As technology continues to change and evolve, we can only hope that so will our educational system. Online learning has started to become more prevalent in today's educational systems. It provides all individuals with a chance to change their future and make their own destiny while staying within the comforts of their own house. While many colleges have adopted online programs, most K-12 schools have yet to catch onto this exciting new trend of learning. My hope is that you can view my slideshow and gain a little more information about how online learning can be incorporated into the K-12 educational setting.
http://www.slideshow.com/users/davidchi03/app4chiarellad-online-learning-in-k-12-school-520886099
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Reflection
STEP 1: My original GAME plan set out to accomplish the following standards from the International Society for Technology in Education.
Design & Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences & Assessments:
2b) develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress.
2d) provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching.
Engage in Professional Growth & Leadership:
5c) evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.
While I wasn't able to fully complete all of these goals, I was able to begin the process of drawing up ideas and researching to find out more ways to approach and teach with these specific goals in mind.
STEP 2: While carrying out my GAME plan and researching I did learn of a website for P.E. teachers called www.peuniverse.com. This is a great tool for Physical Education teachers to use to share ideas with other teachers and to incorporate technology into the classroom. This site related directly to one of my class projects that I thought of, which was to have students record themselves acting out appropriate and inappropriate school behaviors that could then be made into a voicethread or imovie to be used at the beginning of the upcoming school year to go over playground/ classroom rules and procedures.
STEP 3: Taking this class has helped me to realize that the learning process is a group effort. Through the use of technology and collaboration, students can express their thoughts and feelings on subject matter and they can learn. I have learned that I need to collaborate more with my colleagues so that I can provide my students with more opportunities and experiences that they would not have had in the past. I plan to make an immediate adjustment to the amount of group projects I give my students throughout the course of the year. My hope is to give at least one per quarter.
David Chiarella
Design & Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences & Assessments:
2b) develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress.
2d) provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching.
Engage in Professional Growth & Leadership:
5c) evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.
While I wasn't able to fully complete all of these goals, I was able to begin the process of drawing up ideas and researching to find out more ways to approach and teach with these specific goals in mind.
STEP 2: While carrying out my GAME plan and researching I did learn of a website for P.E. teachers called www.peuniverse.com. This is a great tool for Physical Education teachers to use to share ideas with other teachers and to incorporate technology into the classroom. This site related directly to one of my class projects that I thought of, which was to have students record themselves acting out appropriate and inappropriate school behaviors that could then be made into a voicethread or imovie to be used at the beginning of the upcoming school year to go over playground/ classroom rules and procedures.
STEP 3: Taking this class has helped me to realize that the learning process is a group effort. Through the use of technology and collaboration, students can express their thoughts and feelings on subject matter and they can learn. I have learned that I need to collaborate more with my colleagues so that I can provide my students with more opportunities and experiences that they would not have had in the past. I plan to make an immediate adjustment to the amount of group projects I give my students throughout the course of the year. My hope is to give at least one per quarter.
David Chiarella
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Using the GAME Plan Process with Students
After reading the National Education Standards for Students (NETS-S) and comparing them to the technology standards for teachers I've found that many of the standards are currently being addressed at all grade levels in my school district. When I started teaching in my school's district a few years back, technology became a class at the elementary level and was added in as a related arts/ specials class. To be quite honest, that was one of the main reasons why I decided to get my masters in integrating technology into the classroom, because I saw that my school district was moving in that direction and I knew how important it was for me to stay on the cutting edge of things.
As I looked at the National Education Standards for Students (NETS-S) I found that I could use the GAME plan process with my students to help them develop proficiency in Communication and Collaboration, and Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making. I feel that I can easily address these two areas because my class environment lends well to social activities. I already have students set goals in the beginning of the year, take action to achieve those goals throughout the year, monitor their progress, and evaluate and extend their learning through the help of a program called fitnessgram. My hope for the future is that I could use this method of teaching more frequently throughout the school year to better prepare my students for their next level of education.
David Chiarella
As I looked at the National Education Standards for Students (NETS-S) I found that I could use the GAME plan process with my students to help them develop proficiency in Communication and Collaboration, and Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making. I feel that I can easily address these two areas because my class environment lends well to social activities. I already have students set goals in the beginning of the year, take action to achieve those goals throughout the year, monitor their progress, and evaluate and extend their learning through the help of a program called fitnessgram. My hope for the future is that I could use this method of teaching more frequently throughout the school year to better prepare my students for their next level of education.
David Chiarella
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Revising My GAME Plan
Below are the three NETS-T goals that I originally set out to accomplish in my original GAME Plan.
Design & Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences & Assessments:
2b) develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress.
2d) provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching.
Engage in Professional Growth & Leadership:
5c) evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.
What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice?
Over the past couple of weeks I have learned to think a little more outside of the box. Technology is not a tool that I need to use in my classroom and it can sometimes be very difficult to incorporate it into my classroom, but with a little bit of brainstorming I've been able to think of multiple ways to incorporate technology into my classroom. Something that has helped me over the past few weeks has been setting aside time to brainstorm or research ideas. This has helped to open my eyes to new activities and new ways of doing things.
