![]() In this blog, I will discuss what I’ve learned in ITD 645 this semester, including the technology tools used and overall thoughts of the course. Learning Experiences from this Class In this class, I have learned about various technologies that can be integrated in a classroom setting to enhance instruction. Our course textbook described two planning models that will be beneficial in selecting technologies for my future classroom. Those planning models include the Design-Plan-Act (D-P-A) and the Dynamic Instructional Design (DID) models. These models will be beneficial for helping me decide which technologies to integrate in my future classroom because they will help determine if the specific technologies will help me meet my learning objectives. Weekly discussions focused on questions from our textbook and instructional video clips. Many of these questions required higher order thinking as they covered helping students with diverse needs, ethical and legal issues, and thinking about future technologies. Before these readings, I was unaware about many of the technologies for diverse learners. I found these discussions to be very helpful self-reflections as I think about my future as an educator. We were assigned a group the first week in class. Because of my previous experiences working in groups for long periods of time, I was a bit worried; however, my group members were absolutely terrific. We worked seamlessly as we completed group projects each week. We were tasked with creating these projects for a subject-area and grade-level of our choosing, and we chose 6th grade social studies. Specifically, we focused on geography in the United States. I not only learned how to integrate the various technologies into classroom instruction, but I also learned a lot about the U.S. It was a great experience. Learning Tools used in ITD 645 Video Clips While I did purchase the book for this class, I have to admit that I primarily used the video clips for my instruction each week. I am a visual and auditory learner; therefore, videos and PowerPoints are my preferred methods of instruction. I appreciated the low cost of the textbook required for this course. If given the option in my own classroom one day, I will try to provide both types of instructional materials (textbook and videos/PowerPoints) so my students can choose what best suits their learning styles. Weebly Blog I thought Weebly was convenient and user-friendly for our weekly blog posts. I enjoyed editing it to fit my style and being able to comment on my group members’ posts each week. I don’t think I would integrate Weebly into a secondary education setting; however, if ever given the opportunity to teach at a college level, I think it would be very beneficial. My group also created a classroom website where we collaborated all of our projects and instructional goals like we would for a real classroom site. I found this very beneficial as well. Microsoft Teams and GroupMe Each week, my team members and I met via Teams for an hour or so to discuss the weekly objectives and divide up tasks. Throughout the week we used GroupMe to communicate regularly where we would ask questions and share ideas. I will integrate both of these technologies in my classroom one day to communicate with parents and students. Google survey, document, and presentation Before this class, I was already very familiar with google suite capabilities. These are very beneficial functions for students who do not have access to Microsoft suite. Podcast While I did not create the podcast personally, I enjoyed collaborating with Lauren on this project. I do not like to hear myself talk, so this will not be a technology I use to record lectures in my classroom. I will, however, recommend educational podcasts if they seem fit for a lesson. WeVideo Through my experiences with WeVideo in this class, I do not think it is a function I will use in my future classroom. According to Kelly, it limits the functions you can use without paying a pretty hefty price. On a teacher budget, I don’t think this will be a feasible option. EdPuzzle I think this interactive video technology is a great option for students of any age or grade-level. It takes an ordinary lecture to the next level with the interactive capabilities, and I will definitely use this in my future classroom. Padlet Padlet is an entirely free application that allows the user to create a digital memo or bulletin board. When classroom instruction is done face-to-face, I do not think this technology would be necessary in a classroom; however, during the Covid-19 transition to completely virtual instruction, this would be a great application to utilize. All instructional materials are in one place, making it more convenient than switching through tabs on a classroom website. I really enjoyed learning about Padlet. Quizizz Quizizz might be my favorite tool we learned about in this class. When I was in school, we used Quizlet, which was always a lot of fun, and I think Quiziz is even better. It was very easy to use and worked seamlessly. I will definitely use this in my future classroom. (Class code: 3206786) Rubistar Rubistar is a convenient tool for new teachers who need assistance making rubrics. Unfortunately, the limited number of formats may make it difficult for teachers in certain subject areas. However, as a future English teacher, I think it will be very beneficial, especially in my first few years. Thinglink As an interactive image application, I think this is another great tool for virtual learning. Since we do not know what the future of face-to-face instruction looks like, this is a technology I will keep in my back pocket when having to transform instructional material to online. Scoop.It Scoop.It is an application that links topics that are produced by other users. Because I will likely be teaching young adults, I don’t think I will integrate this technology in my classroom considering the risk of them being exposed to content I cannot control. There may be a way to filter what can be “scooped,” but I would need to learn the full function of it before implementing it in my class. Strengths and Weaknesses I think my greatest weakness when it comes to learning new technologies is my lack of patience during the learning process. If I cannot find a short demonstration video or find clear instructions within the first few minutes, I often give up and use something I am more familiar with. When learning new technologies, I need to have more patience and see the benefits before I see the headaches. My greatest strength is my ability to communicate both in person and through technology. I believe I can communicate clearly no matter where I am, who I’m communicating with, or what I’m trying to communicate. Future Learning Goals Even though I stated my weakness as not having the patience to take the time to learn new technologies, as a future educator, I am committed to learning new technologies if it means enhancing the learning environment for my students. I plan to attend professional conferences, and work with school administrators and teachers to hone the latest skills in technologies to benefit my students. As my group member Lauren stated in her last blog post, “Committing to a career in teaching is committing to a lifetime of learning” and I fully accept this challenge.
