integration of technology in the classroom - moving from appropriating to innovating, Hopefully?9/24/2017 After completing the readings and watching the videos for this week I wanted to think more about how I use technology in the classroom. I know that I use technology regularly, but all this new information about 21st century learning forced me to consider in what ways does my teaching or my students' learning benefit from the use of technology in the classroom. I found the SAMR model and the article about effective integration of technology in the classroom by Debra Rein particularly helpful in evaluating my own technology use. According to Debra Rein's five stages of technology integration, I believe I am somewhere between adaptation and appropriation. My students use technology often, and in some activities they are merely using technology to become more comfortable with it, and other times I truly believe that technology use expands my students' learning experience. Programs like FrontRow or IStation which are adaptive to all of my students' needs allows all of my students to practice the same skill in a way that allows them to be successful. That would not be possible without technology. Likewise in the SAMR model I think I fall somewhere between augmentation and modification for the same reasons. The questions I am therefore left with is, how do I take my use of technology one step farther to the innovation or redefinition level, depending on what model you are using?
I won't lie, I find this next step pretty intimidating. Allowing students to construct their own learning experience seems pretty risky, and how will I know if they have done this successfully? How can I be a good facilitator, rather than instructor to my students while implementing new technology? What I really want is to help my students become more collaborative and to develop more critical thinking skills and I know that technology can really help with those areas of development. What I don't know is what technology to use, how to implement it into my classroom, and what that looks like in my classroom specifically. I have a feeling it will involve some risk taking!
3 Comments
Stephanie Jones
9/25/2017 10:53:41 pm
I feel the same way. I love watching all of these videos that have such great ideas. It inspires me to try something new even if it is small. If I try and think about transforming even one whole subject I feel overwhelmed. As teachers trying to figure this out for ourselves it will take a lot of experimentation and risk taking. I still can't wrap my brain around how to facilitate learning of a new skill without directly teaching the skill. I am thinking about creating a chart of comprehension skills that need to be learned thought the school year as well as a list of activities that can be done to provide work for that skill. Students will have a choice of what skill, activity and book to use. I'm not sure if this will work but I'm going to give it a try. As students finish a skill they will get to place a sticker under that skill and continue to process with a new skill. This will allow student choice, creativity, structure, accommodations and technology. Depending on what they produce, I can then pull small groups and provide a direct instruction lesson for struggling students. It all sounds good but I'll have to let you know if it works.
Reply
mayra De la torre
9/26/2017 09:51:57 pm
I totally am in the same boat as you. I know using i-station and front row is a great tool to use with the students, but are there others out there that can help the with collaboration or critical thinking? It is intimidating and I guess we do have to take risks, but at the end the students will benefit and we will feel better knowing that we are 21st century teachers.
Reply
Lisa Gottfried
10/1/2017 11:07:15 am
I'm seeing a theme in your group. Many in your cohort are asking the same question about collaboration and personalized learning. Students often think that collaboration is divide and conquer, but how can we get them to consider that collaboration is about bringing all ideas to the table, comparing and contrasting and coming up with some new idea out of all the separate points of view? What strategies might help facilitate that process?
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorI am a fourth grade teacher in Vacaville, California. Archives
November 2017
Categories |