What goals are you still working toward?
I believe that I am still working toward all of my goals because I feel that I can still learn more ways to teach my content to my students. I am, however, furthest behind on finding formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and using data to inform learning and teaching. I haven't searched much for different rubrics and I'd like to explore this goal a little more before jumping into anything.
Based on the NETS-T, what new learning goals will you set for yourself?
After having discussions with fellow classmates and creating a Problem Based Learning Lessons, I'd like to focus more on nutrition in my class. To me, this would fall under engaging students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources (NETS-T, 1b). With the childhood obesity rates as high as they currently are, this would make for a great topic for students to explore, and I feel that there is tons of current information out there on this topic.
What learning approaches will you try next time to improve your learning?
To improve my learning, and to achieve the new learning goal that I set for myself I'd like to use a more collaborative and student-centered approach so that my students can take more control of their own learning. In the past I've found it somewhat difficult to give my students lots of control because I teach so many students and I don't see them as consistantly as some other teachers. I think that if I can set-up activities that help guide my students in the right direction that I might actually keep my students more engaged in learning they are currently.
Reference:
International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf.
Design & Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences & Assessments:
2b) develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress.
2d) provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching.
Engage in Professional Growth & Leadership:
5c) evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.
What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice?
Over the past couple of weeks I have learned to think a little more outside of the box. Technology is not a tool that I need to use in my classroom and it can sometimes be very difficult to incorporate it into my classroom, but with a little bit of brainstorming I've been able to think of multiple ways to incorporate technology into my classroom. Something that has helped me over the past few weeks has been setting aside time to brainstorm or research ideas. This has helped to open my eyes to new activities and new ways of doing things.
What goals are you still working toward?
I believe that I am still working toward all of my goals because I feel that I can still learn more ways to teach my content to my students. I am, however, furthest behind on finding formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and using data to inform learning and teaching. I haven't searched much for different rubrics and I'd like to explore this goal a little more before jumping into anything.
Based on the NETS-T, what new learning goals will you set for yourself?
After having discussions with fellow classmates and creating a Problem Based Learning Lessons, I'd like to focus more on nutrition in my class. To me, this would fall under engaging students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources (NETS-T, 1b). With the childhood obesity rates as high as they currently are, this would make for a great topic for students to explore, and I feel that there is tons of current information out there on this topic.
What learning approaches will you try next time to improve your learning?
To improve my learning, and to achieve the new learning goal that I set for myself I'd like to use a more collaborative and student-centered approach so that my students can take more control of their own learning. In the past I've found it somewhat difficult to give my students lots of control because I teach so many students and I don't see them as consistantly as some other teachers. I think that if I can set-up activities that help guide my students in the right direction that I might actually keep my students more engaged in learning they are currently.
Reference:
International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Evaluating My GAME Plan Cont'd
Below I have listed my original GAME Plan that was submitted at the beginning of this course.
Design & Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences & Assessments:
b) develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress.
d) provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching.
Engage in Professional Growth & Leadership:
c) evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.
Goals:
1. To engage students in more self directed activities with a student-centered approach, while enhancing their learning through the use of technology.
2. To provide students with a variety of assessments that align with technology standards that can later help to enhance my ability to teach.
3. To consitantly reflect and adapt with the everchanging digital tools and resources that support student learning so that my students and I can benefit from those technology tools.
In my last blog, I explained how I'm currently trying to make the activities I teach more self-directed and I have continued to do that throughout my dance and rhythms unit with the Jigsaw Dance Approach. Because I only see my students twice a week and this dance approach takes a little longer to complete, I haven't finished teaching it. As far as providing students with a variety of assessments is concerned, I haven't fully developed this part of my plan. While I do have plenty of ideas, I will need to spring into action with them in the coming months. I do, however, feel that I'm spending more time searching for new ideas and activities for use in the classroom. I've recently become fond of a site called http://www.peuniverse.com/ and I've enjoyed it so much that I have started to post comments on discussion boards and blogs.
As I look ahead to future units I know that I can easily implement a more student-centered and technology driven approach to learning as our fitnessgram fitness testing approaches. Since this is the second time my students will have done this unit in the school year, I'd like for them to be able to take a look back at their goals that they set at the beginning of the year and look at their fall scores so that they can try and beat those scores. Then we can enter their scores into the computer and analyze their scores and try to explain why some scores declined or improved. I have many other ideas that I can try to implement this year too.
I am a firm believer of being a lifelong learner, so I know that there is always something that I can learn. One thing that I can learn for the near future is how to create a movie through imovie so that I can create a beginning of the year video for my students on classroom procedures, rules, and safety. I think that I've created a plan that is flexible, however, I think I need to focus in on one project and follow through with it before getting ahead of myself and trying to move onto the next project. I really need to set aside a time where I can reflect on the effectiveness of the activities I'm doing in my classroom. I'm thinking that I might even need a journal to keep all of my ideas organized until I can put them into action.
