Final Reflective Blog

Sophia’s Reflective Blog

As I reflect about this semester in EME2040- Introduction to Technology for Educators, I feel that it was a very well setup hands on type of course. The course was open to so much creativity and critical thinking. I felt it was intriguing to see first-hand the many different ways that technology can be integrated into the classroom as a 21^st century teacher.

                First off, being a teacher has always felt like the dream job for me since I was just a young girl. I can remember setting up my dolls and stuffed animals and in my mind “teaching my first class.” Although today as a 21^st century teacher there are many new tools and options for encouraging a successful learning experience. One assignment that really stood out for me this semester was the Collaborative Lesson Plan Project. It required critical thinking and communication between the three of us to be able to debate and discuss ideas back and forth to come up with the best lesson plan possible.

                Secondly, I thought the discussions assignments were a great way to encourage me to read the chapters so that I can reflect and discuss my views with my classmates. It was a task that did not feel too intense yet it was a great learning opportunity. I believe feedback is a key for communication between students and teachers. Whether it is checking a grade online, receiving and email from a teacher or  even reading a posted response from a classmate about an assignment, I think that gives a student an idea of which direction they are heading and if they are on track.

                Lastly I feel that this course was an awesome introductory class for students who are looking forward to having a class of their own. It really provided a quick overview of different ways to introduce technology into the classroom to help the students succeed. I was also very surprised by the many great resources available for accommodating students with disabilities.

                All in all, I feel the 21^st century is a perfect time to become a teacher. There are endless options and opportunities to use a variety of technology to make a fun and exciting educational classroom and curriculum. This course really made me anxious to become a favorable and exciting new 21^st century teacher.

Digital Badge I

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Chapter 4

                Enhancing lesson development with technology is how teachers use electronic resources to decide: what to teach, how to teach, and how to know what the students have learned. The three interrelated elements of classroom instruction are: 1.) Academic Content (what to teach) 2.) Teaching goals, methods and procedures (how to teach) 3.) Learning Assessments (How to know what the students have learned). There are a variety of technology resources that can be used to help develop and lesson plan.

                To begin with, as a teacher I will be responsible for making choices about academic content. I will use the internet to access online search engines, online encyclopedias, blogs and wikis to help decide what material I would like to teach that is also in line with the required curriculum. By using blogs and online wikis I will be able to communicate with other teachers and exchange ideas on academic content.

                Next, would be deciding how I want to teach the information. How to teach goes hand in hand with deciding on academic content because while I am brainstorming on the content I will also be thinking of teaching goals, methods and procedures. There are a variety of ways that technology can support lesson development, but a few of my favorites would be: presentation software, interactive software and teacher developed websites. I am a very visual person and I think that will have a strong influence on how I will teach. I don’t do well with lectures; I personally retain more information through visual or interactive activities.

                Lastly, knowing what students have learned and are in the process of learning is very important. Using technology can help to assess this information. As a teacher I would like to perform learning assessments before, during and after a lesson so that I can evaluate myself and my students. There are several technologies that support the assessment and evaluation process, for example: electronic tests and quizzes, grade keeping software, online surveys, rubrics and digital portfolios.

                All in all, I feel that I have a much better chance today to be able to develop successful lesson plans using the variety of technological resources that are readily available. I would even encourage my students to take advantage of some of these resources to help show me what they already know and what they are learning and to even express some topics of interest.

Digital Badge H

Digital Badge H
Chapter 9
Expressing Creativity using Multimedia Technology

Multimedia use is education arises from the assumption that student learning will be enhanced if more than one mode of learning is used in teaching situations (Maloy). There are so many multimedia resources that teachers can use to help create a fun and engaging learning experience for their students. As a teacher I feel it is my responsibility to experiment and learn which technologies I can use to help create a successful lesson plan.

PowerPoint is software found on most computers and is used as a multimedia teaching tool. PowerPoint is a convenient and user friendly resource for students and teachers. I believe that using PowerPoint presentations is a fun and engaging way for teachers to present new information. There are a wide variety of ways to customize and make it an engaging attention grabber. I like to use images, different colors and texts and even upload videos occasionally.

Some strategies for using PowerPoints with students are: using images to generate class discussions, promote visual analysis of discussion topics, and using slides as attention getters. I feel that images help deliver a point. Having something visual to relate to the topic will help the information stick. Also adding engaging images will bring up good discussions, for example “what do you see?” or even comparing similarities and differences.

                Another great resource is “video” in the classroom. Some examples are: YouTube, streaming video and handcrafted videos. When using video in the classroom a teacher can pause and rewind if needed to review content. Also I would have the students write a response of what they understood from the video and how it relates to the topic. The students will have the opportunity to express their thoughts through written text, or quick sketches. I do believe that videos will be more effective if they are brief therefore the students have less chance of getting bored and loosing focus.

                All in all, multimedia technology has so much to offer in many different forms. As a 21^st century teacher I hope to be able to take advantage of as many of the resources that I can get my hands on. I believe with the help of technology I will have a much better chance of helping my students to be well rounded and successful students.

Resources:

Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.

Education Week- This was a interesting site that I found that gives the latest news on multimedia in the classroom.

Digital Badge G

Digital Badge F

Digital Badge F

Communicating & Collaborating with Social Media

I believe coming into the teaching world in the 21^st century things are definitely changing and shifting quickly with the new age technology. Therefore we need to really understand the benefits of communicating and collaborating with social media in and outside the classroom.

To begin with, electronic communication between teachers and students is becoming more and more popular. Some examples of electronic communication are; email, text messaging, teacher and class websites, blogs, online discussions and wikis. I feel that being able to use these forms of communication really help to build and maintain the strong foundation between the teacher, the student and the family members that is needed to have the most smooth successful education.

Next, websites and Blogs for teachers and students are a great way to keep everyone on the same page. Parents can access class sites to see important dates and deadlines and even see their students published assignments or projects. Students and teachers can also interact outside of the classroom and exchange ideas and information through blogs.

Lastly, online discussion boards are an important tool as well. Using online discussion boards’ students can communicate their point of view and they also learn to appreciate the view of others. I feel it is so intriguing to be able to express your thoughts and not have to worry about the pressure of speaking out in class in front of everyone.  This way you can exchange ideas back and forth and even be able to civilly express opposing opinions without feeling bad for feeling differently.

All in all, I look forward to being able to take advantage of all the different ways of communicating and collaborating through social media. I feel that the opportunity to have lots of open and successful relationships with students and families alike.

Resources:

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. 

Digital Badge E

Digital Badge D