Stacey Terrill- chapter 2

This chapter is more difficult than the first to apply to my situation since I do not teach in a classroom and am teaching adults. One important aspect in integrating technology for my area is to consider the learner. Not only do learners vary in technology available but also in ability to use the technology available to them. My parents are enrolled in one of the programs I am working on and although they have a computer they are limited in their knowledge of how to use it. I think this is true of much of the adult audience. Unless they have a job requiring the use of technology or have taken the initiative to stay current, they lag behind their children who are exposed to computers and technology on a daily basis. I feel this is a huge obstacle in adult education since most of the participants did not grow up using computers. I have to consider multiple delivery methods in order to reach all adult learners which can be difficult.

After reading this chapter I think it will be important to teach the value of technology as a way to gain information. It may help those who are hesitant if they can see value in new modes of delivery. Also, knowing my audience and that many adult learners use education as a social network opportunity the use of blogs may be beneficial to connect statewide with other adults interested in the same areas.

My main concern remains the lack of acceptance by my target audience in accepting new methods of delivery and education.

Stacey Terrill- Chapter 1

Since I am not in a traditional classroom setting and will be teaching adults I am nervous of integrating technology into teaching. This chapter is not as applicable to me since I am educating adults but two main ideas really interest me. When thinking of "digital immigrants" as opposed to "digital natives" (pg. 4) I feel as though my target audience is primarily made up of "digital immigrants" that may require instruction on computer-based technologies. Second, I see a need and advantage to using technology in my teaching because education will be statewide and not in a classroom setting meaning myself and those involved in creating the curriculum for our program need to stay updated on the most effective educational delivery means. Current education methods have been shown ineffective in the program area I am now part of so instead of teaching the way we have in the past it is time to use new methods. The idea of "robbing children of tomorrow" (pg 1) is true for adults as well in the idea that despite our level of knowledge in technology we live in an ever advancing society.

One way I see a use for integrating computer-based technology into my content area is the use of podcasts and digital storytelling to communicate ideas statewide. This could save on travel time and money to deliver lessons statewide. I also the use of technology be beneficial in adult education is developing presentations that are non-linear. Adults have varying levels of knowldege reagarding Integrated Pest Management and being able to direc the sminar/workshop to fit their interests and needs could be beneficial.

My main concern for integrating various techonolgy into my delivery methods is the acceptance by my audience. I am younger than most my auidences (who are all adult learners) and wonder if they will be openminded in learning using techonlogy. I fear it may hinder my abiity to connect with my target audience.

Michael Wagner's Post for Chapter 2

I agree with the book when it talks about how important it is for teachers to be familiar with the “basic operations” of the internet. It is amazing that changing the structure of your search can bring up entirely different results from a previous search on seemingly the same topic. Another point of interest to me, even if I disagree with it in its entirety, is that NETS feels it is important to create an exhaustive unit plan for a few weeks’ worth of classwork. I feel it is important to know where you are going, what your goals are, and how to get from Point A to Point B. However, I don’t feel it is necessary to spend that amount of time for every unit in every class on such a specific and oftentimes unnecessary plan. Finally, the NETS-T Standard VI, Social, Ethical, Legal and Human Issues brings up a great point about needing to be a good model as a teacher. It rightly points out that students will often follow what they see the teacher do regardless of what they have been told. So, if you create a slide show with music in the background that has been used illegally, the student may reconcile pirating music or even movies because the teacher has not shown proper use or respect of copyright.

One new idea that I would like to concentrate more on is creating a student learning environment through various technology resources as talked about in NETS-T Standard II. For instance, in my classroom, I need to think more about how students can demonstrate their projects or information in an organized manner while meeting the needs of different learners. Secondly, NETS-T Standard II also discusses project-based learning. PBL brings up application-based learning which can then more easily be taken and applied in the real-world than just something that has been rote memorized. I can make sure that students are using the correct and most effective technology to help their projects be the most useful to them. Project-based learning is something that can find a place in every classroom and is effective in student learning.

I am concerned with the implementation of these standards being used carte blanche. Technology should be used to enhance learning and make it more valuable. It does not need to be used just to be used.

Michael Wagner' Post for Chapter 1

There are three ideas that I am interested in from this book: using technology to better teach a subject, how technology brings new media and resources to the students that they may not otherwise see, and the fact that using any technology will take some amount of preparation. I have used technology to better teach my subject. When I think of why I use specific technology, I realize that I either pick a teaching technology tool because of past experiences and how it helped the students grasp knowledge or I chose not to use a technology because of a major class flop and the tool was more of a distraction than a help. Also, technology provides many instances where I can quickly show an otherwise intensive demonstration. For example, in my explanation of simple circuits, SMART boards can quickly demonstrate an introduction to that unit whereas without technology, it is much more difficult to illustrate what I want them to see. There have been times when I have been able to introduce some technology that my students may not otherwise see. In my Power and Transportation class, students can find and research state of the art energy technologies that they wouldn’t be able to find in a book. Using technology can be very time consuming. Often, it takes a lot of time to create a webquest. It is labor and time intensive when finding websites to use as links for information and making sure it is real to the students. However, this is a valuable experience that was well worth the preparation time to see the students learning and making connections.

