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Classroom Technology Integration on Prezi

Technology Reflection: Instructional Use of Whiteboards

Description/Experience
In one paragraph, briefly describe the technology demonstration presented in the last seminar. Tell us about your takeaways from the demonstration or in-class discussions with your peers.

In my previous seminar, we met with Mr. Graham, and he showed us how smart boards (or white boards) can be integrated into the classroom. He showed us a website called portaportal.com that has activities that are used directly with the smart board and are beneficial to that certain grade level. I found the websites Mr. Graham presented to be very easy to navigate through, but also very educational as well. I really enjoyed this seminar.

Application

• Learners: My learners would be my first grade classroom that I am placed with each week. The activities used on the white board are designed for five and six year olds.
• Learning outcomes: At the end of this activity, students will be able to read fluently for their grade level. They will have a better understanding of how letters of the alphabet form sounds and how these sounds form to make words.
• Assessment: How would you know that students acquire the learning outcomes? How would you know that your activity is effective? The activity allows the students to control which word is being read and the pace the sentence is being read at. Therefore, if the student is struggling on a certain word, they can repeat that word over and over until they can say it completely on their own. Once eat student has had a chance to use the technology, they can be tested on their verbal reading skills out loud, individually.

• The lesson would begin with introducing the students to the smart board, and also introducing the activity that is already set up on the white board. As the teacher, I will go through the activity once, as the entire class sits on the carpet, around the whiteboard.
• The students would then spend the next 10 minutes taking turns in going up to the white board, while everyone sits around and watches them read the online story out loud to the class. The class follows up by then reading each sentence aloud, while I sit there and listen.
• Following this exploration the students would be given a handout of a few sentences. I would then randomly call on a student to read a certain line. (These sentences would be much like the sentences that were just read from the whiteboard)  This will ensure that I know each of the students understood what was being presented to them on the smart board.
  Reflection

--Pedagogical-Content:

Your pedagogical content knowledge refers to your understanding of teaching strategies that are specific to a content area. That is the knowledge about choosing appropriate pedagogies for teaching a particular content Example: Using drill-and-practice to teach letter sounds. This strategy however may not necessarily be effective for other reading activities because words are completely different then sounds.

• This learning is self-guided, because the children are going at their own pace at the white board. If they understand a word completely, then they can move on to the next word. This is also is considered drill and practice learning because they are practicing their comprehension of words out loud, making sure they are saying the words just as the computer is. 
• Many students at the first grade level know how to say many words. The problem is, they do not recognize the words when they are written in front of them. This acts as a problem because children then begin to simply guess what the words in front of them are saying, instead of sounding the word out, based on the sounds that each letter of the word makes. Seeing a word, and sounding it out for sound, is the hardest concept for students to grasp. Once this concept is understood, it is now just a matter of practicing the reading in order to become a fluent reader.

--Technological-Pedagogical:

Your technological pedagogical knowledge refers to your understanding of technologies for particular learning tasks, your ability to choose technologies based on its fitness, your knowledge of pedagogical strategies, and your ability to apply those strategies for use of technologies Example: Selecting the whiteboard for facilitating student generated learning. Whiteboard here is the technology that supports the main pedagogy-group sounds/reading.

In the previous section, you talked about your instructional strategies. Keeping these strategies you stated in mind, now tell us how the technology is used in your activity.  Specifically:

• Since teaching sounds of words can become difficult to do to an entire class, having the students physically touch the word on the smart board, they are having trouble with is great way for them to figure out instantly what that word says. The smart board allows the students to see, and hear each word that makes up the sentence. It also provides an illustration in case the students are completely lost as to what the word means.

An example from this activity is cat in the hat. The sentence appears on the screen, and the student can touch each word on the smart board, and it sounds that word out by letter. The smart board highlights and enlarges each letter as it is being announced, so the student can see that letter and know what sound it is making.

• In doing this activity, time is definitely going to be a factor. The reason being is because many students are going to struggle with the words as they are being read, and may have to repeat the same sentence a few times before they have an understanding of what each word says. This can be time consuming and is something that has to be monitored while this activity is going on.
  

