Technology and Assessment Reflection

What is your philosophy of technology use in the classroom?

This semester has taught me that technology can be super beneficial in the classroom. Looking at the semester, there has been a lot of evidence for technology use in the classroom. My interview with my mom and the readings / talk with Trish Atherly about assistive technology have really convinced me that technology in the classroom is a good thing. Looking at our discussions over cell phone use in the classroom, there are obviously some issues, but I believe the benefits outweigh the deficits. My philosophy on technology in the classroom is: Technology use in the classroom is there to benefit the students, so I am all for it, until it gets to the point of hurting student safety and learning.

How will you model and teach appropriate digital citizenship skills?

Digital citizenship brings us all the way back to week one, dang. Reflecting on my blog post from that week, I can recall that there are three pillars to digital citizenship: digital literacy, information literacy, and digital civility. I believe that all three of these areas will need to be touched on in the classroom. The main way to teach digital citizenship is by being an example yourself. You can do this by citing everything that you present to your students. Some ways to immediately show your students how to be good digital citizens is by showing them how to apply filters the very first day when searching for images and by educating them on the dangers of being online.

How will the framework(s) for technology integration help guide your lesson planning?

Our main source for technology integration came from “Future Ready Learning.”  This article discussed the importance and relevance of STEM education. You can see my notes from this article in my Popplet. My lesson planning will be guided by the fact that as a teacher, I am still a student. I do not know every piece of technology out there – nobody does. I think that when planning a lesson I will have to realize that I cannot be perfect, so it is okay to take risks. Technology allows for students to receive equitable learning, but I must also understand that not all students have the same technology or backgrounds in technology. I think that when planning a lesson I must know these things in order to serve my students in the best way possible.

What technologies do you see yourself using to enrich, accelerate or enhance your content?

I think that I will implement a lot of the Web 2.0 technologies we discussed along with items in the classroom we discovered. Some examples of what I would include are:

1. Plickers
2. Pear Deck
3. Virtual Reality

How do these technologies enable to you enrich, accelerate, or enhance content?What limitations come along with using technology in the classroom?

1. Plickers: Plickers allows me to quiz students and receive immediate feedback. Because the cards are paper and can be reused from class to class, it is very inexpensive. It is a very good way to get a formative assessment because it tells you if the students are understanding the material. Some downsides to Plickers is that you can only ask multiple choice questions and at its basic level, it just reaches the comprehensive level of Blooms Taxonomy.
2. Pear Deck: I really liked when Mike Foster had us interact and use Pear Deck. The interactive notebook made a powerpoint so much more fun and enjoyable. It was super engaging; however, I think that having technology open like that can become distracting to students. It also means that students would all have to have a device in order to participate.
3. Virtual Reality: It was so cool to experience VR. I think that Virtual Reality can really allow students to flourish in their writing. For example, if we take a trip to the Grand Canyon and the students can actually see it, they will be able to describe it better in a poem or story. Some downsides to VR are that it is super expensive and that some students will most definitely get nauseous.

What management strategies/techniques will you implement to effectively utilize technology in your classroom?

Looking at some of the articles we read on cell phone use in the classroom, we can see that there are many strategies to manage technology. One article suggests we just have very little technology. Another article says the exact opposite and that we should embrace cellphones in our classroom. I would say when it comes to cellphone use, I am somewhere in the middle. I think that if the cellphone is a distraction and hindering other students, it needs to be take away. However, natural consequences can be super powerful and that’s essentially what lies ahead for students in college. When it comes to other forms of management, I think that safety (like I mentioned earlier) needs to be addressed. If a student is unaware of how to be safe on the internet then that is not only setting them up for failure, but also risking big things.

How will you implement assistive technology into your future classroom?

I feel that I answered this pretty well in my blog post about Trish Atherly. I know right now that I have no clue what my students will need. I think that it is a case by case situation and that overall, I just want my students to be able to learn successfully. I am willing to work with the students, parents, and people like Trish, in order to set my students up for success.

What will you do between now and your first job to grow as a teacher who uses technology in the classroom?

I think that in order to grow in the realm of technology, I will have to stay informed. I will continue to research different technologies and explore new ideas. I think a great way to do that is by forming global connections; I can do this by continuing Tweeting (follow me) and blogging.

What is the most important concept you have learned from this class?

The most important concept that I’ve learned from this class is that I am still learning. No matter how much you know, there is always more to learn (especially in the field of technology).  This class probably looks very different every semester that it is offered because technology changes that fast. All I know is that I learned a lot, and I am super grateful for that.