Two new ways that I would like to integrate technology into my classroom are to use web quests to research career paths and to research new methods and technologies for alternative energy production. I am continually teaching my students a new technology, but my goal is to not have them learn that technology but for them to realize that they should use these tools to find the best information in an efficient manner.

My biggest concern with integrating technology is that I do not want my students or me to have to learn a technology that takes a lot of time without much gain in return. Much of our technologies are a great facilitator to students’ learning, but I don’t want a computer experience to take the place of real life application based experience.

Alicia McEwen's Chapter 2 Reflection

EDCI 551 Guiding Learning with TechnologyWednesday, October 28, 2009



After reading Chapter 2 I am having mixed feelings of feeling overwhelmed but also excited about integrating more technology into my current classroom. I liked how this chapter discussed how technology can easily be integrated into some of the current units I teach. This chapter discussed how student teachers can integrate technology into lessons. This left me wondering how many current undergrad programs are now actually putting an emphasis on educating future teachers on how to best implement technology into their teaching. I thought chapter 2 also brought up a good point with the fact that we need to be careful when giving outside assignments that involve the use of resources like the Internet. I think it’s really important that we are aware of the fact that many families may still not have easy access to a computer.

This chapter has inspired me to find ways to integrate technology into some of my Science and Social Studies units. I am sure there are some great websites out there on the butterfly life-cycle, plants, maps, and communities. I would like to find some interactive sites that would be enjoyable and beneficial to my first graders. I would also like to obtain resources on how to best teach young kids how to safely explore the Internet. It seems like learning how to do this at an early age is going to be very beneficial down the road as students’ are engaged in research and other Internet related activities.

Thinking about all of the great ways I could integrate technology into my classroom leaves me with the concern of lack of resources. Technology is expensive. With school budgets being cut, are we going to be able to financially support the need of this technological exposure to our students?

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Alicia McEwen's Chapter 1
This first week's reading of Chapter 1 had some very interesting points. First off, I was somewhat surprised by my lack of understanding of terms. For example, I have never heard of a terabyte or electronic tablets. Awareness of new terminology is interesting in its own due to the fact that it brings upon the realization that there is a lot out there that I am unaware of in the technological world. I agree that I should be amongst those considered "digital immigrants." It's amazing to think back to just ten years ago when I was a senior in high school and to compare technology from then to now. Even within the past ten years the advances in technology have been incredible. I also thought the concept of pedagogical content knowledge in relation to the integration of technology was very interesting to think about. I agree that our current students need to be educated in ways that foster and strengthen their technological abilities and understandings. It's obvious that they will be living in a time that their future jobs will be centered around technological devices. I think it's really important to stress the fact that in order to successfully teach and integrate technology into our classrooms, we need to understand what's out there, how it works, and how to best integrate it into our curriculum.Thirdly, I found the example of Brian and his teaching experience to be interesting. I agree that we need to be that when integrating technology into our curriculum we are doing it in ways that maximize students' time. Time constraints within classrooms are already major issues when it comes to trying to fit everything in. Adding this crucial piece of technology integration needs to be done in ways that will add to students' learning and not take away from valuable time. Again, I feel we are all more likely in accomplishing this when we are educated as to what is out there, how it works, and how it would best benefit our teaching of the subject areas.After reading Chapter 1, I was really excited about the use of electronic notebooks in classrooms. As I mentioned above, I have never seen these in use, but feel they would be great to have to promote time on task and overall student learning. I teach 1st grade. I feel that even at this age it would be great to have tools that involve every student the opportunity to be involved with answering questions through a tool like an electronic notebook. Even having a simplified version with yes/no options and such would be wonderful. After reading about Brian's experience I was inspired to have my students view more information about their pen pals' hometown on the computer. I like the idea of allowing the students to see things as they are in real life. If they are unable to travel to that experience, letting them explore it through internet sites and other computer experiences would be beneficial to their understanding.My one main concern about integrating technology into my curriculum is my own lack of understanding and awareness.

