I learned so much in this class, I am grateful for the friendships I have formed and the tools I have utilized that will help me in furthering my educational instructional technology goals. I was able to explore so many different technology tools that can be used for instructional technology purposes and try them out for myself through the completion of the assignments. There were some tools that were more difficult than others but I learned something and gained valuable information from each of them. My strong points are definitely the ability to use Google tools such as Google Slides, Docs, and surveys. I felt I needed help on completing the interactive video and the podcast. The podcast was not difficult per say, but awkward as I had never recorded one before, it was strange listening to myself.
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Chapter 11 Question 1
What are the legal considerations of which a teacher must be aware when implementing technologies in the classroom? Explain each consideration and the step(s) you would take in your own classroom to ensure that you do not violate the law. With anything a teacher does, they always need to consider many different factors in relation to legality. When implementing different forms of technology teachers need to first use the technology their self and see how it works, not just read reviews. Teachers should apply a prototype session with the new technology tool to see how all the different features work and to make sure the tool is safe for use by the students. Internet safety is a huge concern for teachers. Yes, most schools have firewalls set up to block certain keywords or websites from being accessed by students while at school and using school computers. Unfortunelty, not all can be successfully blocked. Internet safety is important because the school can be held accountable for exposing the children to unethical and foul material. Before I would show any type of video to the students I would watch it in its entirety to make sure there were so issues with the material being presented. Another important topic is Copyright laws and acceptable usage policies. Teachers should always be aware of the school policies for what is acceptable and what is not. Using material that is not our own is copyright infringement and can lead to legal actions on the part of the owner. It is important to make sure the graphics, information, technology is free to share and use. Chapter 12 Question 2 Technology continues to evolve, becoming more personally responsive, more collaborative, and more individualized in addressing the needs of the learner. This approach of teaching and learning – whether using personal learning environments, MOOCs, or digital badges – will change how teachers use technology to ensure instruction that addresses the unique needs of the learner. How do you think the personalized learning will alter the way you implement technology-centered personalized learning in your classroom? Technology will always be evolving and advancing as the years pass by. With new advancements in technology comes new ways to integrate things into learning so that they are informative, engaging, and interesting to the students. It is important to make sure the technology is able to be accessed by the student and is legally ethical to use for instruction. Personalized learning will always be important to me as a teacher because as each school year arrives, I will try to learn all I can about my new students through learner analysis. This will allow for me to choose the right forms of technology to integrate into my classroom and instruction as well as choosing the correct tools for learning. Each learner learns differently so I think it is important to understand their competencies and skillsets so the technology chosen is not too easy and "boring" for them to use. I want it to be engaging and interesting to each of my students. I will always look for the latest forms of technology to use for learning in my classroom. This week we had to complete our construction of the course website for our classroom. This website was created through weebly and I had a lot of fun working with it. I know we still have (future) other projects to add to the website in the next few weeks but I am excited to see the final result once all supplementary materials are added. I always enjoy building websites and webpages, I like how my thoughts and creativity bleeds through the computer and onto the screen and individuality, imagination, creativity, and ingenuity can all meet to create a technological "masterpiece." If completed correctly, websites can be a great additive to a business, school, blog, or classroom website.
