Revised Technology in Education

When the semester began I knew that I was going to learn a few ways to integrate technology in the classroom. But as the semester progressed I was amazed at the amount of programs and tools that were available to teachers. I truly had no idea of how many different ways technology could be incorporated. Teaching with technology is about learning with technology and not learning through technology. In today’s society, technology is growing in usage more and more everyday. As future teachers, we can use this in our classrooms as a major aid for positive and intellectual growth both academically and socially.

Chapter 10

Throughout reading the chapters in the book, we have been introduced to many different ways of using technology as a tool to help children learn. This chapter focuses on proper assessment to promote meaningful learning through technology. It begins by discussing authentic and performance assessment. Personally, I feel that authentic assessment should be used more often because it is more closely related to what students will need in the future. It allows students to be tested in ways that truly indicate whether they understand what is being tested.

Technology based assessment provides teachers with various ways to assess students. It is very helpful because it makes managing assessment data easier. Students are given better feedback because the teacher has more time to evaluate answers. One specific assessment tool that the book introduces is electronic portfolios. These are collections of digitized artifacts such as videos, graphics, clips, etc. The main purpose is to expose students to working with multimedia programs. I feel like this is a great tool to use with children. In this class we have been working with many artifacts that can be put into a portfolio at the end of the semester. Since so much work is being done electronically, e-portfolios are great to keep everything organized and for students to compare what they have done throughout the year. It also provides students with flexibility because it can be developed through a period of time. This takes away the stress that comes with constant time restraints. I definitely plan to use this as a form of assessment in my future classroom.

Ever since I can remember, rubrics have been given to me a guide and as tool for assessment. I have always liked when my teachers gave/still give rubrics. They allow students to be fully aware of the guidelines that must be met. Technology has made creating and using rubrics much easier for teachers. Before reading this chapter, I never knew that there were specific tools that help in creating rubrics. A program that the chapter initiates is the Rubric Processor. I really liked this tool because it prompts teachers in what should be included for an effective rubric. Having a good rubric and a program that helps create one is really great because you can dedicate more time in helping the student through proper feedback and focusing on key elements. The book provides helpful hints for teachers to keep in mind when producing rubrics.

The next part of the chapter talks about assessment tools. One that it specifically mentions and that I personally have used in many of my college classes is the clicker. Through my experience with the clicker, I have come to find them quite beneficial in a large lecture hall. Since these classes have so many students present, it becomes hard to get direct student feedback. The clicker makes it easy to ask students questions as a group and get immediate answers. I can see how they would be used in an elementary class, but I feel that teachers need to be very specific with the use of them. Kids may be distracted with the tool and without proper guidance; they can be more of a problem then a helpful source. But if used correctly, this tool is great for many reasons. One of the main reasons is that it can be very intrinsically motivating and engages students in a new and interactive way. When I googled the term “clickers”, I was surprised at the number of ideas on how to integrate them and the amount of different clicker vendors. I feel that if I have the privilege of having clickers, I will use them in my classroom as a way to get immediate feedback from my students.

The final assessment tool that the book mentions is computer- based tests and surveys. I have used this many times during my time in school. Surveys can be very effective for teachers to use with students and with parents. Teachers can use this tool as a way to get feedback from both. There are so many programs available to create free online surveys, making it easy to use. The compute- based tests are also very useful to use in the classroom because students are given different questions based on their prior answer. This is a great way to work with each student’s individual ability level. In order for this tool to be effective, students must understand that the teacher is not grading their responses but they are using those responses to verify if students truly understand.

Overall I felt this chapter was very helpful for all of us as educators. Using multiple forms of assessment is very important because a teacher can truly get an idea of individual strengths and weaknesses. Standard testing can be useful, but do not always provide students with a true evaluation of skills and do not always show teachers what students really understand. The variety of assessment tools introduced in this chapter will be incorporated in my classroom to promote meaningful learning.

Chapter 9

Vision is truly the most sophisticated sensory system that we as humans have. Images that we see are very important when making meaning of certain things. This chapter introduces using visualizing tools in the classroom. I really enjoyed this chapter because it provides some useful and interesting programs and methods to help provide students with meaningful learning. The chapter covers five kinds of visualization tools that can help students comprehend ideas in ways that are easier for them.