Lore Sampson's Chapter 2 Reflection

After reading Chapter 2 Guiding Learning with Technology, I learned about the technology standards for teachers. I found these standards to be interesting and easy to understand. The first standard directs teachers to gain an in-depth understanding of concepts relating to technology and to continue to learn about new emerging technologies. The next standard I learned about encourages teachers to design an environment supported by technologies. The third standard I would like to mention is teachers need to develop curriculum plans that included strategies for learning by applying technology to maximize student learning. I though that these standards are a great guide for teachers beginning to implement technology with their classroom.

The first idea I have to integrate technology for student learning in my classroom is to get a smart board. The second idea I have is using the smart board to teach all content areas.

The concern I have after reading this chapter is being able to provide my students with access to the most recent technology available and being knowledgeable in the technology to teach it effectively.

Lore Sampson's Chapter 1 Reflection

After reading chapter 1 Teaching in the Twenty-first Century, I gained an appreciation for the definition of technology. I liked how the chapter defined technology as any devise or systematic technique that improves the quality of life. I enjoyed reading about the history of technology and how over time the quality of technology improved through many inventions over time. I learned that in this century there has been a shift in the impact of technological advances in the world that affects how we teach our students in today’s society. Educators have a responsibility to be knowledgeable in content areas as well as to provide students with learning opportunities to support intellectual, social and personal development The next understanding, I gained is that teachers must be ready to prepare their students to live and be successful in an increasingly electronic world. I learned that teachers have the opportunity to shape how their students learn by integrating technology in their classrooms.

The first idea I have for integrating technology in my classroom is to teach my students how to use Harcourt Math on the computer. Our school has a program where we can assign homework for math on the computers. The second idea I have is to use the projector screen to teach my students how to research a topic using the Internet at school.

My main concern about integrating technology for student learning is being able to have enough preparation time to integrate it effectively.

Kate Wampler's Chapter Two Reflections

Although Chapter One left me feeling overwhelmed about the concept of technology and how I was possibly going to integrate it successfully in within my classroom, Chapter two provided me with the information necessary to begin integrating technology effectively. However, it was a bit overwhelming to discover that I had been carrying around the wrong idea of the Internet and the Web all these years. I discovered through this chapter that the Internet and the Web are indeed two completely different concepts. Right as I was feeling like I could never possibly teach my students all they need to know about the technology and the Internet, I came across the author's comforting words that ensured me to not feel as though I had to have an understanding of all the operations and concepts of technology, but to begin with an understanding of basic technologies that I plan to use in my beginning teaching; it will be from these basic understandings I will build upon my instructional toolkit. This chapter allowed me to become more familiar with the National Educational Technology Standards. I plan to take my deeper understanding of these standards to help me as I begin to understanding basic technologies.

Like chapter one, chapter two gave me many ideas of how to integrate technology within my own classroom. I plan to teach a lesson similar to the one presented in 2.1 by creating an interactive power point that connects with our district's literature curriculum. I also plan to create a web wall directory of useful websites I can use to develop lessons for my kindergarten students.

I am very excited to take the new information I found in chapter's one and two to integrate technology within my classroom, but I have one lingering concern; with the research-based data that proves students spend on average 40 hours/week in front of a screen of some sort, how can I make sure to create a balance in my teaching and avoid contributing to the loss of connection children have with nature?

Kate Wampler's Chapter One Reflections

After reading Chapter one I found myself overwhelmed by the information I was presented about the concept of technology and the terms associated with it. I always thought of technology as a concept defined by computers, blogs, email, i-pods and fancy cell phones. To find out that technology simply refers to human inventions and devices that improve the quality of life was very interesting. Never again will I take advantage or look at a pen or pencil the same way after reading Professor Chavez's discussion on classroom technologies throughout history. Not only did this chapter change how I thought about the meaning of technology, but it informed me of the history and transformation of technology as well. Although I was aware that memory sizes and processor speeds were much bigger and faster than they are now, I had no idea that the memory size in computers were described in different terms than they are now in the 1980's and 1990's. Reading about the transformation of technology throughout our recent history brought up feelings of excitement about the future of technology itself. I found Lee Shulman's, introduction of PCK (pedagogical content knowledge) for teaching technology to be helpful in developing ideas of how I would be part of transforming technology as a classroom teacher. Intersecting the three domains of knowledge (subject matter content, teaching and learning) are crucial for me to teach technology effectively; I plan to use this knowledge to integrate technology into the various multidisciplinary units I teach.

In addition to the multitude of information I received through reading Chapter one of Guiding Learning with Technology, I found creative, new ways to integrate technology into my kindergarten curriculum. In the Classroom 1.1, I found several lesson plans designed for Grades 3-5 that I can manipulate into developmentally appropriate kindergarten lessons. I plan to teach my students in their weekly computer lab visit how to use Kidspiration to re-tell stories we've read in class and communicate original stories they create. To connect technology to my Animals All Around unit, I plan to teach my students how to use a drawing application to draw animals they've studied and label their pictures. To connect technology to my math unit Creating Models, I plan to teach students how to use a drawing application to create a map from their home to school.