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Chapter 10: Question 1
Project ten years into the future. You have now been a classroom teacher for the past 7-8 years. Technology has probably changed significantly between the time you completed your student teaching and now. What options have you considered – and perhaps taken – to stay current in technology? With the way technology has drastically changed in the last 10 years, I can only imagine where we will be in the next 10. As a teacher, it is important to stay current in technology that I will use in my classroom, as well as the technologies my students will be using outside of the classroom. To stay current in technological changes, I will take many of the same steps I have taken in the past, which involves staying current with news, listening to my peers, doing my research, and participating in professional development. I know teachers are required to maintain CEUs (Continuing Education Units), or something similar, and I can maintain my requirements by attending teacher workshops and conferences, reading education journals, and actively engaging with my teacher peers. Another way I can stay relevant to technology while in the classroom is by listening to the things my students are talking about. Typically, younger generations are quicker to hear about the newest technologies, especially social media platforms and apps. Lastly, I believe the most important way for me to stay current with technology is to just be aware of what's going on in the world around me. I will maintain the initiative to stay aware of my surroundings so I can bring the newest and best technology to my future classrooms. Chapter 9: Question 1
Assume that one of your students tells you that an enrichment class at your school has developed a website and that every student’s name and picture will be available on the website as a talent directory. What concerns do you have about this discovery and how would you approach your colleague and your school to address these concerns? If I were a teacher at this school and discovered this information, I would definitely be concerned. When something is published online, it is there for anyone and everyone to see. Considering this website will also likely have the name of the high school that the students attend, the students' identity and where they live is now published for anyone to see. If a student chooses to publish this information on their own private account, away from school, that is their personal choice. But, having this information as a part of a class seems to be an invasion of privacy. I would respectfully approach my colleague to express my concern of the students' privacy. I am 100% in support of students learning how to appropriately use the internet before entering the real world, but I don't think publishing their personal information on the class site is the appropriate way to teach them safe internet practices. Additionally, unless the teacher had permission from each student's parent or legal guardian, this would be considered an invasion of student privacy. Even with parent permission, though, unless the teacher can justify a need for this information to be displayed, I do not think it's necessary. If the students are trying to display their talents to be selected for an internship or similar opportunity based on their specific talents, I don't think a picture a a name is necessary. There are various options to sharing student talents without publishing personal information online - Private YouTube accounts, sound bites for music/instrumental talents, an application process with background checks or something similar, or an in-person talent showcase. As a future teacher, I wouldn't hesitate to inform my colleague of these alternatives if he/she was in possible violation of student privacy, and I would hope that said colleague would be receptive to my concern. My Learning Experiences: This week I took on the task of completing the rubric for our group project. I felt this was an important task for me to take on since I hadn't ever created a rubric. I thought Rubistar was very user-friendly, and is definitely helpful for new rubric makers. I will definitely use this in my own classroom one day. Our group was amazing to work with, as usual, and made this week very enjoyable. The only issue our group faced was when Kelly attempted to provide the Scoopit link. We all worked together to assist him on this issue, but it seemed to be beyond our control. After 6 weeks of working on our group projects, this was the first major issue we've ran into. Chapter 8: Question 2
Reflecting on your experience with the following subjects, (language arts, mathematics, history, science, music), which ones do you think would be adaptable for distance education and which ones would not? Why? Would there be a difference in adaptability depending on grade level? I have experienced distance learning in various subjects over the years. From the list provided, I believe language arts, history, and music would be the most adaptable for distance learning. In a language arts class, the majority of the lessons can be presented in a PowerPoint presentation, with grammar, spelling, and editing worksheets provided for download. Additionally, readings can be assigned virtually, and quizzes/tests can be given online as well. History is another subject that I believe can be easily adapted for distance education, as it is delivered much like a language arts class. Typically, the teacher presents the information for the students to take notes, and quizzes/tests are given. I also believe music classes are easily adaptable for distance learning, as there are many musicians who actually teach themselves to play an instrument via youtube - My husband being one of them. If demonstration on how to play a certain instrument was needed, the teacher could provide Youtube tutorials, or demonstration videos of him/herself. If it was a music history class, the delivery format would be much like a language arts and history class. Personally, I have never experienced a science or mathematics class in an online format, so it is hard for me to picture. However, having taken those types of classes in person, I would imagine it would be much more challenging than english, history or music classes. First, science classes often require labs. I do not