The most difficult part of this project was finding the web resources for the resources page. I had many I found but I felt they did not meet the specific standards for my lesson. I found that including resources and information for parents to view via a classroom website is not as easy as it sounds but in the end it is such an important part of collaboration between teachers and parents alike. Instead of emailing the teacher parents could possibly find what they are looking for on the classroom website, and if the do not, then they can simply click on the contact page. I think this is a great additive for any classroom. Chapter 9 Question 3 The tools and resources on the web must be applied to help students become productive digital citizens of the 21st century global digital society. What do you see as your role in preparing your students for their place in their world? What specifically will you do in your classroom to ensure that preparation? Common internet sources and tools are important in education because of the digital world we live in today. It is important to adequately expose the students to different forms of technology in their educational experiences because they need to be familiar with technology. Students who are comfortable with technology will be used to it and not be as confused and/or intimidated by it. With technology expanding and growing as rapidly as it does, students need to use it regularly and grow along with it. When these students enter adulthood and the workforce, their technology abilities will help them to excel and do well. According to chapter 9, teaching students about simple computer literacy is important. Things such as email, chat, audio, using the Web, knowing how to navigate websites, and understanding common web browser functions are all important for students to learn and apply in their educational instruction. Our book explains that the traditional way of learning (ex: pen and paper) can be crafted to include interactivity through the use of search engines, educational communities online, wiki, RSS feed etc... can be added to the traditional instruction as a supplemental material or an instructional material all on its own, that makes technology such a great tool. In my classroom I would incorporate different technology tools such as podcasts, research through search engines and the Web, familiarity with blogs, playing interactive and educational online games, interesting graphics to capture the students attention, and other media tools to keep the students' interests and keep them engaged. Chapter 10 Question 1 There has been much discussion about whether distance education can provide students instruction that is equal in quality to traditional education. DO you think an equivalent experience is possible via distance delivery? Why or why not? Our book discusses the pedagogical cycle, which is at the center of every form of instructional technology. This cycle allows for the delivery of instructional technology across a global span of communities and networks. Most forms of instruction include some form of technology in them. This is because technology has been used as a means of delivering educational opportunities to others across the globe, regardless of geography and location. All that is needed is an internet connection and a computer or mobile device. According to the International Association for k-12 Online Learning, the development of online programs has increased greatly in recent years. Having fully online programs available to students gives the opportunity for advancement and I believe it is just as effective as traditional educational instruction. I find that there are some who do not accept this new wave of different technologies that is being administered and adopted across the world. For example, the doctors office. When we go into our doctors office we are handed an iPad, we digitally sign all documents related to service agreements, HIPPA, and so on. I have seen folks come in that are annoyed by this, they want pen and paper to sign their documents. They do not want to read their documents on a computer screen, they want the hard copy. I understand where they are coming from because technology has only been advancing in the last few decades, although it has been around for a very long time. I think if we can educate the general public on the different forms of technology available and show them how to use it, there wouldn't be as much hostility towards integrating technology into different aspects of our lives, such as the doctors office. Education is no different, we have to use technology so our students can apply the technological skills they've learned to the real world one day. Why not apply it to distance education as well? I think it is a great thing using distance education as a means of online delivery of instruction and information. It helps to bridge the gap between location and learning. Another way I think it can be just as effective as traditional learning is through the use of collaboration and communication tools in distance education and online learning. Using chat programs, online meetings using a webcam, proper LMS, video conferencing, social networks, etc...are all positive tools that can be applied to distance education to make it just as effective as traditional learning. This week's reflection revolves around our thoughts pertaining to using multimedia tools in a flipped classroom lesson. I chose, for projects 1-3, to complete my lesson materials on History, the Mark Ages, with a focus on Feudalism, the manor system and economy, as well as social classes during this time. I think applying different forms of technology tools and multimedia tools to any form of instruction can have positive learning outcomes for the students because they are more likely to be interested in the information being presented if it is presented correctly. Using current and relevant tools for instruction bridges the gap between the old form of instruction: writing on the board, reading out of the textbook, and a lecture. Adding supplemental materials to instruction via technology can yield such great results for student learning and acquiring new information. I have to say this weeks projects were more difficult than I expected. The podcast was by far the most fun to do. I had never recorded a podcast before, only listened to them. I was surprised at how relatively simple it was to complete yet so interactive and fun for the learners at the same time, which is a plus. Project five, the Movie Story was difficult at the beginning. My audio was never clear as I wanted it to be. I had to sit outside to record (in peace) as we are all living in a camper (tight quarters) with neighbors shooting off fireworks for the last five nights, my dogs are terrified, wont stop crying and barking. With that said I think this project went okay. I really had to take my time when recording the audio files in Vocaroo and adding them to Windows Movie Maker. In the end I learned so much, it just took me over four hours of trial and error. Project six, interactive video, was the most challenging. I had a hard time with this project. In the end I was able to complete it. I added the audio recordings, and interactive questions, which I found the most effective in terms of acquiring students attention and gaining their interests. Now that I am able to successfully use EdPuzzle, I definitely see myself using it in the future as an interactive media tool in the classroom! EdPuzzle Code:
cekwuze Teacher task software is abundant for instructors to perform all types of teaching and learning responsibilities. After completing the Google Docs projects, reflect your working experiences when collaborate with your group members by using Google Docs. You may want to focus on how you use these technologies in your own classroom and how Google Docs promotes active learning and collaboration among students? Make sure to use Chapter 7 as your reference. Link your projects at the end of your reflection and make the links open in a new window.