Reference:
International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf.
Design & Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences & Assessments:
b) develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress.
d) provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching.
Engage in Professional Growth & Leadership:
c) evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.
Goals:
1. To engage students in more self directed activities with a student-centered approach, while enhancing their learning through the use of technology.
2. To provide students with a variety of assessments that align with technology standards that can later help to enhance my ability to teach.
3. To consitantly reflect and adapt with the everchanging digital tools and resources that support student learning so that my students and I can benefit from those technology tools.
In my last blog, I explained how I'm currently trying to make the activities I teach more self-directed and I have continued to do that throughout my dance and rhythms unit with the Jigsaw Dance Approach. Because I only see my students twice a week and this dance approach takes a little longer to complete, I haven't finished teaching it. As far as providing students with a variety of assessments is concerned, I haven't fully developed this part of my plan. While I do have plenty of ideas, I will need to spring into action with them in the coming months. I do, however, feel that I'm spending more time searching for new ideas and activities for use in the classroom. I've recently become fond of a site called http://www.peuniverse.com/ and I've enjoyed it so much that I have started to post comments on discussion boards and blogs.
As I look ahead to future units I know that I can easily implement a more student-centered and technology driven approach to learning as our fitnessgram fitness testing approaches. Since this is the second time my students will have done this unit in the school year, I'd like for them to be able to take a look back at their goals that they set at the beginning of the year and look at their fall scores so that they can try and beat those scores. Then we can enter their scores into the computer and analyze their scores and try to explain why some scores declined or improved. I have many other ideas that I can try to implement this year too.
I am a firm believer of being a lifelong learner, so I know that there is always something that I can learn. One thing that I can learn for the near future is how to create a movie through imovie so that I can create a beginning of the year video for my students on classroom procedures, rules, and safety. I think that I've created a plan that is flexible, however, I think I need to focus in on one project and follow through with it before getting ahead of myself and trying to move onto the next project. I really need to set aside a time where I can reflect on the effectiveness of the activities I'm doing in my classroom. I'm thinking that I might even need a journal to keep all of my ideas organized until I can put them into action.
Reference:
International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Monitoring My GAME plan Progress
My first goal of engaging students in more self directed activities, while enhancing their learning through the use of technology has not yet fully taken shape. Through the unit that I started this week (which was our dance and rhythms unit), my students will eventually have an opportunity to explore new dances through jigsaw dance, which is where students are placed into groups and then split up to learn all the parts of the dance. Once each student has learned their part of the dance, they then get back together with their group to teach them their portion of the dance. I'd also like to record students performances via FLIP camera so they can see what their dances looked like and so they can reflect on their learning experiences. So far, my biggest concern is being able to complete this type of an assignment with the limited amount of time that I see my students (considering all the snow and missed school we've had in the northeast).
The second goal that I had, which was to provide students with a variety of assessments that align with technology standards has been addressed somewhat in this week's class discussion. One way in which I could develop forced-choice assessment through the use of technology would be to use a "classroom response system" as described in this week's video by Dr. John Ross (Laureate Education, Inc, 2009). I'd need to request the classroom response system and figure out how to use it and input my content questions into the program. I have come up with a couple of other of forms of assessment that I don't already use in my class, however, I think it will be key for me to continue to think of ways in which I can assess student learning through the use of technology.
My last goal of reflecting and adapting with the everchanging digital tools and resources that support student learning is an ongoing process. I haven't set aside a specific time to reflect on the things being done in my class, but I do think I reflect and think about those things every day. Just recently, I put together a Wellness Day for my staff and created an evaluation form for teachers to fill out and it made me think about possibly creating an evaluation form for students to fill out after given units. Because my curriculum provides me with plenty of flexibility, I could easily take the opinions of my students into account when planning for specific units next year. Although I have thought of many ideas of how to incorporate technology into my class, the challenge for me will be to continue to find creative ways to engage students with technology in a physically active setting.
References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach (Laureate Education custom edition). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). 6713: Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas [DVD]. Assessing Student Learning with Technology. Baltimore, MD: John Ross.
David Chiarella
The second goal that I had, which was to provide students with a variety of assessments that align with technology standards has been addressed somewhat in this week's class discussion. One way in which I could develop forced-choice assessment through the use of technology would be to use a "classroom response system" as described in this week's video by Dr. John Ross (Laureate Education, Inc, 2009). I'd need to request the classroom response system and figure out how to use it and input my content questions into the program. I have come up with a couple of other of forms of assessment that I don't already use in my class, however, I think it will be key for me to continue to think of ways in which I can assess student learning through the use of technology.
