While I have been taking classes on integrating technology in the classroom, I have strived to increase my level of technology being used inside the classroom. Through my findings I have also realized the importance of how the technology is being presented. I have established a “GAME” plan for myself to increase my teaching ability (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). The two indicators I want to focus on from the NETS-T are #2 a and b.
My goal for the indicator #2 a and b is to teach students the advantage technology has on their learning. I want students to go to a computer to further their learning rather than always asking the teacher for the answers or immediate help. I want my students to go to technology to assess how much they have learned in the current unit. I want my students to utilize technology if they do not understand the way a book, peer, or teacher is teaching a lesson.
My action plan to meet these goals is to incorporate technology in multiple ways, such as “individual use,” “small groups” and “whole groups.” (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009, p. 88-92) Technology needs to be used in everyday lecture lessons for either homework, motivation, or as a manipulative. Throughout the year, I will also have my students complete at least one big project that is done using the web, Microsoft word, and PowerPoint. This project teaches the students many skills that are needed for research, evaluation, and then using the information correctly. It also shows them how useful and accessible information is on a computer. My last plan of action is to engage in at least one professional development seminar to increase my knowledge on the use of technology. I would like to find a workshop that focuses on how to integrate technology in the classroom in an effective way.
To monitor my progress, I will continually evaluate my students’ grades to see what lessons the students did not understand. With that knowledge I will be able to use technology in different ways to change a lesson if the students did not understand it the first time. Also, to monitor my progress, I will keep a journal that I will write in every day to discuss what went well with the technology and what could be improved. With that feedback in writing, I will be able to make adjustments, which will also be recorded. Through this journal, I plan to “go beyond a simple description of what happened to consider why it happened, how it is connected to other events, and what adjustments should be made to subsequent actions based on this understanding.” (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009, p. 11)
Evaluating my work and progress will begin with reviewing my journal to see how changes were made during the year and if they increased my students’ interest in the use of technology. I will also evaluate the projects my classes created to see how much creative thought my students demonstrated. Through that process, I will compare the unique aspects each project and the methods I used to present the material. If I find one class that had more projects that inspired creative thinking, I will have to reflect on the procedure I used for that project.
References
Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use: A Standards-Based Approach. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont , CA : Wadsworth
Jenna,
ReplyDeleteTechnology can be used to keep students organized (Laureate Education Inc., 2008). You could have your students learn Excel by teaching them to keep track of their grades. This will allow you to integrate technology and motivate the students to improve their grade if they need to. The Excel spreadsheets also give you a resource when you monitor your progress and evaluate their grades.
Allison
Jenna,
ReplyDeleteTechnology can be used in a multitude of ways to teach the same concept. I like your idea of using technology “. . . in different ways to change a lesson if the students did not understand it the first time.” I am not sure what grade you teach but there are a great deal of neat math resources on the web that really adhere to teaching auditory, visual and kinesthetic learners.
Here are some that our district uses:
http://www.explorelearning.com/
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html (library of virtual manipulatives)
http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/
These are some of the most popular within the district. Also, we have some software called Math Packs that is great.
Allison Ramseyer
Allison H. and Allison R.
ReplyDeleteThose were some great ideas to help incorporate technology in my classroom. There are many students that do not understand how their final grade is established and I feel that if they kept all of their grades on an excel spreadsheet they would see how their final grade is developed.
I have had my students get on the internet before and they found some very useful websites to help them understand a topic more. There are so many helpful manipulative's on the computer to help ALL learners.
Jenna Enevoldsen
Jenna,
ReplyDeleteI like the way you spelled out your process for evaluating the progress of your GAME action plan. You seem to keep an open dialogue with yourself and I think that is key for improving your skills.
I also had a comment on the fact that you are seeking a workshop to find effective ways to utilize technology. The fact is, I think you have already come up with some useful ways! Even being a technology teacher myself, I am starting to realize that too much tech integration can stagnate the learning in a course. If a technology tool presents itself as being useful to help a student or class meet a goal, or being a means to an end, then so be it, let's use it. But if there's just this technology tool that exists, and you can integrate it into the curriculum but it has arguable merit, then what have you gained? I guess my point is, is that the best professional development you can probably get on this topic may be the class you're taking right now! At least this way you'll get an honest, fair and balanced overview of what real - world experience is with these different tools.
Keep up the great work -
Dan
I think that it is so important to monitor student progress on a daily basis. Technology makes it so much easier and convenient to monitor students daily. Excel is a great program for you to keep track of tests, homework and anything else that needs to be calculated! I hear that once you learn it and all of the formulas, it is pretty easy to use!
ReplyDeleteTechnology in your class is probably very easy for your students to use and access. It is nice to have older students so that they can listen to the directions and do it. I have K students so sometimes it is not that easy for me to get them on the computers and tell them to do something by themselves.
A great way to have access to resources, beside GOOGLE, is to go to other schools webpages. If you go to their 'technology' link, there will be tons of great resources to use for you and your students!
Amy