Although technology is very exciting and inspiring, I do have concerns as a teacher at the school I teach at. How can I learn about all the different, current technologies without the training provided to do so? How can I possibly provide my students with opportunities to explore the different technologies that exist, if there are not all the necessary resources and tools available?

Chapter two posted by Jamie Pool

After reading chapter two Technology Standards for Teachers, I now understand what technology standards involve, as well as, what technology standards are expected of all teachers. Being in a school that is not yet focused on technology is a very challenging concept knowing what I read in this chapter. I want so much to involve my students in learning through meaningful ways that are taught through technology. I know that I can do this every week when we go to the computer lab and I also can teach through my SMART board in my classroom. I think this is a good beginning point and I hope our school continues to grow in the technological era.
The second idea that I grasped from reading this chapter, is the sense of technological change. Some teachers still have a chalk board in our school. It isn’t that our school can’t afford another teaching tool, but some teachers prefer what they grew up with, which is also what they are more comfortable with using. It was very beneficial to read that our era is changing to using more updated technological tools, strategies, and skills. I understand that sometimes it is very hard to want to change to recent research, but I believe doing what is best for kids is most important.
Lastly, I believe it is very important that teachers are prepared with learning the technology standards. When I was getting my bachelor degree, I only had one college education course and it did not involve the teaching standards for technology. I feel, for teachers to become more confident in educating about technology, we need to learn ourselves and be more comfortable in understanding how technology works. If we are educated and are encouraged to take professional development courses on technology we will become better teachers for our students.
I would like to have my students exploring more with power points. For, example in the book the science teacher did a great article on Tornadoes. It would be great to split my kids in groups and have each group take a part of a topic. For example, we study about different types of rocks. We could have three different groups. One group could research metamorphic, another group could study sedimentary, and the last group could study igneous. Then when they have researched all the parts about their rock, they could put it in a power point and present it to the class. We could also put each group into one power point and each group could teach their rock type to the class.
Another idea that I would like to integrate is using more hands-on educational websites with my SMART board. I believe this get students very engaged which therefore will help them grasp the concept being taught. Having students interact with the SMART board and experience the different features will help them develop a better understand for technology.
I believe a concern that I have after reading chapter two is getting my school more involved and consistent with the technology standards. My goal is for me to fully understand them and then be able to teach others about the importance of technology standards in the classroom.

Chapter one posted by Jamie Pool

Reading Chapter One, Teaching in the Twenty-First Century gave me great insight on the importance of teaching technology in society today. One of the very interesting points that I learned by reading this chapter is how technology is defined. When I think about technology, the first idea that pops into my head is computers, the internet, and cell phones. Reading this chapter brought me back, by helping me understand what technology means in our world today. There are so many different ways that are effective when using technology in the classroom. For example, using a BLOG for home to school connection is an idea that creates a more defined atmosphere for learning. Before I read this chapter, I already felt that I hade a great home to school connection with the families of my students, however I learned I could make this home to school connection more accessible.
As much as I thought that I was aware of the importance of technology, reading about how valuable it is for our students in this day in age helped validate my understanding. Being able to prepare my students for the future is essential. They need to be able to participate in society by using technology effectively. As a teacher, I need to be able to understand what I need to know to teach the information successfully to my students.
Lastly, the pedagogical content knowledge for teaching with technology is an idea that is very interesting and important to me. Integrating the three domains in the classroom for student learning emphasizes the growth and development for technology. I believe teaching the foundation while using the reasoning process to connect multiple concepts will help students make significant growth in technology.
As a new teacher in third grade, I hope to integrate the three domains when I am preparing lessons. I believe this is very important for the education of my students. Combining subject matter content, technology, and learning are important ideas that is essential for teachers who want to incorporate technology in the classroom.
Another idea I would like to integrate into my classroom, is when going to the computer lab having students look at primary sources for content matter that we are studying in the classroom. For third grade, it would beneficial for students to look at primary sources and compare them to secondary sources. They could look at and compare the similarities and differences in the sources. I think this would give students a better understanding of what to look for when researching a topic.
When teaching technology, I am concerned about how much access as a school we have for our students. Only having one computer lab really eliminates how much time we are able to spend on technology. My hope is that this class is going to inspire me to want to better educate my students with new technological research.