My last goal of reflecting and adapting with the everchanging digital tools and resources that support student learning is an ongoing process. I haven't set aside a specific time to reflect on the things being done in my class, but I do think I reflect and think about those things every day. Just recently, I put together a Wellness Day for my staff and created an evaluation form for teachers to fill out and it made me think about possibly creating an evaluation form for students to fill out after given units. Because my curriculum provides me with plenty of flexibility, I could easily take the opinions of my students into account when planning for specific units next year. Although I have thought of many ideas of how to incorporate technology into my class, the challenge for me will be to continue to find creative ways to engage students with technology in a physically active setting.
References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach (Laureate Education custom edition). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). 6713: Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas [DVD]. Assessing Student Learning with Technology. Baltimore, MD: John Ross.
David Chiarella
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Carrying Out My GAME Plan
After taking a week to think about my GAME plan,
http://dchiarella.blogspot.com/2011/01/personal-game-plan.html, I have realized that my action plan will be one that is ongoing throughout my career. It will be based on the digital tools that are current in our society, and by implementing UDL (Universal Design for Learning) in my classroom my students and I will be provided with flexibility in learning and teaching (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009).
In order to carry out my plan I will need to continue to come up with multiple ways to provide my students with project based learning assignments that include the use of technology. Not only will I need to research new activities, but I'll also need to bounce ideas off of my colleagues and maybe that means setting up a website or blog site that all of the teachers in my school district can go to so that they can easily exchange lesson ideas. This would provide me with another way of communicating to my colleagues aside from just sending them emails.
Just recently I came up with another project idea for my students which would allow me to reach many of my learners based on Gardner's Multiple Intelligences (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, p.124, 2009). This project would allow my students the opportunity to create a group choreographed dance and then present it to the class through the use of a variety of technology tools (prezi.com, powerpoint, FLIP camera, present in person, or voicethread). The students would have a chance to work on their projects in class, but would also be required to use a class blog site to communicate with classmates, answer questions, complete quizzes, etc..
As I mentioned earlier, this GAME plan is more of an extensive plan and will probably be carried with me through out my career. My hope is that I can experiment with a variety of tools early on in my career so that I can create an inviting, exciting, and engaging learning environment that appeals to all learners.
Reference:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach (Laureate Education custom edition). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
David Chiarella
http://dchiarella.blogspot.com/2011/01/personal-game-plan.html, I have realized that my action plan will be one that is ongoing throughout my career. It will be based on the digital tools that are current in our society, and by implementing UDL (Universal Design for Learning) in my classroom my students and I will be provided with flexibility in learning and teaching (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009).
In order to carry out my plan I will need to continue to come up with multiple ways to provide my students with project based learning assignments that include the use of technology. Not only will I need to research new activities, but I'll also need to bounce ideas off of my colleagues and maybe that means setting up a website or blog site that all of the teachers in my school district can go to so that they can easily exchange lesson ideas. This would provide me with another way of communicating to my colleagues aside from just sending them emails.
Just recently I came up with another project idea for my students which would allow me to reach many of my learners based on Gardner's Multiple Intelligences (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, p.124, 2009). This project would allow my students the opportunity to create a group choreographed dance and then present it to the class through the use of a variety of technology tools (prezi.com, powerpoint, FLIP camera, present in person, or voicethread). The students would have a chance to work on their projects in class, but would also be required to use a class blog site to communicate with classmates, answer questions, complete quizzes, etc..
As I mentioned earlier, this GAME plan is more of an extensive plan and will probably be carried with me through out my career. My hope is that I can experiment with a variety of tools early on in my career so that I can create an inviting, exciting, and engaging learning environment that appeals to all learners.
Reference:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach (Laureate Education custom edition). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
David Chiarella
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Personal GAME Plan
After visiting the website for the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and examining the National Education Standards for Teacher (NETS-T) the performance indicators that I'd like to strengthen are:
Design & Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences & Assessments:
b) develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress.
d) provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching.
Engage in Professional Growth & Leadership:
c) evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.
Personal GAME Plan:
Goals:
1. To engage students in more self directed activities with a student-centered approach, while enhancing their learning through the use of technology.
2. To provide students with a variety of assessments that align with technology standards that can later help to enhance my ability to teach.
3. To consitantly reflect and adapt with the everchanging digital tools and resources that support student learning so that my students and I can benefit from those technology tools.
Action:
1. I will develop multiple projects to be completed in the classroom and outside of the classroom that will give students the chance to be more independent and an opportunity to be more invested in their own learning. These projects will be developed through the use of a blogsite, virtual field trips, FLIP camera skill analysis projects, prezi.com, and voicethread.com.
2. I will teach to the standards and supplement the learning through the use of technology. In order to do this I will need to be "knowledgeable about content, confident, sure that my teaching beliefs will align with the use of technology, and I'll need a supportive culture" (Dr. Peggy Ertmer, Laureate Education, Inc. 2009). I'll also need to search the internet and gather resources that serve as formal and informal assessments.
3. I'll need to continue to research the differing digital tools that are available to my students and I. Tools and resources that I find to be useful and effective in carrying across the objective for a specific topic can then be taught to a class of students.