Assistive Technology: A Conversation with Trish Atherly

I had no idea there were so many tools that are already out there and implemented in the classroom. Trish Atherly, Poudre School District’s expert in Assistive Technology, came to our class last week to discuss how assistive technology is already in the schools in PSD. Trish especially talked about the technology that helps students that cannot communicate verbally. She showed us speech notebooks, iPad applications, and even books that were used to make it easier for students.

Looking at the technologies she offered, I am not sure which ones that I would use in my classroom because each student is so specific and needs different tools to be successful. It is impossible for me to predict what tools and what needs will need to be fulfilled. The way I will find a way to fill the needs is by working with people in my district like Trish. She has done an amazing job in PSD working with students and meeting their needs. I know that if people like her work with teachers and parents, kids are bound for success. This is similar to everything we have learned this semester as it is all student based. The ultimate goal is to help out the students and set them up for success.

One area of assistive technology I have researched on my own is how to aid the needs of the gifted and talented. So many of the technologies we have learned about have been to help those who are a little behind. I wanted to know how to help those students who need more push to be successful. I looked at this website to find out more. Most of the ideas they gave were to do things like write blogs, create podcasts, or make movies. These are things that will challenge the students but also allow them to have fun.

Assistive Technology-The Readings

The first article I read (Assitive Technology) gave me a definition of assistive technology. Essentially, any type of technology, high or low tech, that helps a person in some way is considered assistive technology. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires any student with a learning disability to be granted technology that will allow them to be successful in a mainstream classroom.

The second article (Inclusion in the 21st-century Classroom)  discussed the importance of using technology as a tool for differentiation. The article stated that 96% of classrooms have students with learning disabilities in it. That is insane. This means that we must be able to meet the needs of all students even with a wide learning range. Differentiation allows different needs to be met, embracing the student’s individuality. The article argues that technology helps teachers who may not feel capable of meeting the needs of all students. Technology is easy for students to grasp because they grew up with it; this is not necessarily true for the educators. This means that the adaptation to provide students with technology lies with the teacher’s willingness to learn. If the teacher complies, students of different learning types (visual, hands-on, auditory) will be able to have their needs met. It also allows for different levels of learners to have their needs met. The article continued by discussing Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK). This acronym is used when planning a lesson and emphasizes the importance of content, pedagogy, and technology. If all three areas work together, the lesson will cover the areas needed. The next item the article addressed was 2-D differentiation. The two D’s are 1. Teacher-dependent dimension and 2. Student-dependent dimension. The two work together in order to have the best learning experience. Integration of technology lies in the teacher-dependent dimension. Teachers must understand their students in order to properly differentiate in the classroom. If you do not know your students’ needs, then you will not be able to serve them properly (weird, huh?). The article offers four forms of differentiation: content, process, product, and environment. Differentiation by content means changing the material level up and how they receive the content for students.  Process is how students obtain or record their content. Product is what they produce at the end (a project). Environment is where they learn. Different students need different types of differentiation. The most important aspect of differentiation and integration of technology is knowing your students well enough to know who needs what.

Technology in the Classroom: When your mom teaches you about technology…

As a daughter of two teachers, I have seen how much the profession has changed over the past 21 years. One of the key catalysts in these changes has been technology. My dad, an elementary PE teacher, has even seen these changes; he has implemented game systems like the X-Box Kinect that allow for more student engagement. However, I think the biggest changes have been in the traditional classroom. So, I decided to interview my mom, Terri Buchanan. Terri teaches 6th grade Social Studies in Maize, Kansas. As a teacher in her 26th year, she has had to adapt to the many changes that technology has brought.

Q: How do you use technology to enable personalized learning or experiences that are more engaging and relevant?

A: I make a lot of Interactive Notebooks on Google Classroom. It really helps when we are discussing different ancient civilizations.

Q: How do you reimagine learning experiences through the use of technology?

A: Now I can actually look at students while they are typing. I can see their questions and give them immediate feedback. I no longer use film strips or overhead projectors. If I need to show video clips, I give it to them online, so they can work at their own pace. It provides a more individualized experience, but also allows for collaboration away from school.

Q: How is technology made accessible to all students in your school?

A: All classrooms have laptops; they can’t take them home, however. The school provides emails and online textbooks.

Q: How do you use technology to give students effective feedback throughout their learning process? 

A: Google Classrooms provides immediate feedback. Skyward Gradebook also allows for grade checks.