--Technological Pedagogical Content:

Your technological pedagogical content knowledge refers to your understanding of how teaching and learning from content may change when technology used and is our knowledge about selecting technologies that suits, support, and enhances teaching strategies and learning activities in your particular content area. It is your understanding of teaching strategies to effectively teach the particular content and help student conceptual difficulties in this content by meaningfully incorporating technologies. Example: Using word recognition on the Whiteboard as a means to aid students memorize words and letter sounds in language learning. Whiteboard is chosen as a tool to support the pedagogy around instant feedback, quick repetition, and individualized learning. These are some effective strategies used in language learning content area.

Now, let’s focus on the content you’re teaching in your activity. Think about your decisions to incorporate this technology and the teaching strategies in relation to your particular content area. Tell us specifically about:

• How would using this technology enhance the way the content is represented in your activity (e.g. demonstrations, explanations, examples, illustrations, analogies, and etc.)? That is why you think the selection and the pedagogical use of this technology may enhance what you teach (the content in your activity). Give specific examples from your activity to support your answer and keep in mind the learning objectives that you stated previously. 
• In prior experience with observations in the first grade classroom, students become disengaged when the teacher is walking around the room and the children are trying to read aloud to their entire class, especially if the student is struggling with sounding a word out or knowing what the sound of the word is overall. In using the technology, the student is able to read a story on their own to their classmates still, but if they stumble upon a word they are unsure of, they can simply touch the white board and it will read that word aloud. Sounding out each letter and then reading that word as a whole.

The students would not get to physically touch each word, at their own pace. In doing this activity with a few students, I present a word and go over it a couple times, hoping they understand what I am saying. With using this technology, the students are able to go at their own pace to really understand what is being presented through this technology. Not only can the students sound words out, but once they are comfortable and have a good sense of letter recognition, the students are then able to read entire stories to their classmates. They can even create a story as a class, then read it aloud, together.

Technology Reflection "Instructional use of IPad"

Technology Reflection Assignment

Description/Experience
In the last seminar, I was introduced to IPads. This new use of technology has “apps” short for applications that you download and can be instructional help for students. Although some apps cost money, they are very useful. The teacher that presented these IPads also showed everyone in our class different apps and how they are geared for certain aged children. I believe that an IPad is some of the best technology out right now and needs to be integrated in the classrooms as much as possible.

Application
An instructional activity that can be used in a first or second grade classroom in the aiding of mathematical addition.

First, provide some details regarding:

• Learners: My learners would be first or second grade students. The great thing about an IPad is that with as many apps as it has to offer, any age group can use it.
• Learning outcomes: At the end of this activity the learners will be gaining a firm understanding of addition and subtraction with numbers in the 10’s and 100’s place values.
• Assessment: Before the students got the chance to work with the IPad, I would test them. After the students all had a chance to work with the IPad, I would then test them again. If the scores improved, it would show me that the IPad instruction helped.

Second, break down your activity into a timeline of planned events and procedures. Here you should describe what students and the teacher will be doing chronologically during the activity. Below is one of the good examples from previous reflections:

• All the students would get tested to see where they stood with addition and subtraction.

• The lesson would begin with introducing the students to the IPad. This would only take a minute or two because the app that they would be using has step-by-step instructions.
• The students would then spend the next 10 minutes exploring the app and figure out how to use it and try a couple of problems.
• Following this exploration the students would be given 5 minutes to complete the individual assessment.
• Then, while waiting on the other students to finish, the students that had already completed all of the assignment would then take a post test of the same problems to see if they improved.

Reflection
Considering your learning activity described above, write a paragraph or two for each section below addressing the questions. It may be helpful to keep in mind the followings when reflecting:

1. How well the use of this technology may support your teaching strategies in this activity.
2. How effectively the use of this technology may enhance students' understanding of and learning from your particular content in this activity.

--Pedagogy-Content:

• In our seminar, there was an application that the teacher introduced, that had a voice recording button, so as the students were trying to figure out how to carry a number or if they need to barrow from the next place digit.
• Many students have prior misconceptions on carrying numbers when adding, and forgetting to cancel numbers out when barrowing. With the use of the IPad and my voice, this may prevent students from making these mistakes.

