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Technology Reflection: Interactive Whiteboards

Description/Experience

The technology demonstration presented in the last seminar was interactive whiteboards.  The demonstrator showed us how they can be affectively used within the classroom to enhance instruction; he even showed us websites that help educators come up with creative and new ideas for lessons.  Being that I am studying to be a secondary English teacher, I find that interactive whiteboards are more difficult to work with considering the age group of my future students.  A lot of activities that involve interactive whiteboards are catered to the younger age groups, and older students would not find them beneficial.  However, it did provide me with hope that one day, I will be able to use the interactive white boards with my students in an affective and helpful manner during my instruction.

Application
Describe an instructional activity (e.g. part of a lesson plan) where you or your host teacher can incorporate this technology. Consider an activity that can be conducted in 15-20 minutes.

First, provide some details regarding:

• Learners: The learners for this activity are eighth grade students in a Read 180 classroom.
• Learning outcomes: At the end of this activity, students should be able to define the different parts of speech, and know how and when to properly use them.
• Assessment: The activity in itself acts as a form of assessment.  This lesson requires classroom discussion and the interactive whiteboard offers a facilitation for learning and encoding the information presented.

-First the teacher must spend five to ten minutes discussing the parts of speech with the students.  It should focus on nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and prepositions.  The teacher should define each for the student, and have the students then provide examples of each.

-The next ten minutes will be spent having students go to the interactive whiteboard and complete a mad lib sheet together.  Each student gets a turn writing in an example of the different parts of speech

-The last five minutes will be used by presenting the class with the story they created together by unknowingly filling in words that correspond to the different parts of speech.

Reflection

--Pedagogical-Content:

I find that for the students at the secondary age level, interactive whiteboards are not particularly useful in the integration of technology into lessons.  Technology cannot replace teacher interaction, and instead, should be used to simply enhance the lesson.  Therefore, my pedagogical strategy for this lesson revolves around a lecture-based instruction.  While lectures are not exactly the best form of instruction, for the material being taught, it is probably the most effective.  However, the lecture can easily turn into a classroom discussion through the use of probing and examples.  An educator should be aware of his or her students’ zone of proximal development and create the lesson around it.

These strategies are appropriate for teaching this specific content because part of speech is something that everyone simply must memorize.  It is difficult to prevent rote learning when it comes to parts of speech, but through the application of this knowledge, students will easily encode the information using meaningful learning facilitated by the instructor.  The motivation in this instruction comes directly from the technology being used, as the educator is encouraged to outline the lesson before jumping right into it.  Thus, the students know what to expect, and if they are cooperative, they will be rewarded by being able to play an educational game.

--Technological-Pedagogical:

The technology, as stated above, is used to provide students a means for meaningful learning.  It acts as an assessment because the students will be providing examples.  It can also act as motivation for the students.  Most of all, however, the technology acts as a method for student practice allowing the students a way to apply what they have learned.

Different classroom management strategies will be required because students will be approaching the interactive whiteboard one at a time.  While one student is at the board, the others will remain in their seats.  The educator must keep these students engaged during this time.  Perhaps as the student is picking an example of a part of speech, the teacher could be going over different examples with the students.  Also, the educator is encouraged to inform the students that they will be working with the interactive whiteboard so that it has a few moments to settle in before the jump right into it.  If the students have not used it before, it is a smart idea for the teacher to go over how to properly handle the technology so that students do not break it.

--Technological Pedagogical Content:

Mad libs is a game that students play that involves students providing blind examples of the different parts of speech.  At the end, those parts of speech come together to create a pre-made template of a story.  It often ends up very silly, and the students will be able to recall the game when recalling their knowledge of parts of speech.  Examples is the best way to go about teaching parts of speech because while providing students with a clear definition is crucial, examples allow for students to understand and apply the knowledge.  This activity does not teach the students the parts of speech, it allows student to apply what they know in order to assess their knowledge and understanding.  For example, if the activity is asking for an adjective and a student says “table,” the educator will be able to recognize that that particular student will need some more help with adjectives.

            This technology allows students one-on-one interaction with interactive whiteboards, and while it could be carried out without the technology, the activity would be much more difficult.  Students are supposed to provide examples without knowing the story, and technology provides students with the means of hiding the story so the students do not cheat and pick words that would make sense necessarily.  The technology helps students process and apply the knowledge they learned during the lecture or classroom discussion.

Technology Reflection: Instructional Use of iPads

Technology Reflection Assignment

Description/Experience

The technology demonstrated in the last seminar was the use of the Apple iPad in the classroom.  The iPads are used for enhancing in-class activities, using applications for the device that students can utilize.  I would like to say that I’m more excited about the Apple iPad than I actually am.  I find it difficult to see the benefits without bias because most schools are struggling for money in the first place.  In my opinion, it would be more beneficial for schools and teachers to use the money they would put towards buying iPands, and instead, buy better books and/or curriculum materials.  Nonetheless, if a school has the budget for iPads, I see where they come in handy in the classroom.  For the current generation of learners, it is important for them to be able to work with classroom subject matter digitally, and the Apple iPad allows for meaningful learning through a digital medium.

