Philosophy of Technology in Education

Reflecting on my initial philosophy of using technology in the classroom, I noticed that it has not changed much. I still believe that integration into the classroom is vital but now I believe like everything, it has its time and place. Throughout my IT class I have learned that just because it’s new doesn’t mean that it is better. I do still believe that technology allows for greater differentiation and streamlines grading, planning and management for teachers.

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/all/themes/commonsense/images/logo-commonsense.png

            
One of my most impactful learning experiences this quarter was researching different classroom/teacher blogs. I really enjoyed reading through these blogs because most are from current educators. It was impactful to read their experiences and any advice they had from other teachers. I also really enjoyed learning more about digital literacy and exploring Common Sense Media. It has so many different reviews of apps for teachers and students a like. If you wanted to try out a new app or game I would definitely recommend checking out the reviews of it on Common Sense Media!

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http://www.imaginelearning.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Scratch-addition-facts-screenshot-Big-Brainz-300x169.jpg

One tool that I am definitely going to use is BigBrainz. BigBrainz is a web-based app where students can practice their math facts. What is really cool about this program is that it is set up like a video game where students go on quests and in order to progress through the next one they have to answer questions correctly. There are two versions of the game; a premium version where you do have to pay and another one this is currently free (this may change soon). From what I have seen in the classroom, students absolutely love playing and are fully engaged in it.

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Another tool that I am going to use is ClassDojo. ClassDojo is great because not only is it a classroom management tool but it is also a great way to keep in touch with parents. In terms of classroom management, teachers can add certain positive behaviors they are looking for in students. Every time a student exhibits this behavior they receive a point. These points can be used for anything the teacher wants like prizes or free time. Teachers can also send out messages to the whole class or to individual families. The best part is, ClassDojo is free for both parents and teachers, which is another reason why I am definitely going to use this in my classroom.

http://www.mpsaz.org/crismon/staff/aekagan/classdojo/images/dojo.jpg           

 This class gave me a great base for integrating technology into the classroom. Throughout the quarter I had the opportunity of exploring various tools and finding ones I will definitely implement in my classroom. After taking this class I feel prepared to implement technology into my own classroom, and I now have the tools and knowledge to research other tools and applications. As my education continues, I hope to learn more about Google Classroom. I feel like this is a tool that would benefit students, their families, and myself. Overall I learned so much this quarter that I will continue to build upon everyday!

Ed Tech's Role in Assessment

When it comes to assessments, technology can be a huge difference maker for both teachers and students. There are multiple assessments used throughout the school year. Summative assessments measure knowledge at a specific point in time. They are usually given at the end of a unit to determine whether students are meeting standards. The second kind of assessment is a formal summative test. These are given at the end of the year to measure student progress and include statewide tests. The third form of assessment is a formative assessment. These are frequent, instructionally embedded checks for understanding that provide quick feedback. A combination of the three is necessary to ensure students are receiving the support and are being challenged. 

https://tech.ed.gov/netp/assessment/

There are many positive aspects to delivering assessments through technology. Using technology will provide real time feedback that can be accessible to not only students, but parents as well. Assessments can also be embedded in student learning. According to the Office of Education Technology "embedded assessments have the potential to be useful for diagnostic and support purposes in that they provide insights into why students are having difficulties in mastering concepts and provide insights into how to personalize feedback to address these challenges." I believe the biggest positive aspect of delivering assessments through technology is it enables enhanced question types. Instead of the standard true-or-false, or fill-in-the-blank questions students can be asked to draw, arrange sentences or phrases within a passage or enter in an equation. These types of questions cause students to think critically and analyze information. 

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Based on what I have learned so far in my IT 442 course I want to embed assessments into my students learning. I think this will be the most practical way to deliver assessments through technology. I believe this because the chances of having a computer available to every student at the same time is very slim. Instead by embedding the assessments in different types of games and programs students can play at different times and I will still be provided with that important information. In terms of providing feedback to my students, I will post personalized feedback to every student on their page in our classroom shared folder. I will provide students with strengths as well as areas they can improve upon and different resources to use to help improve on those areas.

To read more from The Office of Educational Technology about Assessments click here.

Review of "Using Playlists to Differentiate Instruction"

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/student-playlists-differentiation/

I read Using Playlists to Differentiate instruction on the Cult of Pedagogy blogsite. When I first read the title I thought I was going to be reading about using music and how it helps differentiation. Instead of music playlists, the author discussed unit playlists. These playlists are individualized digital assignments that students work on at their own pace. There are hard due dates and teacher check-ins along the way, but other than that the student can complete the work at their own pace.

I absolutely love this idea. Every student gets the time they need to complete the work and the rest of the class isn’t held up. I would use this in my classroom for any big projects we have. I would also use this if a student has really specific learning needs. Another way I could use this is for students to work on their classwork at home. If I put the lists in a Google doc, they would be accessible to students anywhere.

It would benefit both students and families because they would be able to see exactly what we are working on in the classroom. Students will also get to take as much time as they need to complete their work. A few barriers exist, the first being access to that many computers or tablets in the classroom. I could overcome it by just having printed out versions available to my students. Another barrier that could come up is access to technology at home. To overcome this I could have printed versions available to take home or just make it optional for homework.

Digital Literacy

Our students have more access to technology in their everyday lives than ever before. This brings educators to think about digital literacy and its importance. So what is this thing people call digital literacy?

The American Library Association's digital- literacy task force defines digital literacy as "the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills." To me, digital literacy means being fluent with technology. Being able to not only find, create and communicate your digital content but also the ability to teach someone else how to do so is an indicator of being fluent. Digital literacy can range anywhere from small tasks like copying and pasting information into a document to big tasks like creating your own movie.

There are skills required for our students as well as ourselves to be digitally literate. They are: knowledge of basic tech, social media, cloud computing, digital databases, virtual collaboration, sharing to build knowledge, evaluate info found online, and digital citizenship. To me, the most important of these skills is digital citizenship. With so much access to technology it is important to not only be knowledgable in rules, regulations, and conduct but it is vital to pass this information along to our students.

Why is digital literacy so important? Everything we do is connected to technology in some way. With society so connected to each other it is important to be knowledgeable about different forms of technology and their intended purposes as well as the proper way to conduct oneself.

If you'd like to learn more about digital literacy and its importance check out these two videos as well as the links I've included!

http://pomo.com.au/blog/digital-literacy/
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2016/11/09/what-is-digital-literacy.html
http://www.teachhub.com/technology-classroom-what-digital-literacy