Monitor:
1. The projects that seem to flow with the curriculum and content standards, and that the students are engaged in will be the projects that I continue to do year after year.
2. If students do not do well on given assignments or assessments, I'll try to take a look at my teaching and see how I can improve for the future.
3. I will try to set aside time each week to research new digital tools and resources so that this objective doesn't go by the way side.
Evaluate and Extend:
To ensure that my goals are met, I'll need to engage students in learning through the use of a variety of technology tools. I'll also need to not only expect my students to be self- directed learners, but I'll also have to be one myself. "Self directed learning is important in technology because technology is constantly changing" (Dr. Katherine Cennamo, Laureate Education, Inc. 2009).
References:
International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/
2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). EDUC 6713I-1 Integrating Technology Across Content Areas. [DVD]. Promoting Self Directed Lifelong Learning with Technology. Baltimore, MD. Dr. Katherine Cennamo
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). EDUC 6713I-1 Integrating Technology Across Content Areas. [DVD]. Enriching Content Area Learning Experiences with Technology Part II. Baltimore, MD. Dr. Peggy Ertmer
David Chiarella
Design & Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences & Assessments:
b) develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress.
d) provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching.
Engage in Professional Growth & Leadership:
c) evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.
Personal GAME Plan:
Goals:
1. To engage students in more self directed activities with a student-centered approach, while enhancing their learning through the use of technology.
2. To provide students with a variety of assessments that align with technology standards that can later help to enhance my ability to teach.
3. To consitantly reflect and adapt with the everchanging digital tools and resources that support student learning so that my students and I can benefit from those technology tools.
Action:
1. I will develop multiple projects to be completed in the classroom and outside of the classroom that will give students the chance to be more independent and an opportunity to be more invested in their own learning. These projects will be developed through the use of a blogsite, virtual field trips, FLIP camera skill analysis projects, prezi.com, and voicethread.com.
2. I will teach to the standards and supplement the learning through the use of technology. In order to do this I will need to be "knowledgeable about content, confident, sure that my teaching beliefs will align with the use of technology, and I'll need a supportive culture" (Dr. Peggy Ertmer, Laureate Education, Inc. 2009). I'll also need to search the internet and gather resources that serve as formal and informal assessments.
3. I'll need to continue to research the differing digital tools that are available to my students and I. Tools and resources that I find to be useful and effective in carrying across the objective for a specific topic can then be taught to a class of students.
Monitor:
1. The projects that seem to flow with the curriculum and content standards, and that the students are engaged in will be the projects that I continue to do year after year.
2. If students do not do well on given assignments or assessments, I'll try to take a look at my teaching and see how I can improve for the future.
3. I will try to set aside time each week to research new digital tools and resources so that this objective doesn't go by the way side.
Evaluate and Extend:
To ensure that my goals are met, I'll need to engage students in learning through the use of a variety of technology tools. I'll also need to not only expect my students to be self- directed learners, but I'll also have to be one myself. "Self directed learning is important in technology because technology is constantly changing" (Dr. Katherine Cennamo, Laureate Education, Inc. 2009).
References:
International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National Education Standards for Teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForTeachers/
2008Standards/NETS_T_Standards_Final.pdf
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). EDUC 6713I-1 Integrating Technology Across Content Areas. [DVD]. Promoting Self Directed Lifelong Learning with Technology. Baltimore, MD. Dr. Katherine Cennamo
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). EDUC 6713I-1 Integrating Technology Across Content Areas. [DVD]. Enriching Content Area Learning Experiences with Technology Part II. Baltimore, MD. Dr. Peggy Ertmer
David Chiarella
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Transitioning from Knowledge to Synthesis - Reflection
Throughout this course I have learned a great deal about web literacy and a plethora of strategies for online inquiry-based learning in the classroom. As a Physical Education teacher I have found it enlightening and quite a bit challenging to incorporate technology into my classroom. I have come to find that inquiry based learning gives my students and I a chance to learn about a variety of topics that are engaging that we might not know a lot about. The most striking revelation that I had about teaching new literacy skills to my students as a result of this course, was that it could be done in so many different ways. I would have never thought in my subject area students would be able to apply so many literacy skills that they might need for the future.
Moving forward, I can see myself using this type of approach more frequently in my classroom. Now that I have had a chance to brainstorm some ideas of how I can use an inquiry-based approach to learning, and I’ve created a unit in which students would be able to apply technology, literacy, and inquiry learning skills, I can better visualize how feasible it is to teach my students using this type of approach. I already give my students opportunities to interact with one another, but I strongly feel that this way of teaching gives students the chance to collaborate with others and gives them the flexibility needed to learn at their own pace. I also feel that students are more engaged because they are learning about information that they have questions to, instead of learning what the teacher wants them to learn. Lastly, inquiry-based learning aligns with my philosophy of teaching and learning which is based on a student-centered approach.