Dave Neal, Week One, Chapter Two Reflection

Three ideas or learnings from our reading that are of interest to me:

1. John Dewey's quote “If we teach today as we taught yesterday, then we rob our children of tomorrow" is precisely the reason that I enrolled in this course. It is my hope that this course will teach me new technological resources that will help me surpass the domain that I currently teach within. The school that I teach in has been flooded with new computers and technological resources within the past few years (it has come to a quick halt with the decline of our last levy). I want to be able to capatalize on the new resources available. The challenge for me, as I stated in the first chapter review, will be to continue to stay on track with technological advances in the many years to come.
2. To be completely honest, I was not aware of the standards of technology. Coincidentally, our school's superintendent passed out copies of Montana state's technology standards, asking us to review them. It does make sense that there are technology standards, just as there are standards for every other core subject. My philosophy is that standards keep schools 'on track', so that we cannot teach 'whatever' we want to. I do not, however, open up the grand book of standards everytime I plan a lesson, or even a unit plan. I do make sure that I am aware of the standards and benchmarks at the beginning of the year, and then I go from there. Who knows, maybe this will change in time...or maybe it will not.
3. Standard VI is interesting to me and I think it could lead to an interesting discussion and project within my fifth grade classroom (I will go into how I plan on integrating this in the next section). Standard VI covers social, ethical, legal, and human issues. I believe that many teachers would consider this a standard that could be easily covered with their basic school rules (do not send offensive emails, do not search inappropriate sites, etc.). What I have been overlooking, is what a great opportunity this standard gives upper elementary through high school classes for meaningful classes revolving around this subject.

Two new ideas for integrating technology for student learning in my own classroom/content area.

1. Standard VI, covering social, ethical, legal, and human issues gives me an idea for a project revolving around this matter. The class could begin to talk about the problems (social, ethical, legal, and human) that could arise through technology. After the discussion, challenge each student to create a research-based PowerPoint presentation of the greatest technological crime in their opinion.
2. Simply put, given that I did not know (or remember) that technology standards existed, I am going to look at the Montana state standards for technology. As I mentioned earlier, I use standards as a brief outline of what I will teach throughout the year. I believe that looking and understanding these technology standards will have an influence on how and what I teach.

What is my one main concern about integrating technology for student learning after reading this chapter?

1. My main concern with standards (in general), is that some teachers may take them too seriously and attempt to rigidly teach to every individual standard that exists. I have seen teachers that teach to the standards as if they are reading a script. It is my opinion that to be an effective teacher, one must have a certain level of flexibility and creativity to go within and outside teaching standards. I would just hate to see our school system turn into a carbon-copy, cookie cut-out, program.
   

Dave Neal, Week One, Chapter One Reflection

Three ideas or learnings from our reading that are of interest to me:

1. The first chapter delves right into our preconceived notions of technology. When I think of technology within the classroom, I immediately think of computers and the internet. During my first few years of teaching, I would use computers solely as a source to conduct research. As my teaching strategies have developed, I have grown to use computers for much more (PowerPoint presentations, quizes, messaging, research, etc.). I do believe that my perspective of classroom-based technology is limited due to my exposure. Technology that is used in my classes is essentially technology that I have used in my education. I look forward to learning about the vast technological resources that have most likely been available for quite some time within our tech-lab.
2. The growth and speed of technological development boggles my mind. I remember the days of typing class in my seventh grade classroom. Our techlabs consisted of green-screened Apple computers, with only one typing application that I knew of. Today, we are blogging, electronic tablets, smart boards, and who knows what else. It is tough to keep up with the pace of this industry, both professionally and personally. Professionally, I want to keep up to date so that my fifth grade students are exposed to new technologies. Personally it is tough because there is always a new 'thing' on the market that outdates everything in its competition.
3. TPCK really hit home with me due to the amount of time and energy that I put into technology in the process of teaching almost any subject. My classroom has the luxory of being nextdoor to the tech-lab (which is often vacant). I use the techlab on a daily basis to conduct research, create presentations, or type papers. TPCK initially made me crack up, thinking that technology did not have a place in the traditional PCK model, however after reading on, I realized that TPCK makes complete sense. Technology plays an integral role in both my teaching and the students learning.

Two new ideas for integrating technology for student learning in my own classroom/content area.

1. In one of the examples, Professor Chavez used electronic tablets as a method of instruction to his class. This is really inspiring to me, and made me think of what the future classrooms (or present classrooms in some schools) will be be like. I currently use dry-erase boards for the kids to use to show me their answers to math problems and various other classes. Of course, this is great because I can immediately see the thought processes of each student. The thought of having this ability through electronic tablets is fascinating. Potentially not any better than the dry-erase boards....but definately more interesting and fun for the students. A possible advantage to the digital version is that the educators could possibly save each student's responses for future use.
2. The idea of using concept mapping software like Kidspiration or Inspiration to to tell a story sounds great to me. My students use a variety of different tools to create story-maps and outline stories. I would be very interested in learning about other technological tools so that I can continue to offer a wider variety of writing tools to my students.