I think Google has really helped bridge the gap between decent applicable software for teachers to use as forms of technology to supplement their instructional strategies and teachings. Google offers so many resources that are free as long as you have a Google account. I think Google was innovative in their way of thinking outside of the box when adding new tools to the standard GMAIL account that many individuals use today. For me it is such a convenience to be able to use my Google account, which is already linked to my school and work computers. I login to GMAIL daily and the instructional, collaborative, and data based tools are available for use. I think that is nice for educators since we use Google search engines for interactivity, interactive, and research purposes, which is a great thing! I have wonderful group members and have to say, we worked well together. The collaboration through our LMS (canvas) and GMAIL was easy to navigate and share documents thanks to GoogleDocs, Surveys, and Google Slides. We were able to collaborate effectively throughout the weeks leading up to the deadline for projects 1-3, regardless of location or time. I think a few of us were on different sides of the world or United States and even without power, running water, or WIFI for a few days ( that was myself in the Chihuahuan desert near Terlingua, TX) so with those barriers in place I think we managed to work well together. Project 1-Lesson Plan Creating the lesson plan was loads of fun as I always enjoy creating material for instructional purposes. I was able to complete the lesson plan on any topic so I chose History, The Dark Ages, as it is my favorite subject (I'm a self proclaimed history nerd of sorts.) Through the course materials and readings until this point I was able to have a better understanding of how to apply instructional strategies to my instruction that included technology tools and other forms of media, which I found interesting. I am always looking for new ways to expand my knowledge of learning methods, theories, strategies etc... Project 2-Survey Having a deep understanding of your audience through learner analysis can help bridge instructional gaps with the addition of technology to the instruction. Simple technology tools and media can help enhance the instruction so it is more appealing, engaging, and the content is of high-value. With that also comes the importance of understanding the learners abilities, skillsets, current knowledge, and related information to technology itself. The survey through GoogleDocs was such a convenient interactive tool that allowed me to really see the technology competencies of my audience, which then allowed me to make the necessary adjustments. Project 3- Google Slides and Google Story I love using Google Slides as a presentation instead of PowerPoint. I think it is because of the functionality and convenience of it being available for use through my GMAIL account. I had never thought of the idea of using a story in Google Documents to have as an interactive tool for my students. This project allowed me to see how this tool can be utilized in a different, but also interactive and engaging manner. Chapter four Question 3 When technology is used to support culturally and linguistically diverse students, it is often remedial. Often students find themselves using technology that has been designed for younger learners simply because the vocabulary level matches their current language acquisition. These types of remedial technology can be frustrating to use. Imagine yourself living in another country, trying to learn its language, and being asked to learn via remedial software. What concerns would you have about this instructional approach? What other options might be found to avoid remediation when it is instructionally unnecessary? Culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students, gifted students, as well as special education (SPED) students, all have different ways of learning due to a variety of factors. In education these factors are important because the teacher needs to work to meet the needs of the diverse group of students each year. The teacher should always conduct learner analysis to better understand each students’ abilities, skillsets, cultural background, language barriers etc… If educators have a basic understanding of their students, they can really make some positive changes to their instruction, which benefits the students. These changes, such as providing additional instruction or designing activities for the different levels of performance can provide positive results, but as with everything there are issues that educators face. Creating a curriculum that fits such a large spectrum of learning types is difficult and some teachers often feel frustrated, which is understandable. If I were a student who found myself in another country trying to learn their language and perform up to standard for my academic and cognitive level, I think technology would be a great addition to my instruction. Technology in the classroom allows for certain barriers, such as language or learning difficulties, to be addressed. Certain software could be used to help me transition to the new language. Having remedial software would be frustrating, as I have seen this myself when teaching. Students who have different forms of technology for support need to have technology that fits their needs. The problem is, not all needs are the same. Technology, when applied correctly, can be a valuable tool for CDL students who need extra instructional support. If I were faced with the actuality of having remedial software in my school setting, and I was to use this to help fill the gap for the language barrier I am facing, I would certainly not reach my full potential. I feel I would learn what basic information I could from the software but eventually I would need something