One professional development goal that I would like to pursue that builds upon my learning in this course and develops my own information literacy or technology skills is to teach at least one technology related, inquiry-based unit per year, starting next year. This course has given me a variety of tools to use in my classroom and has opened up my thoughts about how subject matter can be taught. The bonus about teaching an inquiry-based unit every year is that it gives me the chance to learn with my students. I don’t know everything there is to know and by completing this type of project with my students will allow me to grow with my students. I’d start off this type of unit on a smaller scale and gradually (throughout the years) refine how I’d teach the unit. I think I’d also probably be more broad in nature, giving my students more choices (what type of research they do, who/ what they do it on). I’d also only try this type of project with fifth graders and if things went well, I might try it with fourth graders. My hope would be that my students would be able to develop their information literacy skills while working on their technology skills, and each year I’d be able to have my students use a different way to learn the same basic literacy/ technology skills (i.e. through wiki, blogging, glogster, powerpoint, voicethread).
David Chiarella
Moving forward, I can see myself using this type of approach more frequently in my classroom. Now that I have had a chance to brainstorm some ideas of how I can use an inquiry-based approach to learning, and I’ve created a unit in which students would be able to apply technology, literacy, and inquiry learning skills, I can better visualize how feasible it is to teach my students using this type of approach. I already give my students opportunities to interact with one another, but I strongly feel that this way of teaching gives students the chance to collaborate with others and gives them the flexibility needed to learn at their own pace. I also feel that students are more engaged because they are learning about information that they have questions to, instead of learning what the teacher wants them to learn. Lastly, inquiry-based learning aligns with my philosophy of teaching and learning which is based on a student-centered approach.
One professional development goal that I would like to pursue that builds upon my learning in this course and develops my own information literacy or technology skills is to teach at least one technology related, inquiry-based unit per year, starting next year. This course has given me a variety of tools to use in my classroom and has opened up my thoughts about how subject matter can be taught. The bonus about teaching an inquiry-based unit every year is that it gives me the chance to learn with my students. I don’t know everything there is to know and by completing this type of project with my students will allow me to grow with my students. I’d start off this type of unit on a smaller scale and gradually (throughout the years) refine how I’d teach the unit. I think I’d also probably be more broad in nature, giving my students more choices (what type of research they do, who/ what they do it on). I’d also only try this type of project with fifth graders and if things went well, I might try it with fourth graders. My hope would be that my students would be able to develop their information literacy skills while working on their technology skills, and each year I’d be able to have my students use a different way to learn the same basic literacy/ technology skills (i.e. through wiki, blogging, glogster, powerpoint, voicethread).
David Chiarella
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Personal Theory of Learning Reflection
As I stated in my original personal theory of learning paper, I’d consider my theory to be an integrated approach as explained in Lever-Duffy & McDonald’s book Theoretical Foundations (2008). In their book, Lever-Duffy & McDonald explain that “if you tried to answer the question of which theory is correct…you would ultimately form your own personal answer” (p. 18). I believe that through my experiences different students benefit from different approaches to teaching, so in order to reach all of your students you must use a little bit of every type of approach. Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructionism/ Constructivism, and Social Constructivism are all important because in all of them “the learner is active in the learning process” (Dr. Orey, Laureate Education, Inc., 2008). One adjustment that I will try to make to my theory is the degree at which I apply each approach. By taking a closer look at the effectiveness of each theory throughout this class, there was a common theme that I found, which was students being actively engaged in the learning process. If I approach teaching with a student centered approach, my students are more likely to stay engaged in the activity and they'll take away more than just the topic at hand.
Some immediate adjustments that I'll probably make to my instructional practice regarding technology integration as a result of my learning in this course include: using a blog site to create an interactive classroom environment outside of my class that supports what takes place in the classroom; using voicethreads and a variety of other presentation tools (i.e. prezi.com, powerpoint, google images) to introduce new ideas and topics to my students so they can visualize what is being introduced and taught to them; and using FLIP cameras to aid in capturing individual and group projects which can then be used as teaching tools for other students.
Two long term goals that I would like to make to my instructional practice regarding technology integration include rewriting curriculum within my subject area to include more technology based units and lessons, and presenting or giving seminars to fellow Physical Educators on how to integrate technology into their classroom. I can achieve these long term goals by continuing to research and learn about what kinds of technology tools there are that can apply to my field of learning, and I can get in contact with my supervisor and apply to do curriculum writing in the summer and presentations/ seminars throughout the school year.
References:
Lever-Duffy, J. & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical Foundations (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works. Alexandria, Virginia: Ascd.
Some immediate adjustments that I'll probably make to my instructional practice regarding technology integration as a result of my learning in this course include: using a blog site to create an interactive classroom environment outside of my class that supports what takes place in the classroom; using voicethreads and a variety of other presentation tools (i.e. prezi.com, powerpoint, google images) to introduce new ideas and topics to my students so they can visualize what is being introduced and taught to them; and using FLIP cameras to aid in capturing individual and group projects which can then be used as teaching tools for other students.