Q: Have you ever collaborated with another content area in your school through technology?

A: Social Studies collaborates with English a lot through papers. All research and writing is through Google Classroom.

Q: How have your roles and responsibilities changed in the classroom with the emergence of technology? 

A: Kids must follow acceptable use policy, so I have to enforce that. Every year someone violates it.
Q: Have you ever used technology to personalize or customize instruction for a student who needed it? 

A: I allow students who have trouble writing to scribe using computers.

Q: Do you encourage responsible digital citizenship in your classroom? If so, how? 

A: The school as a whole teaches them not to plagiarize and how to cite. 

Q: What has been your favorite use of technology in your classroom? 

A: Before we had Chromebooks, my favorite technology use was through Weebly. We would build websites and learn social studies through interactive websites.

Q: What has been your biggest struggle incorporating technology? Have you ever failed in front of the class?

A: When the internet fails, it gets awkward, and you figure something else out.

Q: In what ways do you use technology to include parents in your classroom?

A: I email weekly progress reports to parents. 

Q: Have you met any resistance from parents with your use of technology in the classroom? 

A: No. Overall, parents have been very supportive of technology use.

Q: Do you think there is a point when technology does not help your students and their learning opportunities?

A: No. I think technology is a great tool in the classroom and can help in many ways.

Q: What would you never use as a teacher, when it comes to technology? (Ex: twitter, a blog, fb, etc)

A: I don’t think having 6th graders use Twitter will help a whole lot.

Q: Do you as a classroom teacher have any direct access to federal funds for technology?

A: Nope, I do not see any of it.

Q: How have projects changed with technology advances?

A: Projects are now shared online. We did a project where the students couldn’t talk to each other and worked across the room through Docs, so they could get use to the new way of projects.

Q: How do you overcome the digital use divide?

A: Kids at home are just playing games, but at school you can monitor it through the technology of Google Classroom.

Q: How do you use technology as an assessment tool?

A: I put all of my tests and quizzes online through Quia and Google Forms.

Q: How often do you assess students?

I quiz throughout a unit and test at the end of a unit. The test is normally a type of project.

The Newest Citizenship Test: Digital Citizenship

It is an age where we must rely on technology whether we would like to or not. The internet is no longer a commodity; it is a necessity. I know that this can be scary, but it is the truth. As a teacher, we must be aware of that and educate our students likewise.

Digital citizenship is a term that was irrelevant about thirty years ago, but now it is a part of daily life. Because of this, as educators, we must be ready to teach digital citizenship. Digital citizenship has three pillars: information literacy, digital literacy, and digital civility. During class I learned about information literacy. I knew copyright is super important; however, I did not know how much was required for this. I had no idea that you could not just copy and paste any old picture from Google Images, even if you cite it. Certain images have different policies that go along with them. If I did not know that, how would my students know that? I must be able to teach and enforce information literacy. One of the key ways I learned to do this is by using the filters that the websites provide (I had no idea those existed, to be honest). I also researched Digital Literacy which basically talked about how to protect yourself online. This is really important, especially for middle schoolers because internet safety can pass their minds by. Educating students on safe passwords, safety in chatrooms, and age restrictions is imperative. If students are literate online. Being able to find a fun way to do this in the classroom is a way to make sure kids learn and know how important digital citizenship is.

I came across the case of Rogers vs. Koons on a website describing five famous copyright cases (https://99designs.com/blog/tips/5-famous-copyright-infringement-cases/). In this case, Art Rogers captured a photo in 1985 of a man and woman holding a bunch of puppies. Jeff Koons then produced statues three years later that looked almost exactly the same, the only difference being Koons’ statues had color in it. Koons began selling the statues for profit and Rogers sued. Rogers won the case because the court deemed them recognizably the same. I agree with the outcome of the case because looking at the two (see below), they are very similar.

(above is the original photo taken by Rogers in 1985; below is a photo of the statue the Koons produced in 1988; pictures acquired from: http://phototrends.blogspot.com/2007_03_01_archive.html)

This is a problem that most generations have never had to deal with. It is important to educate not only our students but ourselves on the topic of digital citizenship.

Goodbye, Composition; Hello, Technology

So if you are one of my avid followers (aka all 8 of you who were forced to follow me last semester), I am now using this blog for another classes and hopefully for more to come. So CO 301D did me well, but now I am taking on EDUC 331: Technology for Teachers. So I will no longer be complaining to you about earning badges. I am on to bigger and better things (not that CO 301D wasn’t big or good), so stay tuned!