more challenging and creative to keep my interests. I would probably get bored with the remedial software and look to other means of entertainment, such as sleeping or drawing. There are a vast array of resources that are free and online. These forms of software can also grow with the student as the language barrier is slowly diminishing over time and the cultural aspects are understood as well. Using the correct form of technology in the student’s instruction can help them reach their full potential and be successful. Educators have resources such as the University of Washington’s Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology (DO-IT) project. It offers many different tools, instructional approaches, and other resources that can be applied to the instruction for the CDL or SPED students. Another resource that could be used to help fill the gap for learners is the U.S. Department of Education’s website, which offers a great amount of suggestions, ideas, and resources for educators to apply to instruction that could effectively meet the needs of such diverse learners. Chapter five Question 2 Discuss the cloud storage. Why is it advantageous for educators to share resources and programs on a network? What concerns are associated with program sharing? Cloud storage is defined as information that is stored at one location and can also be accessed by others online. Dropbox is a great example; the storage capacity is large, and individuals can save their documents on their home computer via Dropbox and access the same information at work on another computer as long as there is an internet connection. With cloud storage, no portable device is used to save the information, which is great because you do not have to worry about losing the USB or flash drive. When I was teaching, students often forgot their earbuds or misplaced their portable USB flash drive. The cloud storage can also be shared if the owner wishes, which is a great tool for collaboration purposes. Having a form of cloud storage is great for educators because of the collaboration feature it enables. One teacher can share the information with another teacher or team members. Another teacher can edit, correct, change a document which would be then be updated in everyone’s files so everyone could see it. The others that the files were shared with could then add suggestions of their own and so on… I found this most helpful when I was teaching when we all had different planning periods. Of course, we met weekly for our team meeting, we used Dropbox which allowed for us to work together simultaneously or share important information when we could not actually meet face-to-face. Teachers can also use the cloud in the classroom for students to access. Disadvantages for using cloud storage is mainly the connectivity. If the internet connection is interrupted the updates or changes will not sync to everyone else. Internet issues also hinders the ability to even access the cloud storage. It is important to always have documents backed up. Technology is wonderful, but it can be unreliable. Chapter six Question 2 Some teachers believe that too much emphasis is placed on computers and other technologies in the classroom. Considering the technologies, you have learned about in this chapter, do you agree or disagree? Technology is such a great aspect of today’s society, especially in education. Technology used as a part of instruction can be an effective means of delivering creative and interesting content to students but also content of high-value. Keeping students’ interests is important in education. Technology is always advancing and will continue to do so as the years pass by, so it is important to stay current with the latest technological tools and other forms of media that students would be interested in. With technology comes some disadvantages, drawbacks, and difficulties, as with anything. The issue to investigate is do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? It is important for educators to address that question when looking into a new form of technology to integrate into the classroom and instruction. I think it is important to always have a back-up plan when using technology in the classroom. Technology does not work as internet connectivity can cause issues with access, saving of information, which can then be lost. Also, technology tools and devices can malfunction. With that said, I do not think there is too much emphasis placed on technology today. I say this because technology is everywhere, whether one is paying bills online, swiping their bus card when getting on the metro each morning, accessing medical records online, or using a debit card at the store. Technology has reached many parts of the world in one form or another. Technology has so many advantages. For example, robotic arms for amputees, surgical equipment equipped with software to read test images and offer results, the possibilities are endless. As educators we need to prepare our students for the world once they are out of grade school. Not using technology or using very little is not going to ready them for their future, which is going to include technology. With that said, it is important to use technology for certain aspects of instruction but always have the information backed up and have a plan B if the technology fails to work. Chapter One Question three The number of technology tools available to teachers is already daunting, and more are emerging everyday. Given the value of these tools to enlighten and support 21st century learning, what will you do to keep yourself informed about the options available to you? How will you manage your discoveries and work toward integrating them into your classroom? There are many different technology tools available to teachers with more added to the list of availability each day. It is important to stay up-to-date with