Two long term goals that I would like to make to my instructional practice regarding technology integration include rewriting curriculum within my subject area to include more technology based units and lessons, and presenting or giving seminars to fellow Physical Educators on how to integrate technology into their classroom. I can achieve these long term goals by continuing to research and learn about what kinds of technology tools there are that can apply to my field of learning, and I can get in contact with my supervisor and apply to do curriculum writing in the summer and presentations/ seminars throughout the school year.
References:
Lever-Duffy, J. & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical Foundations (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works. Alexandria, Virginia: Ascd.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Connectivism and Social Learning in Practice
This week, in my masters class we were asked to explore “Cooperative Learning” and reflect on the strategy and how it relates to social learning theories. "Social Learning Theories focus on students being engaged in learning through construction of artifacts and conversing with others"(Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). "Cooperative learning focuses on having students interact with each other in groups in ways that enhance their learning"(Pitler,et.al., 2007).
In my classroom I typically spend about three weeks with my 5th grade students focusing on cooperative activities that are primarily geared toward problem solving. I focus mainly on communication, compromise, cooperation, and sportsmanship. At the end of the three weeks I take my students to an outdoor learning center called Genesee Valley Outdoor Learning Center, where the students are put into small groups and complete the different challenge activities. Whenever I take my students on this field trip it's always very interesting to see the "positive interdependence, promotive interaction, individual and group accountability, interpersonal and small group skills, and group processing" that goes on throughout the day with each group (Pitler,et.al., 2007).
Some of the social networking and collaboration technology tools that I explored this week that I'd like to include into my classroom for the future are blogs and facebook. I think these resources would provide my students with the means to socialize in, as well as outside of the classroom. While I favor using blogs within the classroom, I think that facebook could be a great tool for students to use outside of class to keep in touch with their classmates and share ideas and thoughts about classroom assignments. Lastly, I'd also like to explore the jigsaw technique to cooperative learning to help the lower-end and higher-end students learn from one another; to give each student a purpose and responsibility for learning; and to keep students engaged.
References:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
In my classroom I typically spend about three weeks with my 5th grade students focusing on cooperative activities that are primarily geared toward problem solving. I focus mainly on communication, compromise, cooperation, and sportsmanship. At the end of the three weeks I take my students to an outdoor learning center called Genesee Valley Outdoor Learning Center, where the students are put into small groups and complete the different challenge activities. Whenever I take my students on this field trip it's always very interesting to see the "positive interdependence, promotive interaction, individual and group accountability, interpersonal and small group skills, and group processing" that goes on throughout the day with each group (Pitler,et.al., 2007).
Some of the social networking and collaboration technology tools that I explored this week that I'd like to include into my classroom for the future are blogs and facebook. I think these resources would provide my students with the means to socialize in, as well as outside of the classroom. While I favor using blogs within the classroom, I think that facebook could be a great tool for students to use outside of class to keep in touch with their classmates and share ideas and thoughts about classroom assignments. Lastly, I'd also like to explore the jigsaw technique to cooperative learning to help the lower-end and higher-end students learn from one another; to give each student a purpose and responsibility for learning; and to keep students engaged.
References:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology. Baltimore: Author.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Constructivism In Practice
This week's resources provided a variety of technology related tools that could be used in the classroom by students to explore problem solving, interaction with others, and to construct or create projects by collaborating with others.
In my class I don't often find myself asking my students to go through the process of generating or testing their hypotheses, but in some instances I expect them to predict or imagine what would happen as a result of their actions (for instance, following the safety rules for using the equipment). Some of the few instances where I have asked students to generate and test their hypotheses is when they do their fitnessgram testing, which occurs two times within the year and gives students measurable fitness data to see how they compare to national health standards; when I have the students do a Game Performance Analysis, which is when students choose one student and watch them participate in an activity so that they can chart their tendencies during game play; and when I have the students do an Active Learning Time Analysis, which is when students chart another students or multiple students to see how active they really are during specific class activities.
Constructivism is "a theory of knowledge stating that each individual actively constructs his or her own meaning" and constructionism is "a theory of learning that states people learn best when they build an external artifact or something they can share with others" (Laureate Education, Inc., Orey, 2009). As I was exploring the technology resources this week, I found myself very engaged in what I was doing and I often found myself losing track of time. It then dawned on me that I was just as engaged in learning about the new interactive tools as my students would be. The act of project-based learning is something that almost forces people to learn, and "is at present the most influential force in shaping contemporary education"(Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008). Some of the technology resources that I found this week were very kid friendly, and I could easily see my students using them to create a better understanding of what goes on in my class through the construction or completion of an activity.
Here are some of the websites that I found that were very engaging. Most of them relate to Physical Education and Health Education, but they're well worth looking at if you have some free time!
www.kidshealth.org/kid/
www.nourishinteractive.com/hco/overview
www.kidnetic.com/Innerg/
References
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Constructionist/ Constructivist Learning Theories. [DVD]. Baltimore, MD.
Lever-Duffy, J. & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical Foundations (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works. Alexandria, Virginia: Ascd.