The first tool that is mentioned is scientific visualization tool. The scientific world is not always very visible to us. But technology can help us see this world in way that we can truly understand. Visualizing geography with geographic information systems is a really neat tool to use with kids. One that I was already familiar and use regularly is the Google Earth program. I am completely amazed with Google Earth. It recently has been updated and you are able to see actual street views. This summer I was in Brazil visiting my family. They were all curious to see where and how the city that I lived in was. I used Google Earth and I was able to show them exactly where I go to class, where I live, and so much more!

I will definitely be incorporating this in my classroom. It’s a great way to learn the location of different countries and to even take a closer look at specific cities. Another feature of this program is the search engine. You can search specific monuments or areas, and it will take you straight to them. SketchUp was a tool that was new to me, but seemed very interesting and useful. Students are able to create their own models of buildings that can then be placed in Google Earth. This gives students opportunities to be creative and utilize global positioning data.

Visualizing mathematical ideas with technology was the next tool this chapter brought up. Math is a very abstract subject; therefore, visualization is essential in grasping mathematical concepts. Many tools such as graphing calculators and programs such as Mathematica and MathLab are helpful in visualizing math. Personally, I don’t think I would use these tools in my classroom because they seem to be a little to complex for elementary students. But a tool that I might use is TinkerPlots. I would use this with upper elementary when teaching them about graphs. It is great because sometimes it is very frustrating to have to draw and redraw graphs. This program allows students to drag variety of variables to the axis and investigate the data.

The third tool is visualizing with digital cameras and mobile phones. Before this class, I had never thought about using cell phones in the classroom. The book suggested using phones to create personal documentaries. This is actually really interesting and is a neat way to incorporate a tool that most students have. But it’s also a very controversial matter, as has been discussed in some contemporary issue in my presentations. I’m not sure that I will use this tool in my classroom because I am still having a hard time understanding exactly how to incorporate it.

Using video to visualize is the next tool introduced in the chapter. When I was younger, I used to love to make fun movies with my friends. We would create a story and act them out. I think that this is a great way for students to be dynamic, productive, and cooperative. Students need to be imaginative and willing to take chances. I will use this tool in my classroom for a variety of projects. For example, I could incorporate it into a history lesson and allow them to act out a specific moment in history and share it with the class. Many skills, such as editing the videos, can be acquired with creating videos. The chapter provides a step by step process on how to create a digital storytelling. This provides students with the opportunity to establish connections between the creator and the viewer. The students are also able to understand how all the essentials work together.

The final tool is video modeling and feedback. This is a key reason why I would use video in my class. Sometimes it’s not possible to show or explain something in the classroom, but a video may be able to do so. Feedback is very important because it allows students to view themselves in an unfiltered and unbiased way. As a future teacher I will prepare students to use feedback correctly because it can sometimes be frightening if it is used inappropriately.

Visualization is important for students to use. Technology provides tools and programs that can make it easier. This chapter helped make clear the different tools that can be used. I hope that as a teacher, I can use the tools to better help my students.

Chapter 8

This chapter introduced me to a whole side of designing that I had never heard of or never thought could be incorporated into an elementary classroom. Designing with technology is a very complex task, but with proper training, design can be used to motivate students to explore and learn the big ideas of all subjects. This chapter describes four different areas where meaningful learning can be enhanced with the use of design activities.

The first context that the book mentions is drawing design ideas with computer-aided design software. This program is used to allow designers to create a sketch of what they want to make before actually doing it. This is a great tool to use with students because they can visualize what works and what doesn’t. They can then improve the design so that when it is made for real less errors are likely to occur. The book mentions a program called Pro/DESKTOP. This program is available to students at no cost and allows them to develop their ideas as virtual objects. I really liked this program and feel that I could incorporate it into my classroom. I thought it was so interesting that it provides clear feedback to students to guide them when creating 3-D shapes. Another program that was introduced was SketchUp. This program is really interesting because students can walk through their creating, making it very realistic. I think this would be a great program for students because they can get really involved in their designs.

Testing designs and building mental models with simulation software is the next context introduced. This program seems to best for science related topics. They help students build mental models of how the world works. The program introduced in the chapter is Trebuchet Simulator. This program is really neat because it allows students to create a simulation before they actually create it. Students can test experiments through this program. I feel like this program would be good to use in my classroom because it allows students to feel more confident and get less frustrated when building and refining their projects.