--Technology-Pedagogy:

• The technology is used as an aid in this case. Strengthening the understanding of addition and subtraction after it has already been taught by a teacher.
• This would provide practice for the students who are struggling with addition and subtraction and since the IPad is all touch screen, it will provide a fun way for students to do these math problems.
• Many times, students go overboard on the time that they are allowed to spend with the technology. This problem exists when children are working with computers or any other sort of technology.--Technology-Content:

• Because students love to work with technology, this will give them an incentive to want to work more and more on the practice problems. Students don’t particularly like working with paper and pencil, especially if they do not like writing. Using an IPad where students make number using their finger would be a lot more fun than writing.
• With many students, math is all repetition, so being able to write letters out on the IPad faster than writing with paper and pencil. --Technology-Pedagogy-Content:

• Since technology can never take the place of teachers and how they explain a concept, the IPad technology would be used as an enhancer to the subject. Students like technology when it is used for something they know how to do.
• Because students need to practice as much as possible, this technology allows them to do it in a timely fashion, and to also learn it in an effective manner because my voice would be recorded for step by step instructions to guide the children along each problem in case they get stuck.

“Technology Reflection: Instructional Use of Edmodo”

Technology Reflection Assignment

                                                                                            

Description/Experience

In my last seminar class, the technology that was used was Edmodo. Almost like facebook, edmodo allows a teacher to add their students and post assignments and give grades to these assignments once the students have submitted them through Edmodo. This allows the students to ask one another questions if they are unsure how to answer a part of the assignment. After using Edmodo in class and relating to subjects taught in school, I believe this could be a very useful tool to use as a teacher, especially if I were to teach a middle school Math or Science class. 

Application

The students will be able to better communicate with their peers, and also have a better understanding of the subject that has been taught by mentor teacher. Using Edmodo for 6^th grade science, the students will be able to click on the website that is posted through Edmodo and then will post their answers to the questions that are found at the end of the website.

This website I feel is geared more for middle school students. The reason why is because I do not feel that younger children (below the age of 12) would be able to use the site and still gain something from it.

After the students have all posted their answers to Edmodo, have them do an exercise that tests whether or not the online site was helpful or not.

         

Reflection

Pedagogy-Content:

Clearly explain to the child the lesson of what you are teaching them before they go online to Edmodo to complete the assignment. This should cease any confusion before it starts in the classroom.

It is important to find out what the children think they already know about this material and to also find out what is falsely understood. Many middle school students may think they have a good understanding of something when in reality, they could be completely wrong.

Technology:

Students must be able to use a computer in a basic sense. Such as typing, using a mouse, and knowing how to search the internet. They also may need to know how to save to the desktop, once the assignment is completed.

As far as Edmodo, the site is very easy to find. The hard part is being able to navigate once you are signed into the site that may cause problems.

Technology-Pedagogy:

The activity would be posted on this website, where the students would have to find it and be able to answer the activities questions.

I would use the technology as a guide, seeing how well my students understood something once I have taught it to them. If all the students struggle on the same question, I will then be able to correct their mistakes and hopefully keep it from happening again.

I would need to manage the classroom time a little bit better. The reason why is because some students are not as quick when working with a computer so it may take them longer to navigate on the website

Technology-Content:

The activity would hopefully provide the students with more background on the website then what I would do in the classroom. This would force the children to do more discovery learning on their own and figuring the questions out on their own.

This technology would hopefully make the students become more independent in their work and make them work on their own. Working by themselves is a great way for students to figure out their own strengths and weaknesses.

Technology-Pedagogy-Content:

The content would still come across as if I were teaching it by mouth to the entire class. This technology forces the children to work on their own and to understand the material in their own words.

Again, this technology works because it helps the students learn things on their own, and reviewing it as a class, I will then be able to help to students with any misconceptions they may have.

I believe that I do a great job in explaining things to children. Since I know this to be true, I would explain the lesson to the students one time and then let them complete the assignment through Edmodo, letting them figure things out on their own. Once the assignment is complete, I will try to figure out what is not understood, and teach these difficult concepts over again, in a different way.

Comment 1- Edmodo

After reading your blog, I would completely agree that Edmodo can work much better in an older classroom in a middle school or high school. This website would be very appropriate for a science or math class. There are so many valuable resources on the internet and students should be exposed to them in the classroom.  I liked when you talked about how sometimes students believe they understand concepts but when they have to apply them, they do not understand them as clearly as they thought. This is very true and I think taking extra time to explain the material will be very useful and you will be very glad you did it later in the lesson.  I think the idea of children discovering more on a website then taught sitting in a classroom. This is the key concept when using Edmodo. You really emphasized that idea and I agree with you that it is very important and that is how children are going to get the most out of this assignment.

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