NETS-S and ISTE standards so that they can see exactly what they are being assessed on and why during projects.  By having my students make a GAME plan for the technology standards they can reflect on them whenever they use a specific technology tool and express how well it worked for them, if they met the standard, etc.  Monitoring and reflecting on their GAME plan will also give them an understanding of what exactly I am looking for when they use the technology.

My hope is that my students gain a deeper understanding of their habits and sense of urgency to meet their goals when reflecting on their GAME plan.

A very slow progress week… 4 snow days in a row

What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice?

I have learned that my district does not have a plan to improve the districts technology use that is made public.  After trying to track down a document or someone that has answers I have decided to work with my principal, the media specialist, and the ILT to make a technology integration plan for our school.  My principal is wonderful at helping teacher try to get what they need, and my media specialist is great at finding new technology for teachers to use as well.  If we can set a plan in motion to improve our school, then I am sure other schools will see the benefits and they can follow in our footsteps.

What goals are you still working toward?

I am still working on finding new technologies to use in my classroom.  This will always be ongoing since there is so much out there online.  Now after learning about online collaboration tools I would like to look into using one of these in my classroom.

Based on the NETS-T, what new learning goals will you set for yourself?

After learning about online collaboration this week I would like to set the following NETS-T benchmark for myself

4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility

a. advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources.

The goals that I have set for myself earlier in my GAME plan I have found out that they are ongoing processes that I can keep improving upon from now until the time I retire.  Setting this goal will help make my students become better technology users and will help cut down on issues that could arise in the classroom when working with online tools.

What learning approaches will you try next time you improve your learning?

Next time I improve my learning I will not try to search for technology tools blindly by myself.  I will work with someone like my media specialist first to get some ideas and then go from there.  The Internet has so many resources, I should start with tools that others have used or learned about and begin there.

Continuing to implement and monitor my GAME plan…

How effective were your actions in helping you meet your goals?

ü     This week my school district had 2 delay openings and 1 snow day.  I had a meeting set up to learn how to use a new resource website with my media specialist, but now that is postponed until next week when (hopefully) we do not have any more closings.  I have checked it out myself, but my media specialist went to a seminar about all of the websites resources so I am very excited to see exactly what it can offer.  My actions have been effective so far, regardless of the set backs from snow.

What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice?

ü     I have found so many online resources to get my students involved and engaged in learning science.  We are learning about physics now and I have found fun interactive games that teach the students about physics concepts.  I have not been able to provide the students with computers to play the games themselves, but I have used the SmartBoard and made it a whole class activity so that we can discuss why certain things happen.  I have also found a website that shows the physics behind the winter Olympics.  I cant wait to use this in the classroom and see my students make the connections while they watch the Olympics on TV.

What do you still have to learn?  What new questions have arisen?

ü     I still need to actually find out what my school district is doing to improve the use of technology in the school system.  All the leads I have followed end up being very vague in the response.  It seems to be someone else’s fault or area when I talk to people to try to figure out the future plan.  At this point I am wondering if there is a future plan set in place to bring more technology into the classrooms.  I think the school board is nervous to make to bold of a more towards using new technology and web 2.0 tools and they are just beating around the bush.

How will you adjust your plan to fit your current needs?

ü     I don’t think I have to adjust my plan.  I am finding very good resources, but just need to keep digging to find the answers about technology use in my district.  I think that by next week if I can not get the answers that I am looking for I will have to email a board member to see where the district is heading in the next few years for using technology in the classroom.  I brought this up to the teacher union because their bargaining hearing is coming up and I would like this to be considered in the discussion.

So far my GAME plan is running smoothly.

• Am I finding the information and resources I need?

The information and resources that I have been looking onto see to just come out of nowhere.  There are so may resources available online and through my school district that it has now become just trying to find time to fit in some seminars or practice time.  Luckily I am still taking these classes through Walden to keep me updated on the latest trends in instructional technology!  I have been working with my media specialist and she has showed me some great resources to use in my classroom.  My content partner and I are in the process of putting some future lessons together.

• Do I need to modify my action plan?

At this point I feel as though I do not need to modify my GAME plan.  My goals are attainable within this school year, and beyond if I want to.  There will always be updates for learning about new technology resources, so I can keep improving my plan for a while.

• What have I learned so far?

So far I have learned that, when used properly, technology is a great tool to use in the classroom for engaging students and assessing their knowledge.  There are a multitude of resources available that explain the benefits of using it in the classroom as well as how to actually use it in the classroom.  Unfortunately, I have also learned that it is going to be a struggle to convince my school board to lighten up on the technology blocks and bans and also to spend more money towards technology use and education.  Although they offer the classes, most of the schools do not have the resources to put the knowledge and skills to use.  I am not at a title 1 school, so therefore technology is not up there with priorities.