the most current forms of technology available. As an educator it is especially important to use current forms of technology. Current technology tools are crated based upon what users are already downloading, using, and signing up for. As the market for technology tools is ever changing, as the clock on the wall does, these tools are equipped to make our lives easier and help us out, even in the smallest of ways. Our textbook, Teaching and Learning with Technology by Duffy & McDonald, states "Technology is the process of continuous change." This is an absolute true statement. Teaching with current tools is important because it will help to engage with the students and cultivate positive learning outcomes. Using old and outdated forms of technology will not capture students interests as the newer, more fun, vibrant, and exciting technology tools will. Using these tools in the classroom makes the teacher become a media specialist in their own right, the teachers will need to organize and use these tools in the classroom, which comes with research and investigation on the part of the teacher to choose the best ones. Teachers can use these technology tools to assist students in assignments, projects, and group work. As a teacher implementing technology into my classroom, I would look at what other schools were using and what technology tools they were implementing into their curriculum. This is not as a way to spy on them or to copy what they are doing, but to see how other tools are working. A certain technology tool may seem like a great thing to use in the classroom but by trial and error one can find the best way to use it. I would talk with other professionals, teachers, and faculty from my school as well as other schools to see what is working best for them and to keep current with the top technology advancements. I would also obviously learn from professional development workshops provided by the school for the teachers, that is a given. Any new forms of technology or technology tools that are introduced or even implemented into the curriculum would be studied intensely and used in my classroom where it was appropriate. I would also attend any technology training the school offered. All of these steps would be taken to stay current with technological advancements and technology tools are just the basis if what I would do as a teacher. Staying up-to-date with technology in this digital age classroom of the 21st century is important and a never ending task. Chapter Two Question Two Different students have different learning styles and their learning styles influence their learning. As a teacher, you should understand your students learning styles when preparing for the classes. Discuss your understanding on different learning styles and its influence on learning. Different learning styles are important in understanding the students. Understanding student perspectives and outlook on learning allows for the teacher to choose the best learning styles and apply them to their lessons. Meeting the needs of each student can be a huge task but it is essential in providing the best potential outcomes for learning, growth, and knowledge. Planning and implementing effective forms of instruction are important parts of any teacher's job. The teacher should stay aware of the learning styles in order to provide high-value forms of instruction in the classroom, attributed to the specific learning styles of the student(s). This can often be a mix of different learning styles and strategies to reach all of the students different ways of learning. Not every student is the same type of learner, so a one-step approach is not adequate in these types of situations, especially when it comes to applying the correct forms of technology as well. Cognitive style is the way a learner thinks, or their cognitive way of thinking, which in effect can alter the way they learn. Understanding the thinking process of each individual student shows their personal learning preferences, characteristics, ways of thinking, and learning. A popular instrument used to measure individuals ways of thinking is the MBTI, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. This instrument has the individual answer a series of questions about preferences and those responses are used to identify cognitive styles. Some of the styles of the MBTI instrument are:
There are three styles for learning that are commonly used and widely known:
A theory that has been used and highly regarded as more accurate than the traditional IQ, Intelligence Quotient test, is the theory of multiple intelligences by Howard Gardner. This theory is interesting because it is based on the idea that there is more to intelligence than just measuring vocabulary and math. Gardner states that intelligence can be measured by more than just the traditional forms of measurement used for years. This theory states that there are multiple forms of intelligence that can be measured, with some degree of many different ones, with one as the main and dominant style. These are the possible forms of intelligence according to this theory: linguistic- verbal skills in relation to sounds/music logical-mathematical- thinking skills musical- talents related to music, rhythm, sounds etc. spatial- seeing this in picture or abstract ways of thinking bodily- kinesthetic learners, use of body interpersonal- way one responds to others intrapersonal- understanding ones self naturalist- taking away things from the natural world, seeing, learning, interacting with the natural world existential- way of thinking related to human existence In conclusion, in order to maximize students possible learning potential, it is essentially crucial to understand their learning styles and accommodate these styles with proper technology tools, forms of instruction, and learning strategies implemented in the classroom. Chapter Three Question Two