imagine it would be very easy to complete a lab online. I know it can be done, but I can't imagine it's anywhere near the experience you get from in-person labs. Second, the math classes I have taken over the years have required very personal instruction and assistance from the teachers. Yes, a teacher could explain how to do a math problem via Zoom or Microsoft Teams, but I can imagine it would be very difficult for a struggling student to receive the help they needed without a teacher physically there to show them. I definitely think there would be a difference in adaptability depending on grade level. For instance, we saw this play out during the Covid-19 transition to online formats for students of all ages. I read various Facebook posts from parents of young children complaining about how hard it was for their children to learn, or how hard it was for them to help their students via distance learning. Young children naturally require more assistance when it comes to school work, so I think they definitely suffered the most when instruction was transitioned to online formats. If distance learning became the cultural norm, young children would be introduced at an earlier age and would not have as much trouble learning using online platforms. My Learning Experiences This week I took the lead on the Padlet. I found that padlet is very user-friendly and multi-functional. I think Padlet could be useful for a teacher who does not have the capabilities to create a website; however, I do not think that a padlet and a website are both necessary. I do see the differences between the two, but I think the information is redundant if both are provided for students. I thoroughly enjoyed working with my group again this week. We work very well together and enjoy working together towards one common goal. This week we created a Padlet, an interactive video, a movie story, and the classroom website. Chapter 7: Question 1 When using the Internet with children, there are privacy and acceptable use issues. Describe the issues you are most concerned with and how you plan to address them when you become a teacher. The access children have to the internet has increased significantly even since I was a young child. I can remember getting a dinosaur desktop computer for Christmas when I was 6 years old. For years, the only functions I used was paint or games - games which I had to load in the CD player. It's crazy to think that many new computers don't even have a disc tray anymore. We had internet when I got a little older, but it was years before I learned how to use it. I can remember creating a MySpace profile when I was in middle school, and my mom was so worried about the people or things I would come across while using it. I lied about my age, where I was from, and didn't upload any pictures for years. This seems like reasonable precaution for a teenager using an online platform for anyone to view. Now days, young children have profiles on nearly every social media platform there is. Tiktok, snapchat, instagram, Youtube, and FaceBook to name a few. They post pictures of themselves, tell the world where they live, how old they are, etc., and they're just asking for trouble. I think parents should monitor their children's content until they are at least 16. Making sure the profiles are set to private, denying any friend requests from people you don't know, and refraining from sharing personal information are just a few of the ways to keep cyber issues from arising. To put it nicely, there are malicious people in the world that pry on young children on the internet. When using technology in a classroom, it is the teacher's job to ensure students are using it responsibly. Sure, the school may have firewalls set so students can't get on certain websites, but these technologically-savvy children have ways around that. As a teacher, I think it is important to teach a lesson on smart internet usage before ever letting your students on the internet in your presence. 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Even as an adult, using the internet responsibly is essential. The internet is a big, scary thing if you let it be; however, if used appropriately and beneficially, can be a great thing. Being a child in the technologically advanced world we live in today comes with many challenges. As a future educator, I hope to address these issues and help my students appropriately navigate the world wide web. My Learning Experiences I thoroughly enjoyed launching our group projects this week. My group members are all so intelligent and come from diverse backgrounds, and we all work very well together. For our group project this semester, we chose 6th grade Social Studies and have titled our lesson, "Where in the USA?" We decided on U.S. Geography after throwing several ideas around and saw the potential for a really interesting and beneficial lesson for 6th graders. Our goal is for students to become more familiar with Geography tools and be able to effective locate regions and states in the U.S., and give meaning to the various areas. We regularly communicate via GroupMe, and have virtual team calls via Microsoft Teams 1-2 times a week. We agreed on dividing up the projects evenly this week, with each group member heading one project, and used each other for feedback and collaboration throughout the week. I am very pleased with the outcome of our projects for the week. My contribution to this week's projects was the lesson plan. I think this was a great learning experience for me since I am not yet in a classroom teaching. I relied on my group members for suggestions, utilized my class resources, and pulled notes from previous classes, all of which aided in my completion of the lesson plan. We decided on the main idea for the lesson plan, which was U.S. Geography, and knew we wanted one of our measurable objectives to be for the students to successfully label a U.S. map. I thought an age appropriate activity for 6th graders would also be to bring something from their assigned states/region (2 states per student) to class for a "show and tell" type presentation. From then, I just incorporated our other projects from this week into the lesson plan and created assessments and classroom activities based on those projects, and developed measurable objectives. We are so excited to share this lesson with you!