What is my one main concern about integrating technology for student learning after reading this chapter?

1. The author writes that besides knowing their subject(s) and knowing about teaching and learning, teachers need to know about technology. As I mentioned earlier, I use the technology that I have been exposed to. Hopefully, this class will introduce a multitude of new technological techniques and resources that I can use within my classroom. The problem is that technology continues to grow and develop at such a rapid pace, that even with this class, it will be a matter of time before these new strategies and tools will be outdated. How do we keep in touch?

Chapter 2 Refection by Jennifer Burke

Chapter 2
3 Learning Ideas
I learned that by the end of the 20th century teachers started being required to have a Bachelors degree and teacher's preparation work. A great idea for my kindergarten students is to utilize a powerpoint to teach the alphabet. I learned that NETS-T are layed out in 6 standards.
2 New Ideas for Integration
I can utilize a powerpoint to teach various concepts, such as the alphabet, bones, names, and number matching. One way to optimize technology is to organize students into teams and have them research different parts of a theme.
1 Concern
I am concerned with the amount and variety of technology used in my kindergarten classroom

Jennifer Burke, Chapter 1 Reflections

Chapter 1
3 Ideas for Learning
Before reading this chapter, I did not realize that most things that make our live more covenient can be considered technology. This chapter reiterated the use of computer technology for theme units. It was also reiterated that it can be very difficult to find websites that are ideal regarding subject and grade.
2 New Ideas for Integration
First, one can utilize a computer drawing program to draw skeletons for a bone unit. Also, students can dictate stories as the teacher types in large font.
1 Main Concern
My main concern is integrating enough technology to meet the changing times.

Jennifer Atkinson, Week 1, Chapter 2 Reflection

Three ideas or learnings from Chapter Two

The three ideas or learnings I took from chapter two include: The Information Age, Web Wall, and the Technology Standards. The book discusses how the Information Age affects what teachers need to know to be successful. Teachers need to know more than just their content area, they need to be able to teach and use technology in their classrooms (Niess, Lee, Kajder, 2007, p. 15). All teachers need to be comfortable and knowledgeable about technology. We need to be exposing our students to the wide variety of new technology available. Another idea is creating a Web Wall. This is a great tool for students and teachers to share resources. It would be helpful for students in the same content area or grade level to be able to share useful web resources with each other. Often, students spend so much time searching for information because they do not know where to start looking. Finally, technology standards are a big factor for all of us. Teachers need to be thinking about how to incorporate technology into their teaching regularly.

Two new ideas for integrating technology

The two ideas for integrating technology in my classroom from chapter two include: research teams and websites. The idea of research teams will work well with my third graders on certain projects. They are learning how to research and use different resources, so teams would be helpful to focus their search. Having teams would be a good way to introduce some new technology and skills, but not have them get overwhelmed by having to find too much information. Secondly, only a few teachers at my school have a class website. I would like to set one up and encourage other teachers to do so as well. Class websites are a great communication tool for students, parents, and teachers.

One concern about integrating technology

One concern I have for integrating technology after reading chapter two is how to keep up with all the technology, since it changes so fast. It is challenging to meet all the core subject requirements and try to incorporate technology. Without classes, professional development, or training, I think it is difficult to stay current with all the technology out there.

Jennifer Atkinson, Week 1, Chapter 1 Reflection

Three ideas or learnings from Chapter One

While reading chapter one in Guiding Learning with Technology (Niess, Lee, Kajder, 2007), several ideas caught my attention. One was comparing teachers to digital immigrants and our students to digital natives (p. 4). My students have been exposed to a variety of technology their whole lives. They are growing up surrounded by technology at home, friends’ or relatives’ houses, and school. Teachers have had to learn to change with the changing technology. Teachers need to keep up with what the students are exposed to and what the students know. Another main point from chapter one is the knowledge necessary for teaching in the twenty-first century. Teachers need to know their subject matter content, how teaching and learning happen, and technology (p. 6). It is not enough to know the content and know about teaching and learning; teachers need to be able to integrate technology into lessons. It is not okay for teachers to be teaching the same way they were taught. Times and technology are changing, so the way material is presented needs to change, too. Thirdly, an interesting way for teachers to start integrating technology is through theme or unit ideas. For teachers unsure of where to start integrating technology, it would be helpful to look at some main themes or units that they teach. Then, explore how and what technology can support that content and be an engaging way for students to be exposed to the information.

Two new ideas for integrating technology

For integrating technology in my classroom, I am thinking of more ways to have students engaged in the learning with technology. In the spring, they write Animal Reports. Students could explore certain websites to research their animal and gather information for their paper. Before the students started to research, I would look over several websites to guide students to. I would model on the laptop projector some basic tips for navigating specific sites. The students would have time to research and gather information about their animal. Then, another way to integrate technology would be to have the students use concept mapping software (p. 9) to tell about their animal. They would take their notes from their research and write the report about their animal using a program on the computer. My students would really enjoy using the computer throughout the writing process.