The third section is developing programming skills while designing in the media arts. This kind of design involves using a Logo programming language. This program allows students to have complete control over what occurs in the program. I enjoyed this section because it introduced Scratch, which after being in this class, was a familiar program. This program helps students design graphics, games, and much more. It also expands their computer literacy skills. This program will definitely be used in my classroom. One way that I would incorporate it into my class would be to allow students to take a written story and create an animation using scratch that represents the story. The book introduced iStopMotion software. This is a really cool program that allows young students to create their own movies and time-lapse recordings. After looking at this program, I would definitely use it with my students.

The final section of this chapter is designing music with composition software. This was such an interesting section. I had never really heard of anything like it until last week in class when we were working with GarageBand. This is a great way to incorporate music and emphasize its importance in any class. Students are able to explore different instruments and learn about the sounds that they produce. I really like how students are able to create their own arrangements. I will be using this kind of design in my classroom by incorporating it to core subjects. For example, students can create a song to help them memorize a science topic. This will allow students to be interactive with each other, with technology, and with music, while learning. “Musical Sketch Pad” is an example of an inline music composition environment that is introduced in this chapter. I looked it up and thought it was really fun! It is directed for students in primary grades, which is perfect for me as a future elementary teacher. I really liked this program, but felt that students might have a hard time creating musical patterns because there is a lot that goes into it. But with proper instruction, students can really benefit from this website.

Overall, I felt that this chapter was interesting and useful for educators to read. I had never really been exposed to designing with technology. But I have learned so many programs that students can students can benefit from by taking their ideas and making them a possible reality through technology. It is extremely important for teachers to help students with design programs because they can sometimes be quite complex. As a future teacher, which design programs do you think you would incorporate in your classroom and why?

Chapter 7

Communication is essential for successful teaching and learning. This chapter focuses on using technology as a form of communication. It introduces various activities and programs that allow individuals and groups to share and exchange ideas. I realized that this chapter had a close connection to the previous chapter because it also focuses on building a community through technology. I feel that this is extremely important in any classroom and technology allows the community to expand to a great extent.

In society today, technology based communication has grown to a great extent. The chapter talks about using computer conferencing in the classroom. It explains some reasons that support this form of communication. It mentions that students do not have to be in the same place in order to learn. The book also explains that computer conferencing enables learners to reflect on their ideas or response before making them. The last reason that the book encourages computer conferences is that it can guide and scaffold students as they make comments. I personally do not believe that any of these are true reasons to have computer conferences instead of face to face learning. I personally have had classes that are merely online and from that experience I can say I did not get as much as I would have if I could have gone to class and interacted with other students and my teacher. This is even a greater problem with children because these are essential years for them to socialize with other students and with adults.

Discussion board is another tool for communication. I thought this was actually very interesting. The book mentioned that this tool gives English as Second Language students a chance to increase their language skills. I think this is a very useful tool and I really liked how it can be used to help English language learners because as teachers it is important to provide them extra resources to help them succeed. It also gives them a chance to participate in class discussions without the added pressure of peer judging. I will definitely be using this with all my students and especially if I have ESL students.

Synchronous exchange with chats and messaging was a tool mentioned in this chapter. When I was younger, I used to spend hours instant messaging my friends. Even recently, Facebook, added an application where you can chat with people who are also on facebook. I used to love doing that and sometimes it’s nice now to chat with friends that you haven’t spoken to in a while. But I personally don’t think that I would implement this in my classroom. I feel that it can be distracting and is more of a social service than an educational tool. After reading the part in the book that talks about this tool in the classroom, I understand its ideas, but I don’t think that it would be very effective in an elementary class. I don’t think that they will have the literary skills for this kind of interactions.

I really liked the idea of videoconferencing. I think this is a great way to allow students to expand their knowledge in so many areas. The book mentions that it’s a great way for students to interact with experts that would be impossible to do face to face. I think this is such a good way for students to be engaged in a topic or lesson by listening to an expert. As a future elementary teacher, I think this is a very useful tool because we have to teach all areas. This can enhance the curriculum in a way that may not be possible any other means. The book mentions many things to consider with this tool like technical considerations. I think this is important for the book to mention because many people may not consider the implications of this. Also teachers need to be very careful to have a complete resource check on any videoconference being done in the classroom. The internet can sometimes bring inappropriate items for students to view.