Group members: Lauren DeLaune Rachel Long Kelly Hudson Lindsey Jones Chapter 6: Question 1
Consider how technology has helped you to be productive and complete tasks. Examine the physical requirements for using your favorite technologies. How might physical disabilities hamper your use of those preferred technologies and impact your personal productivity. As a teacher, what can you do to mitigate these challenges for students with special needs. Technology has become an aid in completing nearly every school-related and personal task in the world we live in today. Computer programs and functions such a Microsoft Office, email, Adobe, instant messaging and surfing the internet, and cell phone capabilities such as texting, calling, accessing apps, and taking photos and videos are some of my favorite and most-used technologies. When utilizing such technologies, one may not consider how such tasks can be completed for disabled individuals. For sight-impaired students, using a computer for most purposes would be impossible without assistance software such as text-to-speech, talking word processing systems, and digital books. These options for sight-impaired students are great ways for disabled students to feel less isolated in a classroom full of students. From my personal experience, when special education or inclusion teachers would come to get students from the class, they never did so in a manner that didn't draw attention. I think inclusion and special education classrooms are incredible opportunities for these types of learners, but if something can be done to keep these students in their larger classes, I think it would be beneficial for their self-confidence and learning experiences. As a future teacher, I think there are a few things that I can do to help mitigate the challenges students with special needs face. First, I think it's of utmost to be prepared when having students with special needs in your class. Knowing this type of information before the year starts will allow me to obtain the necessary technologies to assist these students. Second, I think it's important for teachers to be aware of these needs, but never draw attention to these students to cause any type of embarrassment. Finally, empathizing with these students will show you truly care about them and their learning experiences, and they will learn to trust you as their educator. By implementing these steps in a classroom, as well as utilizing necessary technologies, students with special needs will have an equal opportunity to be successful in school. Chapter 5: Question 1
Of all the types of teacher task software, which do you feel are the most essential for you to have to help you manage your classroom? Explain how each would benefit your teaching. Teacher task software includes productivity and classroom management software such as Microsoft office, database management, presentation support, attendance, and grade tracking. Software application in the classroom supports organization, communication, and productivity, and leads to a positive classroom environment. Of all the types of software available for teachers to support classroom management, I believe that online tools for digital learning are the most essential. Before the coronavirus outbreak, online tools for digital learning probably wouldn’t have seemed to most essential. However, I recognize how many teachers and students struggled with distance learning and I see how it negatively impacted the learning environment. If teachers used management tools such as google docs, learning apps, and online calendars and grade books on a regularly basis in their traditional classroom setting, transitioning to an online classroom wouldn’t be such an impossible task. Google docs allow for multiple users to view and edit a single document, which enables group collaboration and teacher input. Learning apps often encourage deeper thinking, and allows students to familiarize themselves with technology in a fun and exciting way. Online calendars and grade books are a crucial element in classroom management, as teachers can access these items from anywhere, anytime they need to. The organization and utilization that comes with teacher task software, if used to its fullest capabilities, has the potential to enhance classroom management and classroom environments for years to come. Even though I have not personally had the opportunity to utilize teacher task software in a classroom of my own, I am familiar with many of the tools mentioned in the text, and I believe each will play a key role when I transition into a classroom. Chapter 4: Question 3