To effectively design instruction with technologies, a number of instructional design models are used in education. After reading this chapter, discuss the Dynamic Instructional Design (DID) Model with the focus on this five steps. Effectively designing instruction is important in the classroom, especially when using technology. There are many different types of instructional design models used in the classroom by teachers everyday. Some of the popular models are Design Plan Act (D-P-A) or the Dynamic Instructional Design model (DID). Both use a systematic step-by-step approach for integrating technology into education, the classroom, and learning. This process is specific to each model, but all work to help the teacher effectively create, design, and implement the action plans for use in educational instruction. A popular model is the Dynamic Instructional Design Model or the DID model. This model focuses specifically on certain steps that are to be taken by the teacher in order to make sure all necessary components of the planning process are used properly. Effective planning is essential in providing effective instruction. Skipping steps in the planning process or just grazing over each step can leave space for potential errors and missed opportunities. This model uses the performance objectives as the focus. The DID model applies the use of a single stem and three key components to describe a proper performance objective. For example: The students will be able to identify declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamative in sentences shared as a group on the smartboard with 90% accuracy. The DID model includes certain steps that are to be followed: Step 1: Know the learner Step 2: Standards-Aligned Performance Objectives Step 3: Identify Teaching and Learning Strategies Step 4: Select Supporting Technologies Step 5: Assess and Revise Following these systematic steps ensures the learner will have positive learning outcomes and performance. This can also be done by aligning the instructional design to correlate appropriately with the individual lesson plan and creating an action plan. In the beginning of the lesson plan it is important for the teacher to identify strategies that best fit students learning needs and identify ways for remediation, if needed. Then, the teacher can choose the best performance objectives from the DID model by reviewing the objectives from the instructional design and DID Model again. The teacher can then effectively prepare the lesson and choose the best forms of technology. Hello fellow classmates. My name is Courtney Isgett. I am a current graduate student in the Instructional Technology Master's program at the University of Southern Mississippi. This is my final semester and I have thoroughly enjoyed this program, the instructors, and collaborating with my fellow classmates using many different forms of online communication tools. I began my journey in distance education back in 2011 when I enrolled in my first online course. Most of my undergraduate degree was completed online, with the exception of 18 hours, so I am familiar with common distance learning paradigms, Microsoft word, excel, PowerPoint, etc...I feel that I am very familiar with online learning and distance education overall. I have had many years of prior experience utilizing these skills and learning more and more about the fundamentals of distance education, which has grown exponentially in the last y ply technology to education, and more. decade. I taught SPED for about four years until I decided to resign due to my husband taking a job in Canada. He works in the oilfield industry as a senior NACE coating inspector so he travels most of the year and sometimes it is quite far away, too far to fly in and out in a simple weekend. These days we spend part of our time in South Mississippi and the other traveling with him around the USA and Canada while I continue to advance my education online. In previous courses I used other LMS (learning management systems) such as Blackboard and now Canvas. Normally, I communicate through the LMS (messaging system it offers) or I use email. In recent years I have become familiar with other collaboration and communication tools such as discussion boards, GoogleDocs, Screencast-o-matic, GroupMe, Socrates, Vimeo, and I have completed three blogs. I have never used a podcast as a learning tool. I am looking forward to learning about the different ways to apply a podcast to an educational environment (I can think of a few but applying it myself as an assignment will help, as I am a kinesthetic learner.) I think as educators it is our duty to prepare our students for the future and whatever it is they may decide to pursue. Giving them the necessary information, skillsets, tools, and confidence in their education is important for future growth. This also includes introducing them to the many different technological tools because technology is such an important part of our everyday life and it will only continue to advance in the future. Students should be comfortable and familiar with technology and all it encompasses. When I was in mt formative school-age years we did not have computer classes. Once I decided to enroll in online courses, it was a struggle at first because I had to learn the basic aspects of computer functions. I did not receive my first computer until I was 18 years old. We were not well off and lived in a rural town. Our school did not have many resources and neither did my family. I hate to see students struggle with basic computer skills as I think it is a necessary component to society today. I am looking forward to learning more about instructional technology, how to apply technology to education, teaching in general, and to use it as a tool to increase learning and growth. Copyright 2019
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