Application

The learners for this activity would be eighth grade students in a Read 180 classroom, at the end of the activity, students should be able to understand how certain applications on the Apple iPad work, and how/when prefixes and suffixes work.  Assessment would be the iPad activity in itself, as at the end, the students will receive a grade or percentages of correct answers, and they will be instructed to show the results to the teacher.

For the first five to seven minutes of class, the educator will lead a classroom discussion reviewing what prefixes and suffixes are, re-explaining what they do, and talking about how sometimes, they can change the parts of speech of a word.  The teacher should include examples here, and allow students to come up with their own examples as well.

                For the next three to five minutes, the teacher should explain the iPad application that is being used and show the students how to successfully and carefully use it.  For this activity, the educator should create an application that deals with combing root words with prefixes and/or suffixes to change their meaning.

                For the next ten minutes, the students should work on the activity.  The application would be a list of prefixes and suffixes with one root word popping up at a time.  As the first root word pops up, a statement will appear, instructing the student on how to change the meaning of the word.  The student will have to tap on the prefix or suffix that will do the job, and drag it to the word, placing it in the correct spot.  If the students gets it correct, he or she may move on to the next word.  For example, if the root word “do” appears, the statement above it would say something like “change the definition of this word to an action word that means repeating something.”  The student will then have to choose the prefix “re-“ and drag it to the root word, “do,” creating the final word: “redo.”

                The final five minutes should be spent reviewing the students’ scores, and assessing whether or not they understand the material.  If time allows, it is encouraged to answer any questions students may have.

Reflection
Considering your learning activity described above, write a paragraph or two for each section below addressing the questions. It may be helpful to keep in mind the followings when reflecting:

1. How well the use of this technology may support your teaching strategies in this activity.
2. How effectively the use of this technology may enhance students' understanding of and learning from your particular content in this activity.

--Pedagogy-Content:

It is important for students to understand the material they are learning.  The best way for students to learn is to discover on their own, with the teacher scaffolding along the way.  This is why the activity begins with a teacher/student discussion about prefixes and suffixes.  The educator can see if, how, and why students are having difficulty in particular areas, and he or she can adjust the pedagogy to suit the student needs.  Furthermore, the demonstrations that go along with the activity are, in essence, the application on the iPad.  When it comes to the content of the activity, all students should be relatively familiar with prefixes and suffixes; we use them all the time.  What is difficult about the activity, is teaching the students why and how we properly use them.  I would be concerned with students prior experience with this technology because for the most part, the iPad is seen as a toy, rather than an educational device.  I would be concerned that students would not take learning through this medium seriously. 

--Technology-Pedagogy:

The Apple iPad is used in the activity primarily as both practice and assessment.  Students should have already mastered the material through classroom lecture and discussion, and the iPad provides for a digital way to perform independent seatwork.  The technology allows for students to take a hands-on and fun approach to what most consider a boring topic: grammar.  Through working on an Apple iPad, students are able to see how morphemes come together to create larger words in the English vocabulary.  As for classroom management strategies, it would be beneficial to use the iPad as an extrinsic motivator for the students.  For example, in this activity, the teacher could say, “If you behave and participate while we discuss prefixes and suffixes, you will be allowed to work on the iPads.”  This gives the students positive reinforcement for good behavior in the classroom.

--Technology-Content:

The iPad in this activity enhances the way content is represented in many ways.  The best way to describe this, however, is to reflect on the differences between teaching this subject matter with and without this technology.  If the iPad was not used in this activity, chances are that a worksheet would be used to represent the material.  Some students are overwhelmed when a worksheet is placed in front of them because there is so much material on the page.  Students who have a sense of learned helplessness may not be motivated to learn in this way.  With the Apple iPad, the material is organized and easy for students to understand.  They are able to work with the iPad instead of against it, as many students would do if given a worksheet.  The iPad enhances the way students practice because it really caters to kinesthetic learners, which is what most eighth graders are considered to be.

--Technology-Pedagogy-Content:

The content can be effectively taught with an integration of hands-on activities, like working with the application on the iPad, and teacher interaction with the students.  I do not think that technology can replace a teacher giving instruction, and it should not be considered to do so.  It is important, however, for the educator to have an understanding that students will be more apt to learn with the use of technology.  The iPad can enhance the way an educator teaches by providing supplemental material to already given and talked about examples.  It enhances the way one teaches by showing the importance of hands-on activities within the classroom.

Technology Reflection: Instructional Use of Edmodo

Technology Reflection Assignment

 

Description/Experience

The technology demonstrated in the last seminar was Edmodo.  Edmodo is similar to a social networking website like Facebook, except it is for teachers and students.  The teacher ultimately controls the activity on the site, but students can log on to their account and post discussions, respond to other students, create profiles, etc.  The educator can have certain pages dedicated to all of his or her classes, and badges can be given to students as positive reinforcement.  What I took away from the presentation is the idea that networking websites are not strictly for social purposes.  Edmodo connects a website that most students are familiar with and use every day, Facebook, with the education of students.  In-class discussion with my peers proved that this is an idea that none of my peers had considered either.  We were all very impressed with the uses and positive outcomes Edmodo may have.