-Biz

LAST BADGE

Oh, what a day. Tonight at midnight, I will be done with CO301D for forever. Am I sad? Uhhh. Maybe a little nostalgic. It has been a good semester, but it has definitely been a lot. I am going to miss our little family. We are probably the weirdest family out there. #lobsterworthy #forthegoodoftheorder #yikes

Although I am going to miss seeing all of my classmates beautiful, smiling, shiny faces every Tuesday and Thursday at 9:30, I think it is time for us to leave the nest. We have grown up so much this semester. I think that this class has told us a lot about who we are and what our beliefs are as educators. I know, for me, I have. We also have learned how to be on our own and learn how to manage our time. This system is not as easy as it sounds. Sure, let’s earn badges. This is not girl scouts, folks. We had to do a lot.

Oh, but we made it. I did not think that was possible. Were there tears shed? Oh yeah, lots. (We had a crying corner, so of course there were.) Am I going to remember everything? Probably most of it. Was it worth the experience? Can’t tell you yet, but I will let you know in a few years.

-Biz

Advocating for more advocates

So here I am. A sophomore (almost junior) in college. I am studying to be an educator, an educator of the beautiful language of English. My question is: am I screwing myself over? Probably. I am really nervous that our government is going to ruin it for educators.

This is why we need advocates.

Last badge, we talked about being allies to our students. We need to be advocates for ourselves. We need to be brave enough to stand up and fight for our rights like those who have done so before.

We need to advocate for ourselves because otherwise our profession is going to die out.

There are so many people out there who see educators as the lowest on the totem pole. I do not understand this. It is literally the most important role you can play in the game of life because you are changing and shaping the future of the world. But nobody sees it that way because they are not treated right.

Our profession may die out. Isn’t that scary?

It will not though, if we advocate now. Write your representatives. Go to school board meetings. Defend yourself. Find a way to get people involved. Inspire. Find any possible way to make a difference because if you do not, the whole system may fall a part.

Do not do that to me. Please do not.

I know that I am not off the hook either. I may not be a teacher yet, but I am very close to it. But hey. I am trying, am I not? This blog post shows that I am trying to make a difference. I know, I know. This seems like all talk, but I am already tweeting. I am already chalking. I just ask you to do the same.

Let’s not let our profession die.

Reformation

Browse the websites of at least two contrasting organizations that advocate for educational reform, and read between the lines to determine their reform agenda. This will require you to comb the “About” section, the primary content on the site, any suggested resources, and recommendations for action.

Rethinking Schools

Their mission:  Rethinking Schools is a nonprofit publisher and advocacy organization dedicated to sustaining and strengthening public education through social justice teaching and education activism. Our magazine, books, and other resources promote equity and racial justice in the classroom. We encourage grassroots efforts in our schools and communities to enhance the learning and well being of our children, and to build broad democratic movements for social and environmental justice.

Rethinking schools is an organization that tries to tackle areas in education that need reformed. Currently a lot of its focus is on racial issues. The program is still pretty small and tries to reach out via publishing of articles.

Education Reform Now

The goals of Education Reform Now are:  “(1) reorients education policy as a content as opposed to time or place based right for students and teachers; (2) works to ensure consistent and mutually reinforcing policies at elementary, secondary, and postsecondary levels; and (3) promotes new methods of content delivery and tools of influence on teaching and learning. Americans of all ages – from cradle to grave – deserve full and fair access to quality education opportunities.”

The goal of Education Reform Now is mainly to help out public schools because a lot of attention is going to charter schools. Their biggest way to take action is by informing and educating people on current policies. I could tell through the link “election 2016” that they had some biases.

Should we Vouch?

“Students in the nation’s only federally funded school voucher initiative performed worse on standardized tests within a year after entering D.C. private schools than peers who did not participate (EWA).”

This is very interesting. I am not a fan of vouchers for different reasons, but I did not see the fact of performing lower on standardized tests as a deficit. I do not like vouchers because I think it takes away from the culture of the school. So, as I have mentioned before, I went to a Catholic high school. I feel that if you were to let whoever you wanted to just go there, you would lose the foundation of the school: Catholicism. However, I did not think that test scores would decrease because the voucher system. Not that I am a huge fan of standardized tests, but it is a curious thing that the average is down. I wonder if the unconventional style of the voucher system also lead to the unconventional style of not focusing on standardized tests. It could just be a coincidence, but I am not so sure. It also could take some time for the new system to actually be set in place. Overall though, I say no to vouchers.