Technology Reflection
School systems push
for integration of technology into every classroom, yet do not provide the mean
to have teachers do so. That is part of the reason that I chose Educational
Technology as my Master’s program. However, I have to admit, that even with
that, I did not believe that it was that possible to add a lot of technology in
my lessons. From the first class, to this course, my views of using technology
in the classroom has changed. The use of technology in the classroom does not
always have to be this grand thing, that is difficult and time consuming. It
can be simple things that can be used regularly, allowing students to
demonstrate knowledge in different ways than just with pen and paper. I
recently did the QR assignment in my classroom. Once students got over the
initial complaints, they got into the assignment and enjoyed the different
sources around the Harlem Renaissance. These sources would not have been
available in a lecture for students to learn the same way. They got to pace
themselves, rewind the video if necessary, and take longer on the reading, etc.
where they would not have been able to as a whole class. Having access to
technology in the classroom allows students to learn and/or present their
learning in different ways that accommodate their individual style. I want to
keep taking the tools that I learned this semester and implementing them within
my lessons on a regular basis.
The design principle
that I will take with me is the Segmenting Principle. This one hits a little
closer to home this school year to me. With the curriculum and time that we
have to cover topics, I feel that I am skimming through the information and
that the students are not really learning anything. I have talked to other
teachers in my school who are feeling the same way. We just do not have time to
go deeper into the content. If I incorporated technology into the units, it
would allow for students to dig deeper into the content, while doing it at their
own pace. When they feel that they have gotten the information needed, then
they can move on to the next. Students who get the information quicker can move
on at their pace and not be held back by students who are. Also students who
struggle, get to spend longer on topic without feeling rushed. Technology opens
up the door for more differentiated learning in the classroom. This is why I
will take this principle with me.
There were some
really good readings used in this course. Of course, the first would be the Research-based Principles for Design
Multimedia Instruction. I like readings that break down information into
categories, so this was perfect. It was helpful to have this information to use
as a basis when we are looking at using technology in the class. Not all
technology is created equal, and knowing what to look for to make sure that
what we are using in the classroom is going to have the most impact on student
learning. Another reading that I found useful was “More than Eye Candy.” There
was a period when adding images to documents or power points was expected. I
received some in PD with graphics on it that was a distraction. This article
talks about factors to determine what types of graphics to use that will
benefit the learner. Just like with what type of technology to use, determining
which graphics are appropriate is a must. This article helps with determining
what to use. A third article that I found useful is the “Educator’s Podcast
Guide.” Just like the other ones, it gives a checklist for teacher’s to use to
make sure that the technology that we are using is beneficial to student’s
learning. It was useful to determine whether a video is worth using to enhance
student learning. I will refer back to this as I look at videos to use in
class.
I can honestly say
that I enjoyed all of the projects so far. However, my favorite was the QR
assignment. As I was doing it, I was really excited to use in my class. There
are so many ways of using the QRs in the classroom, and I look forward to
continuing to use them in my classroom. I also enjoyed the Padlet. It makes a
great way to break down the topics and allows for students to work at their own
pace. Both the QR and the Padlet are also great tools for students to use to
demonstrate their knowledge. A project that I liked that I will use to have
students demonstrate knowledge is having them making a video. It allows
students to be creative in demonstrating what they learned and shows
understanding just like an essay. Information has to be correct in the script
that they use, but gives them freedom to show it differently than in an essay.
I can see my
teaching change by how I use technology in the classroom. I evaluate the videos
before showing them more than what I have done in the past. Also, just using
more technology in the classroom has improved, and will continue to improve. As
for the students learning, I can see in their engagement. Videos that I have
shown have been more useful and students have been more engaged in it. The QR
assignment went well and students were enjoying learning about the Harlem
Renaissance. My US history class was jealous of the assignment and wanted to do
it as well. Technology has helped students become more engaged in their
learning.