 

Application

The two major learning outcomes of this instructional activity are:

1.       Students will learn how to navigate Edmodo, specifically how to post one the class wall

2.       Students will become more familiar with adverbs and how/when to use them

This activity is designed for eighth grade students in a Read 180 classroom.

The educator may assess the students’ knowledge of Edmodo as well as adverbs by interacting on the website with the students.  The teacher will be able to observe the posts the students create, and he or she can comment with feedback on the students’ work.

For the first five minutes of the activity, the educator should do the following:

1.       Allow students to log onto school computers, preferably at-desk lap tops

2.       Show students how to log on to Edmodo and allow them to create usernames

3.       Show students how to register for the class in which they are using Edmodo, in this circumstance, it would be a Read 180 class, and allow students to do so

4.       Show students how to create a post on the class’ “wall”

For the next five minutes of class time should be spend reviewing what adverbs are, when they are used, and how they are used properly.  The educator should provide students with several examples and have them come up with their own as well.

The next five minutes of class should be spent allowing each student to post a sentence on the class page on Edmodo using an adverb.  When they are finished creating their sentence, and if time allows, students should comment on each others’ posts, rewriting their peers’ post using the exact same sentence, but changing the adverb.  It would be encouraged for the teacher to post on the page as well.

The last five minutes of this activity should be spent reviewing the sentences, defining the adverbs, and having a class discussion about Edmodo.

 

Reflection

Pedagogy-Content:

            The best way to represent the content when it comes to grammar is examples.  Ultimately, students know how to use adverbs, but oftentimes, they do not know what adverbs are or how to define them.  It is very important to provide a definition for adverbs for students, but to drive the point home, examples should be given.  It is also very helpful to allow students to come up with their own examples of adverbs and sentences that contain adverbs.  By having students create their own sentences with adverbs, the educator can assess how well the students are comprehending the material being covered. 

Younger students may have difficulty distinguishing between adjectives and adverbs, whereas older students may understand the concept better.  It is suggested to help students by teaching them about the “-ly” rule when it comes to adverbs.  Also, many grammar rules are different in different languages.  If an individual is an ESL or ELL student, the concept may be difficult for him or her to grasp, and modification in teaching methods may be reconsidered.

Technology:

            Edmodo has many functions.  One major function is classroom and student/teacher communication.  Some students may not check their emails often, but if they have a networking site that resembles Facebook, they might pay more attention to it.  Students can interact with each other and with the teacher in a timely manner on Edmodo.  If students have a question about an assignment, it can be posted on the Edmodo class page and other students and the teacher can respond.  It can also be used to encourage cooperative learning outside of the classroom.  If a teacher instills a sense of students having each others’ backs, the classroom culture and morale will be likely to improve drastically.

            When it comes to accessibility, Edmodo is very accessible.  It is easy to find if one simply googles “Edmodo.”  Furthermore, it is not a blocked website, so if students do not have access to the internet at home, school computers will support the website of Edmodo.

Technology-Pedagogy:

            The technology used in my activity involves students interacting with each other and the teacher on Edmodo.  The technology changes the way adverbs are taught because it forces students to come up with their own examples.  It not only tests whether students can identify what an adverb is, but it assesses whether or not students know how adverbs are used.  It would be significantly more difficult to enforce students to create examples without this technology. 

            It is important for students to have something else to do when they finish posting their example on Edmodo.  This is a classroom management strategy that encourages students who finish early to keep working.  Sometimes, students who finish early are more likely to distract students who are still working or the classroom in general.  In this activity, the students who finish early are instructed to comment on other students’ posts, rewriting what they wrote with new adverbs in order to keep a well managed classroom.

Technology-Content:

            This technology changes the way content is represented when it comes to examples.  Oftentimes, when it comes to grammar, examples are verbally given in classroom discussion.  Another way examples are given is on in-class worksheets.  When it comes to this activity, however, adverbs are represented by students on the internet.  Not only are the creating the examples, but they are observing the work of their peers, and reading examples, which leads to a deeper understanding of the content.

Technology-Pedagogy-Content:

            An educator cannot depend on technology alone.  It is crucial for certain pedagogies to be incorporated within lesson plans to ensure students’ maximum understanding of class material.  It is because of this that the educator facilitates discussion before the students are allowed to simply post on Edmodo.  By talking through adverb use, the educator is practically setting up the students with a template to use when creating examples using the technology.  This technology enhances how to teach because it gives students a more hands-on experience in the classroom.  My teaching strategy choice for this technology would involve classroom discussion and ideas that are carried over into Edmodo either as homework or during in-class activities.  Through the integration of this technology and good pedagogy, students will benefit greatly when learning certain content.

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