• What new questions have arisen?

I am striving to be a technology resource in my school, but how can I become the person for others to come to with questions if I am not provided the adequate resources to help them?  How can I say that I know a lot about using technology in the classroom if I don’t have the tools to use it myself?  Right now I sound good on paper, but I can’t perform what I can say.  I need to at least push for the use of the technology that we do have in the school and make slow strides towards getting more.

In order to carry out my GAME Plan I will need the following resources and information:

Resources:

To reach my goal of continually taking more classes in technology education to connect the information to my content I need to look at the school district website for upcoming seminars and classes.  The district offers many opportunities to learn about new technology and how to integrate it into the classroom, and a lot of them are free.  I will also need to keep in contact with my principal and instructional leadership team so that I can share my knowledge with the school and help other teachers incorporate the technology as well.

To reach my second goal in becoming more proficient in using newer technology tools to create a more enriched learning environment I will need to do the same as stated above.  By taking classes and practicing how to use the tools I will become more skilled at using them.  I will need to keep in contact with our schools computer tech so that my classroom can be hooked up with the tools/software I need.

Information:

Additional information needed to carry out these goals is first and foremost the approval of the school board to use new technology in my classroom.  Many of the technologies, like web 2.0, are blocked at the schools.  I will need to get information about which technologies I can use and which I can not.  Sometimes if the teacher can plead her case and show that the lesson connects to the state curriculum the board will allow the use of certain things.  Other times they are very strong in their decision of not allowing it.

Steps I have taken so far:

It has only been 1 week since I have implemented my Game plan, but I have been spending time after school exploring the SmartBoard I received this year and thinking of lessons I can make with it to engage my students more.  I am still taking graduate classes that are teaching me many new skills to use in my classroom as well.  I plan on trying out as many new technologies that the courses teach me as possible to see if I can incorporate them into my lessons.

Using newer technologies like Web 2.0, podcasts, and even the SmartBoard is a new experience for me.  The district that I work in is pretty far behind when it comes to implementing these into the schools.  Just this year I received a SmartBoard in my room, so I have only been using it for a semester now.  However, I am still very curious and eager to learn about the latest and greatest tools for teaching students using technology integration.  For this reason I have chosen the following ISTE national standards (ISTE, 2008) for my GAME plan (Cennamo, K, Ross, J, & Ertmer, P, 2009):

5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership

Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources. Teachers:

a.  participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning.

I have chosen this standard because the trends in education is constantly changing and so are technology tools to use.  By continuously communicating with colleagues, participating in classes and professional development, and teaching others about how technology can enrich students’ learning I can become a leader in the trends and help the community strengthen their skills.

2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments

Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS•S. Teachers:

c.  customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources.

This standard is important for me to integrate into the GAME plan because I have students that have a range of ability levels and I must accommodate each one.  Using technology can allow me to have students working on similar activities, but are catered to their specific reading or math level, comfort level with using technology, and differences in learning style.

The GAME Plan

Set Goals

• I would like to continue taking courses in technology education whenever available so that I can connect the information to my content.
• I would like to become more proficient in using newer technology tools so that I create a more enriched learning environment.

Take Action

To stay up-to-date with the current trends in technology I will become a part of an online community devoted to utilizing technology in education, such as classroom 2.0.  I will collaborate with colleagues and search for professional development classes to take that will build upon my knowledge.  To become more of a leader in my school with technology I will speak up more to administration to start the ball rolling on getting more technology into the school.  I will also start up the technology committee that has disbanded with fresh faces and ideas from the faculty.

In the classroom I will begin searching online, talking to colleagues, and discussing how to differentiate with other educators in the community.  I need to find ways to teach the same lesson but allow the students to use their creativity and critical thinking skills to learn the content with the technology.

Monitor

I will monitor my progress by attending monthly meetings with administration and discussing how to use different technologies in the classroom.  I will also monitor my progress by keeping a journal of the classes I have attended or articles I have read that discuss technology integration.  I will keep track of how many times I used technology in a lesson and what type of technology was used.

Evaluate and Extend

To evaluate my progress I will use self reflection as well as outside references such as my students or principal.  After a lesson I can reflect on how I thought the lesson went and ask my students the same thing; did they enjoy the lesson, what did they learn, what would they want to do next time?  My principal could provide constructive criticism for me and we could discuss how to use the lesson throughout the school in other classrooms.

Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach (Laureate Education custom edition). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.