Give two examples of technologies that were used when you were in middle school (it could even be as simple as the chalkboard). How have those technologies been transformed and what replaced them today? If you could choose only one of today’s technologies for your classroom, which one would it be? Why? Two technologies that were used when I was in middle school was an overhead projector and paperback books. Many other technologies have since been updated over the past ten years; however, these two stand out in my head the most. The overhead projector was replaced by the Promethean board or Smart board. The two are similar, but have different features and are made by different companies. From what I've gathered, it's almost like comparing windows to apple. In the end, you can accomplish the same goal with both, but the route may look a little different along the way. Promethean boards didn't become prominent in classrooms until my high school years, but when they did, they changed the game. I can remember being amazed by all the whiteboard-like features without the mess, and endless functions for presentations and internet. I think my favorite feature was the individual clickers we would use for test review that functioned as a remote for the board. The teachers would make a practice test or review game and we could send in our answer from the clickers. The whole class could see who was in the lead and it brought out our competitive side. The modern form of this is Kahoot. Paperback books have been replaced by google tablets and kindles. Paperback books are becoming a thing of the past, and are especially being reconsidered now with the Covid-19 outbreak. Both of my younger cousins who are in elementary and middle school have their own personal tablets provided by their school district. I joke with my mom and tell her that my back wouldn't hurt so bad today if I would've have a tablet to carry in my backpack instead of 4-5 heavy books. I definitely see the benefit of having digital books instead of paperback books that are shared from year to year; however, personally, I still prefer a paperback book to an e-book. I had to choose only one modern technology to integrate in my room today, I think it would be personal tablets or laptops for my students. I think this helps introduce them to the technology that they will use in higher education settings, and it teaches them some responsibility and independence. The opportunities are endless for students with this technology at their fingertips and I think it would play a key role in their academic futures. Chapter 3: Question 2
Think back on a classroom environment in which you were not as successful as you might have wanted to be. What were the factors that you encountered from the teacher and/or other students that may have hindered your learning? How will you mitigate such factors in your own classroom? In my Biology I class my freshman year of college, I was not as successful as I wanted to be or should’ve been. My teacher was as nice as he could be, and was genuinely passionate about Biology, but unfortunately, he did not know how to manage a classroom full of college students, and this hindered my success in his class. He stood at the front of the classroom for 1 hour and 30 minutes each class period. He would go over each chapter in monotone, while the rest of the class did whatever they wanted. He would kindly ask people to “quiet down” or “pay attention” but he never enforced any disciplinary actions. I was distracted by my classmates and I was aggravated that he didn’t have control of the classroom. I know he felt defeated as he stood there looking into a class where no one was paying attention, but little did he know, I did care and I would’ve loved to have learned something in his class. His first mistake, in my opinion, was failing to communicate his expectations on the first day of class. His second mistake was not changing his delivery method or teaching strategy when he realized no one was paying attention, and his final mistake was letting students run all over him. When I’m in a classroom and I feel like my teacher doesn’t care whether I’m understanding the material or not, I’m going to do the bare minimum to get by with a good grade. In this case, I finished with a B, and was completely fine with it. In other classes where my teachers show they are about my success, I would’ve been furious with a B. To ensure this does not happen in my future class, I will do the following: 1.Clearly communicate my expectations on day one 2.Ensure each student knows the disciplinary actions 3.Remain consistent in my rules and expectations 4.Get to know each student’s learning style 5.Keep the lessons exciting and fun If I could tell my Biology I professor one thing I learned from his class, I think he would be happy to know that I remember to acronym AMMMOCTOOOPCEB (Atom, Micro molecule, molecule, macro molecule, organelle ,cells, tissue, organs, organ system, organelle, community, eco system, biosphere). Chapter 2: Question 1
Identify a favorite teacher in elementary or secondary school. Describe three teaching or learning strategies that this teacher employed to meet your own learning needs that were significant in helping you learn. Why do you think they were effective for you? When I was in the 10th grade, I enjoyed an English class for the first time in my life. The first day started out like any ordinary day. We did the typical classroom introductions, rules and expectations, and got to know our teacher. During our second week of class, she had us write an essay about a person we admired or missed. She was very specific with her instructions. I wrote mine about my grandmother who had recently passed away.
I am thankful for Mrs. K for investing in me many years ago. I would not be the student or professional I am today without her. P.S. We are still close to this day! |
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