Journal entry #4

Summary:

 In this chapter, it will teach how technology and educational change help teachers infuse technology into both the classroom instruction and professional work.  Technology integration refers to ways that build technology into all aspects of their work and educational change refers to innovations by teachers that create new patterns of teaching and learning in schools. In chapter four, it discusses many ways teachers can incorporate both in exciting ways and so many different possibilities. These two do not only mean by using computers and other technology devices. It has two elements: The teacher mindset and multiple pathways. Teacher mindset asks how computers, internet, and other sources enable students to meet their curriculum goals and outcomes, while multiple pathways is about using limited sources teachers can promote successful learning.

            Technology use can be subdivided into three different ways: Inside the classroom, outside the classroom, and both inside and outside the classroom. A key to making technology a substantive part of daily teaching is to think both technologically and educationally.  Technology-based library is where teachers and their students have been able to locate so much potentially useful information easily and efficiently. Technology-based textbook is where teachers can go online to find reading materials from every subject area. Technology based learning environment offers new possibilities for extending beyond the school day while building a greater learning community in the school.

            Technology use in schools tends to follow one of the two broad trends: inclusion or infusion.  Inclusion means that computers and other information technologies are used mainly for traditional purposes of transferring information and practicing skills. Infusion means that computers and other information technologies are ongoing features of teaching and learning in all academic subjects at all grade levels.

            There are 5 stages of technology integration: entry, adoption, adaptation, appropriation, and invention. ACOT studies found that teachers demonstrated greater accomplishments with technology as they moved up the scale on the five stages. These learning developments included:

·         Becoming more socially aware and socially confident

·         Acting as an independent self-starter

·         Working well collaboratively

Nowadays every classroom has at least one computer, if not more. It is rare you go into a classroom and not see one. Only having one computer in the classroom get the students to interact with one another by either doing power points and presentations. Divide the students into groups and each group can take their turn on the computer, while the other students can be doing other things in the classroom.

            Even having limited sources to a computer does not mean technology cannot be put to good use. IT all depends on how a teacher uses their time and sources efficiently. Teachers  now have many options to collect information from different sources such as an electronic textbook, technology-based library, and based textbooks.

Focus Question # 4:  

 What instructional strategies and approaches promote technology integration while addressing the participation gap?

Answer:

·          One to one laptop computing initiatives provide every student with technology they can use for learning

·         1-3 formats use computers as a learning center or station where students do academic activities while the teacher works with the other group of students

·         Electronic textbooks provide students with learning materials they can focus from any online computer

·         Dialogue among students and teachers is a method for involving students in educational change efforts in schools.

Tech tool 4.1 :

http://ncteinbox.blogspot.com/

 

This webpage explores many topics of interest to technology using teachers from any subject field. Going onto the webpage, I first notice many blogs from different tragic moments in the United States including the hurricane in New York and hurricane that hit in New Orleans and how students had to deal with the aftermath. There are many types of blogs that deal with education and real life experiences. You can also subscribe to the webpage and inbox the editors. They have articles about technology and so much more! This webpage can give any teacher, new or old, ideas of what to do in the class.  

Opinion: Unlike before, teachers have many different options to create and look up information to teach a class. Everything has changed since I was in elementary school. I remember when the best technology we had was writing on the projector. Nothing as exciting as what my little sister tells me what she learned in school and everything that they teach her. Students and teachers can put their knowledge together and make the classroom a place that students always want to be at. To keep a students attention is not easy, but to use technology efficiently and correctly can attract any students attention.

Journal Entry # 3

Summary: Lesson plans refer to all the activities that teachers do as they create, teach and evaluate lessons with their students. When it comes down to doing a lesson plan a teacher has three elements that they need to include; academic content, teaching goals, and learning assessments. Academic contents are the facts, concepts, ideas, and skills that they want to share with the students. Teaching goals, methods, and procedures is what they will use in their classes. Teachers use this on a daily bases. With this a teacher can use life experience in their lectures. It makes it more exciting in the classroom. A teacher who can add real life stories makes you want to hear what they went through. One of my professors does this in our criminal class and keeps the class wanting to hear more. You can see it all happening as he explains in details all the arrests and car crashes he did when he was a police officer. Technology comes to play in lesson plans if a teacher decides to use presentation software, visual thinking threaded discussions and when they send emails about the discussions. There are so many other ways technology can be used in a lesson plan; it’s an endless amount of possibilities. Teachers can be creative in their own ways. Learning assessments occurs before, during, and after teaching lessons. This lets the teacher see if the students understand the lecture and see how they took in the knowledge. Learning assessments are no longer just the old boring way of "let's take out a paper and pencil and start a quiz", technology has taken that over as well! As students, we can now take electronic tests and quizzes, online surveys, and so much more!

