Reflection Post

Technology and the use of technology is a wonderful tool that can be used to increase the quality of education. During this course I was able to experience and discover many different types of websites, web tools, and learned more about the power of technology. Just some of the things that I have learned to do in just 6 short weeks are how to create a webpage, create a wiki, collaborate to make a lesson plan, and create a WebQuest. I have also learned a lot of valuable information from the textbooks about the use of technology in the classroom as well as ways to incorporate technology in the total educational process. I was able to find a great website that listed some of the affects technology has in the classroom.

One of the main learning objectives that I will leave this class knowing is how to use technology to collect, verify, document, and organize information. I feel that I can use this in so many ways while being a teacher and even continuing as a student. I was also able to grasp the Global Socio-cultural responsibility objective and how I can use technology help and teach in a diverse society. The distance collaborations were also very helpful as well. At first I believed that it would be extremely hard to collaborate over email to create a project but I experienced it and I feel more open to distance collaboration in my future career. I have no suggestions for bettering the course as I feel I learned more than I was expecting. All assignments and projects directions were also very clear and helpful resources. I have become much more excited about finding new was to incorporate technology in my classroom and to get my students comfortable with technology as well. One of the projects I discovered during this class is the virtual field trip. I’m very excited about using these types of webpages and resources in my lessons.





References:


Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students. (n.d.). Archived: Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students. Retrieved August 9, 2014, from https://www2.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/EdTech/effectsstudents.html


N/A. (n.d.). N/A. Retrieved August 11, 2014, from http://skillip.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/ipad-transforming.jpg

Top 10 Reasons to Use Technology in Education: iPad, Tablet, Computer, Listening Centers. (n.d.). YouTube. Retrieved August 11, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulb4jl3xqs8

Using PowerPoints

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.

Benefits of Using Email and Texting

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.

Computer Games for Learning

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.

Virtual Field Trips

Created with Padlet

E-Books and E-Readers

While looking online for textbooks, scholastic journals, and free-time reads, its not hard to spot all the e-versions available for the books. E-Books and e-Readers make it easy to keep many books in one small accessible device. The textbook states "The growth of e-books and e-reader technology shows how the Internet is dramatically affecting the reading activities of many youngsters." (Edwards, Maloy, Verock-O’Loughlin, Woolf, 2014, p. 102). E-Readers allow readers to read a large range of material from textbooks to magazines and newspapers. Some people however have different opinions on the effect e-readers have on younger students. Tripp (2013) states that often time the discussion of a book between a child and an adult is focused on how to properly use the device rather than discussions or relating the illustrations to the text. The e-Readers also do not provide the social and motor refinery that reading physical books offer. 

However, for older students, e-readers can offer supplementary learning tools for students to use.  “ A recent study suggests that the use of an e-reader device that has decreased the number of words and enlarged the font on the screen can improve both speed and comprehension of reading in dyslexic high school students when compared to reading from print books.” (Tripp, 2013, para. 6). The textbook also shows that first year reading and writing students with e-books at California Lutheran University had an increase in academic performance and higher levels of engagement. Im my personal opinion, I think the use of e-books and e-readers are a new great option to get people more interested in reading. Some people may be more intrigued to use an e-reader over a regular book purely for the technology reason. Others may be more inclined to use based on built in glossaries and additional reading resources that can be accessed on the e-readers. I think e-readers are a great option if it means getting students more interested in using textbooks and reading for fun. 

References

Ask The Expert: Are E-Readers Bad For Kids? - Boston Magazine. (n.d.). Boston Magazine. Retrieved July 27, 2014, from http://www.bostonmagazine.com/health/blog/2013/12/18/ereaders-bad-kids-books-tufts/

Maloy, R. W., Verock-O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B. P. (2014). Becoming a 21st Century Teacher. Transforming Learning With New Technologies ( 2nd ed., ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Understanding Educational Technology Issues and Trends

Developing Lessons and Engaging Students

The generation on students in schools today are very different from the ones a few decades ago. Students lives today are consumed by technology outside the classroom and lack engagement in the classroom without technology. In our textbook it states that one of the main reasons students were dropping out of school was because they felt the lack of engagement in the classroom and got bored easily. Students also said that they were least engaged by teacher lectures and more engaged with group projects and lessons involving technology. I feel that this is information that teachers really need to be listening too. Students are trying to tell teachers what type of lessons and projects will help them focus more in the classroom. Simple technology based writing and design programs, web based learning games, and electronic worksheets are just some ways to incorporate technology in the lessons. 

Using Technology to Enhance Teaching

-Instructional Practices 

Teachers are easily able to incorporate the use of technology in the classrooms for lessons. One example of this is accessing the Web for lessons involving class discussions, presentations, and simulations. I think this is a great idea to get students more engaged. To begin, the majority of students are visual based learners. By using the web and projecting it onto a white board or smart board students will already feel more alert and engaged. If a student is a tactical learner they might be given an opportunity to operate the smart board or a handheld wireless device. Through using technology in instructional practices, teachers are not only engaging the students but they are also reaching all types of learners. 

Digital Divides and Participation Gaps

Unfortunately, computers and digital devices are not provided equally to all schools and districts due to community funding. Some people use this as a large argument for why technology use is not incorporated in the lessons. One of the main concerns of digital divide is for the low-income families that may not be able to afford the latest technologies. However, it is also stated in our textbook that technologies such as computers, internet, and phones have increased in household across the country. The concern is that the families cannot afford the newest technologies such as handheld devices and wireless devices. This however should not affect how technology is used in the classroom. All teachers have access to at least one computer (teachers computer) in the classroom. The teacher should be able to find web pages to display for class discussions. All students also have access to public computers in the school library or in the community library. These group of students are not uninterested in technology in the classroom simply because they do not have access to the latest technologies. These students are also still from the same generation and want and need technology incorporated into the classroom regardless of what they have access to at home.