Podcasting is a tool that I have never used before. I have heard so much about it, but never truly explored it until reading this chapter. I was amazed at the variety of podcasts available I feel that they are a wonderful tool to be used as a source for students. If I find a kid friendly podcast on a specific subject that I am teaching or want to cover, I will ask students to listen to it as homework. I could even implement a writing reflection on the specific podcast. But I will not use podcasts as a lecturing tool because I feel that it could be very boring for students.

Overall, I really enjoyed learning about different ways to communicate through technology. There were a few tools that I would definitely implement in my classroom to enhance knowledge and engage students, but there are some things that will never replace face to face interaction. I look forward to researching the tools and using them in my future.

Booktalk

Chapter 6

This chapter was really interesting. When I think of a community, the first thing that comes to mind is a group of interacting people that share common interest. I never thought that the idea of a community could be found through technology. This chapter has introduced me to many ways that I, as a future teacher, can expand a sense of community in my classroom through technology. Web 2.0 is a new term for me. The book explains it as “the capacity to bring people together and support sharing online communities through the use of technology.” This idea is the focus of this chapter.

In schools around the country, students’ knowledge is sometimes undervalued. Many times, teachers evaluate student knowledge merely on their understanding of the curriculum. As a student myself, I have noticed this in my past. Chapter tests are the main source of evaluation. But this doesn’t necessarily capture the true fundamentals of meaningful learning. The book talks about Knowledge Forum, an electronic group intended to support the development of knowledge-building. Through forums, students are able to share their opinions and beliefs about a certain subject through online writing assignments and live discussions. As a teacher, one of my goals will be to foster knowledge-building communities. I feel that forums are a good way to get a deeper look into students’ knowledge while forming a community with other students.

Wikis are a method of constructing knowledge that this chapter discusses. When I began to use the internet for school related work, I was always warned against wikis. Since anyone can generate and revise wiki pages, the content may not be correct. The book, however, brings some interesting points that I had never thought about prior. Most web pages are not necessarily subject to review before being posted so it is important that students know how evaluate all online media. This is something that I plan on helping my students with.

The book mentioned that wikis are always being checked which allows for constant peer review of content. Wikis can not only help students with writing skills but it is used as a collaborative setting to engage in design work. The book gave an example of a Holocaust Wiki project that a history teacher assigned to his students. I thought this project was such an appealing way of teaching students about this important moment in history while creating a collaborative environment through wikis. The book suggested many other ways in which teachers have used wikis in the classroom as a useful learning tool. This section in the chapter has changed my views about wikis and I plan on incorporating it in my future classroom.

The next section was finding colleagues with interactive blogs. I had never really been exposed to educational blogging until this specific course. I think it is a very useful and creates a space for dynamic connections of ideas and critiques. The book introduced me to Technorati. This company offers a search bar for blog content which can help students connect to each other. Chapter 6 mentions many different kinds of blogging. One that I thought was interesting is teacher-created blogs. This is a way to allow students to explore further on information that wasn’t covered in class. It also encourages students who don’t normally participate in class discussions. Blogging is definitely a possibility in my classes. But in order to ensure that students are engaging in meaningful learning through blogs, I will provide guidelines and always preview student blogs before posting.

Personally, one of the most interesting parts of this chapter was building international communities through technology. I had never heard of online learning circles until this book. Online Learning Circles usually supports an explicit project or online activity that is integrated into the curriculum. The book talked about iEARN. The goal of this program is to bring students and teachers around the world together by creating an understanding of each other through projects. KidLink is another program that can be used for international connection. I was amazed that it is available in over 30 languages. Students are able to interact with each other by posting comments on the pages of this site. All of these programs are really fascinating to me because you can learn so much about people from all over the world. I feel that one of the most meaningful ways to learn about other cultures and languages is by being exposed to them. These online international communities make it easy to expose students to so many cultures.

Another very intriguing section of this chapter is the programs available to build professional teacher communities. The book introduced me to Tapped In. This is an online workplace for K-12 educators where you can have informal collaborative activities with colleagues. Tapped In offers online discussions about important topics for all teachers. It even has private online spaces where you can talk to a teacher about a specific idea or problem. This is a very useful source for me as a future teacher. I plan on participating in these kinds of workshops.

I really enjoyed reading this chapter and learning about all the useful resources available through technology. Like I mentioned before, building a learning community is very important for me as a teacher. These resources will all be extremely helpful in helping me achieve my goals.