        When it comes time to assess and evaluate students, it comes down to how a teacher explained their lesson plan. Many teachers like to add stories as I mentioned earlier. They can do many things to try to keep the information locked into the students’ brains. To do so, make the lesson plan different and exciting as much as possible. Taking tests and quizzes can show if they did understand what you told them. Test assessments have been upgraded and technology comes to play. As teachers, now they can use electronic grading software. This is a virtual recordkeeping system. It is a great source because it allows a teacher to see where a student is struggling and try to help the student as much as possible. Performance assessments measures what someone actually does in a certain activity, assessing performance within the context of that activity. They can also do this by using a student performance rubric. This will show

·         How accurately they define a problem

·         How successfully they design a strategy for solving a problem.

·         How effectively they implement the plan

·         How clearly they explain their findings and conclusions.

Focus Question # 4: How can teachers evaluate and assess their students?

There are many ways a teacher can do this

Ø They can do this before, during, and after a lesson plan

Measure what the students’ knowledge about the subject

Ø Technology has many options of tests and quizzes , also doing online surveys, portfolios, and student writing

Ø Using standard-based assessment which is used to measure student performance in a specific national, state, or local standard.

Ø Using the student performance rubric which can help show you each individuals’ student weak spot on a subject.

Ø The old fashion way of asking students’ to take out a sheet of paper and pencil to start taking a test

Opinion: I think that is great now that we have so many more options to explore on taking tests and quizzes. Growing up I did not like having the only option of the old fashion way. Doing online tests are much more comfortable. Being able to go home and doing it is much easier just because you don’t feel pressured as much. Surveys can tell you how well a student knows a specific subject, and when a student does not feel as if it’s a test their mind is more at ease. Teachers now have more options than ever to help out students pass each grade level.  With this being said, teachers are still having difficulties keeping up with the state and national policies concerning with the standardized testing. Teachers have so much to keep in mind, that their job is not always appreciated by many. On the website www.fairtest.org, which was made in Massachusetts, is an advocacy organization that is trying to seek the end of misuses and flaws of standardized testing. It goes on by clarifying information about test policies at all education level. To me, this would be a great help as a starting teacher who might be having problems and feeling overwhelmed with their job. It also goes into greater depth about the No Child Left Behind Law and minority test takers as well.  

On the webpage you can learn 8 ways to fight high-stakes testing, common care assessments  It lets you sign the national resolution on high-stakes testing. This website can be helpful and bring you information about testing and about others who care about the public education. IT allows you to see testing from all grade levels, has news letters, and fact sheets. If you are the type to be more hands on you can get involved with the organization and join the cause.

                No matter what career choice you decide to take, in the beginning you will feel overwhelmed with having to soak up every bit of information given to you. Best advice is to take your time and do not stress out. Everything at the end will come to place and eventually understand what it takes to be a teacher. No one said it would be easy, but you are here to help out the children and their future is in stake. Always make it about the students!

http://www.fairtest.org/

chapter 2 focus question 7

Focus question 7: How can students express their creativity using technology?
 Technology can be used in many aspects through out the classroom. Their are many types of learning methods including visual learning, feedback, express creativity; when it comes to technology used in the classroom.

 There are many ways a student can express themselves through technology, one way i would focus on is being creative with their work. Making an assignment exciting and being able to put their input and art work into an assignment makes a student want to do their work, it makes it more exciting. They have the options to make a video and put it in their powerpoint; they have the option to edit and put graphics into their work, and make it unique as every student is. They could also put sounds effects or the music they like to listen to. It also has been sown that students that who used technology such as a laptop as part of a writing precess have done better on exams and tests.

Technology is a great source in the classroom. Students can do group assignments, read feedback, and be able to express themselves. No student is alike, everyone is different and unique thus so should be their work. To ask a student to get up and read off an index card is redundant and quite frankly boring. Give a student a computer they have the world in their hand. Allow them to be themselves and show you what they have to offer.


http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/

Focus question: How do new technologies create new opportunities for teaching and learning?

No matter which way you turn, technology surrounds you. Whether it is a phone, computer, or TV, almost every child has an electronic device at their house. What would a person in this century do if one day we did not have the use to go on a computer or have access to internet? How does one survive? Many people use the internet to get access to the “real world”. Internet to some people is like breathing. People stay connected with their friends, other use it for business usage and some pay bills.

For teachers, it is all about catching the attention of their students and teaching them new things. If a teacher was to stand up in front of a class and read and teach out a book, you would most likely have half the students not paying any attention. When teaching a student, technology is a great way to do so. There are many ways a teacher can use technology to improve their teaching methods. Instead of reading through a text book, you the internet to start up a class discussion about the lesson plan. When handing out an assignment for a student to do, tell them to include a video make power points.

Feedback from a teacher is important to a student. The smile face on the paper is just not cutting it anymore! Emails for example can be a tool for a teacher can use to send feedback to a student. You can always send them a webpage, hyperlink, etc. to show them how they can improve in the class. Sending them notes and homework assignments if they missed class is another great reason emails can be a helpful tool. Have students put the internet into good use, instead of only using it for playing video games, let’s have them use it for educational purposes!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiisteObuhk