Reflection of Course

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.