One concern about integrating technology

One concern I have for integrating technology is the availability of it for my students. It is hard for me to get all of my students on a computer at the same time to do a project. My classroom has two computers. The school has a computer lab, but scheduling time in there is tricky with all the other classes scheduling time in there as well.

Chapt.1 Wk 1 Cathy Ziebarth

Three ideas of learning that are of interest to me include the evolution of computers and the impact on student learning, the rate at which technology changes and the notion that teachers redesign their curriculum and incorporate technology. The evolution of the computer and how it is being used in schools was one idea discussed in chapter one; Teaching in the Twenty-first Century. During the 1980s computers were used for programming. A shift to computers being used for productivity (word processing, graphics and spreadsheets) evolved and programs required less technical ability. The Internet created the next big shift; computers are being used for communication and information tools. One of those information and communication tools includes blogs. A book about teaching using technology published in 2007 would not have include social networking, phone texting and Twitter as communication tools, in addition to blogs because these tools were not readily available then. According to Niess, Lee & Kajder (2007) change is constant and “not only does change happen with electronic technologies, but also it appears to be happening at an increasing rate” (p. 3). These new technologies have changed our methods of communication and have a distinct impact on how students communicate and learn, as teachers we cannot ignore communication tools or how students use technology. At times it is overwhelming to think about how quickly technology changes. Teachers must stay abreast, evaluate what technologies are important and know the best way to incorporate technology into their subject area as they, “redesign their curriculum and instruction in a manner that supports students to construct how they view and are able to use the knowledge they are learning” (Niess et al., 2007, p. 12). We may no longer assume it is ok to teach students using the methods we may have been exposed to, but must look for ways to use technology to teach and learn.

Two ideas for integrating technology for student learning in my classroom.

Use SmartArt charts and digital photography, clip art or pictures Use the Internet for research.
This is the first generation of students that have never been without the Internet or immediate access to information. One idea I have for integrating technology is for my students to understand the evolution of computers and the impact of communication technologies. I envision an assignment that the class brainstorms and then researches various types of technology, possibly zeroing in on communication technology. We will use SmartArt graphics to organize a time frame and illustrate (through digital photos, clip art or pictures) the evolution of technology.

One main concern about integrating technology for student learning after reading this chapter.

My biggest concern about integrating technology is staying current and understanding what technologies are most important, and then figuring out the best way to use them in the classroom. Occasionally I am concerned about the associated cost of implementing technology and the impact on low income students or families that do not use technology. For example, we had a teacher who preferred students use their cell phones for pod-casting. I think it alienates those students who do not have cell phones or have limited calling minutes and may have the potential for student embarrassment.

Chapt. 2 Wk 1 Cathy Ziebarth

Three ideas that are of interest to me include the responses from students when technology was incorporated into the lesson, how a person learns skills and diversity needed when using technology in the classroom. According to the student teachers observing and recording the reactions of students when technology was used in the classroom, “students seemed interested, students were able to cover some objectives that wouldn’t be so easily or quickly met without the use of technology” (Niess, Lee & Kajder 2007, p. 17). According to Niess et al., (2007), ”Students were more focused and interested and seemed to appreciate the instant results available using technology and would probably retain the information longer (p.18). I believe technology has the potential to enhance most lessons; it is nice to see observable results.
How a person learns skills and knowledge becomes a fundamental part to what is learned. I think that is why some teachers resist change and the use of technology. If a teacher learned through a more traditional method, (pencil and paper) that may become their preferred method of teaching. The challenge is to change and be able to analyze subject area and use the pedagogical strategies to implement technology (Niess et al., 2007, p.18).
“Students have not had the same experiences with technologies and thus come to the learning environment with diverse needs with respect to the questions of integrating technologies in the learning environment, teachers need to plan for this diversity” (Niess et al., 2007, p. 22). This statement interested me because I frequently have parents tell me how well versed their child is on the computer, yet they have very few skills that will enable them to actually work well using technology or doing computer application programs. They may be able to play video games or text their friends, but cannot do an internet search, evaluate information on the web or use a word processing program. If they fill in a form or choose options on their Facebook page they feel they have created a web page. Not only will students come to class with much diversity, they will come to class with much misinformation.

Two ideas for integrating technology for student learning in my classroom.

I can modify the Web Wall idea for my 8th grade class. Currently they compare and contrast two popular search engines or directories, they type a report, incorporate the logo and give a brief summary to the class. Taking it one step further, I will have each student use a blank card and highlight the best features of their preferred search engine. We could continue adding to the bulletin board by having students view a particular search engine and add features and search results. I tried the Technology Link 2.2 (www.wiley.com/college/neiss)Tapped In-it provides professional development for teachers, which should enhance student learning by providing new ideas. I checked out the animal PowerPoint-cute idea, and the professional development link-a little difficult to navigate the web site, but may prove to have ideas with further exploration.

One main concern about integrating technology for student learning after reading this chapter.

My only concern after reading this chapter is, how do teachers become more aware of the NETS•T for teachers when they are immersed in their own subject area? If there is not a desire to implement technology how is that changed?

Ch. 2 Reflection - Bryan Pechtl

Chapter 2 Reflection

Ideas or learnings of interest (3):

The first thing that really grabbed my attention was the fact that not only do we have the responsibility to teach the subject matter, but we have to be proficient in such things as different operating systems (Mac vs. PC). It’s not just DVD players and projectors anymore. When I was completing my undergrad literally a few years ago, I suggested to the department chair to have a series of required workshops or a once per week class that taught pre-service teachers how to use the new programs and familiarize themselves with those programs. I don’t know if it was done, but he did seem interested.

Second, the book, on page 22, discusses NETS.T Standard II, planning and designing learning experiences. In my own experience, it’s not like I sit down and carefully list out as the authors list, but I do evaluate each point they listed. I guess it’s the experience of having tried some methods with students. Most appears to me to be common sense. For example, ‘consider the learners’ and their computer access outside of school. I’ve already discussed this in my chapter one posting. Second, ‘consider various technology resources’. I try to use a number of resources that I do have, from types of programming to video assignments that the students conduct. Closely tied to that is ‘plan strategies for student learning’. The idea here of course being to manage time so there isn’t wasted opportunities for learning.

The third item from Chapter 2 that I found interesting was how much freedom we have, currently, to design our instruction when compared to the rest of the world, which tend to have national standards versus our own. I have a feeling that within the next ten or so years we will have more national control over the standards. At that point, I hope they use those already established by organizations such as the National Council of Social Studies, mostly because I’m familiar with them, but why re-invent the wheel?

Two new ideas for integrating tech (2):

First, after reading the sample tornado unit, I thought that I could partner up with my science teacher and perhaps we could team up for a similar style lesson. He could focus on the science of a topic such as a tornado, while my students could research the impact of a major event. Our two groups could then meld that research into an electronic presentation, such as a Power Point to share.

Second, to make sure student learning is directed in a more focused manner, I’ll have to continue to use and design webquests that are quite succinct in their directions. Students tend to suffer from distraction easily, and it’s up to me to keep them as focused as possible to ensure successful completion of quality materials.

One point of concern for integrating tech (1):

The concern for me with the integration of technology is the learning curve of. I’m reasonably adept at technology, but it is a challenge for me to keep up on new trends that I might not have access to that could perhaps really enhance my instruction and student learning. Of course, that’s a reason for taking the course!

Ch. 1 Reflection - Bryan Pechtl

Ideas or learnings of interest (3):

For chapter one, a few of the things I found interesting was, first, the authors noted that the solid basic understanding of technology operations and concepts “is more than keyboarding and using electronic e-mail or accessing the Internet”. I found that interesting because what I’ve run into is students that do just that. For as technically adept as many adults think kids are, the kids actually have little experience beyond the Internet. Spreadsheets, power points, and databases are like a foreign language to them. As a history teacher, I find myself teaching kids the basics of the programs before they complete work.

Second, I liked the example the book used with the social studies teacher preparing a lesson using the Library of Congress documents. I can relate because I’ve done similar exercises in the past. Some of my peers that don’t use technology too much don’t realize the amount of prep that goes into making an effective lesson that students will be able to learn from.

Finally, the book says that (page 12) with all the access to information, people will have to know how to process the information, analyze it, and use it to learn. This has also been a challenge for some students that I’ve dealt with. They know that they can access virtually anything on the web, but they struggle with how to use it.

Two new ideas for integrating tech (2):

Because chapter one is more introductory, I found it a bit challenging to obtain two new ideas for instruction. However, because students are limited to often simply searching the internet with a web browser, at the beginning of the school year I will likely include a lesson on each of the programs that we will regularly utilize.

Second, I liked the in-depth example of the social studies teacher on pages 10-12. I think using more primary sources like those from the available at the Library of Congress will be something I will do, too. Having the students actually accessing the document from the website after I instruct them in the usage from the site should be quite beneficial.

One point of concern for integrating tech (1):

Once concern I have with teaching technology is student access. I know we have access at our school, but outside of school, the students are rather limited with what they have access to, so more time ends up being spent in the computer lab than I would normally spend.