In my class I don't often find myself asking my students to go through the process of generating or testing their hypotheses, but in some instances I expect them to predict or imagine what would happen as a result of their actions (for instance, following the safety rules for using the equipment). Some of the few instances where I have asked students to generate and test their hypotheses is when they do their fitnessgram testing, which occurs two times within the year and gives students measurable fitness data to see how they compare to national health standards; when I have the students do a Game Performance Analysis, which is when students choose one student and watch them participate in an activity so that they can chart their tendencies during game play; and when I have the students do an Active Learning Time Analysis, which is when students chart another students or multiple students to see how active they really are during specific class activities.
Constructivism is "a theory of knowledge stating that each individual actively constructs his or her own meaning" and constructionism is "a theory of learning that states people learn best when they build an external artifact or something they can share with others" (Laureate Education, Inc., Orey, 2009). As I was exploring the technology resources this week, I found myself very engaged in what I was doing and I often found myself losing track of time. It then dawned on me that I was just as engaged in learning about the new interactive tools as my students would be. The act of project-based learning is something that almost forces people to learn, and "is at present the most influential force in shaping contemporary education"(Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008). Some of the technology resources that I found this week were very kid friendly, and I could easily see my students using them to create a better understanding of what goes on in my class through the construction or completion of an activity.
Here are some of the websites that I found that were very engaging. Most of them relate to Physical Education and Health Education, but they're well worth looking at if you have some free time!
www.kidshealth.org/kid/
www.nourishinteractive.com/hco/overview
www.kidnetic.com/Innerg/
References
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Constructionist/ Constructivist Learning Theories. [DVD]. Baltimore, MD.
Lever-Duffy, J. & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical Foundations (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works. Alexandria, Virginia: Ascd.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Cognitivism In Practice
Cognitivism can be described as "a mental operation that takes place when information enters through the senses, undergoes mental manipulation, is stored, and is finally used"(Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008). It is centered around information processing and how one remembers and recalls information.
One instructional topic that incorporates technology that was mentioned in this weeks resources was Cues, Questions, and Advanced Organizers. This includes "the technologies that support cues, questions, and advanced organizers to assist teachers in quickly capturing student responses and organizing the responses into useful information"(Pitler, et.al., p.75, 2007). In my classroom, I tend to lean heavily on cues because as my students perform a skill with their body they usually need an easy way to remember the steps or progressions of the skill. I also use lots of questioning in my classroom because I don't see my students every day that they come to school. I have tried to follow the Bloom's Taxonomy progression of asking questions in the classroom; however, I have never had the opportunity to have my students check out some of the websites presented in Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski's book, "Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works". Using advanced organizers can be very help too and my school has access to programs such as Kidspiration, Inspiration, and various video resources such as United Streaming. These tools give students and teachers the ability to "integrate multiple senses in lessons and presentations, which improves learning" (Orey, Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). Furthermore, these tools support cognitivist theorist ideas about dual coding and elaboration.
Another instructional topic that incorporates technology that was mentioned in this weeks resources was Summarizing and Note Taking. This "focuses on enhancing students' ability to synthesize information and distill it into a concise new form"(Pitler, et.al., p.119, 2007). The cognitivist approach stresses elaboration, which is the method used when learning information that will be stored long term. This is not something that I focus on a lot in my classroom because my students are "learning to move and moving to learn" so they are rarely summarizing or note taking (with pencil and paper or on a computer). However, I do feel that my students visually internalize information and take notes, and if asked questions they could summarize the information presented in class. One idea that was presented in the book that I'd like to try with my students is creating a blog site for my students to interact with each other. As stated in this weeks resource, "blogs can provide a very effective way to implement the strategy of reciprocal teaching" which focuses on "summarizing, questioning, clarifying, and predicting"(Pitler, et.al., p.137, 2007).
Concept Mapping and Virtual Field Trip are two great ways to engage students in learning while allowing students to use technology. Concept Mapping is a great way to organize ideas, and it also provides connections between concepts that students can easily see. "It helps visualize ideas and it is a good replication of the network model of memory"(Orey, Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). Virtual Field Trips (VFT's) are another excellent tool for classroom use because they can take you to places that you can't go in real life. They create an experience that is as close to real life as possible without being real life, and this correlates with cognitivists ideas about eposodic memory and dual coding.
References
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Cognitive Learning Theories. [DVD]. Baltimore, MD.
Lever-Duffy, J. & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical Foundations (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works. Alexandria, Virginia: Ascd.
One instructional topic that incorporates technology that was mentioned in this weeks resources was Cues, Questions, and Advanced Organizers. This includes "the technologies that support cues, questions, and advanced organizers to assist teachers in quickly capturing student responses and organizing the responses into useful information"(Pitler, et.al., p.75, 2007). In my classroom, I tend to lean heavily on cues because as my students perform a skill with their body they usually need an easy way to remember the steps or progressions of the skill. I also use lots of questioning in my classroom because I don't see my students every day that they come to school. I have tried to follow the Bloom's Taxonomy progression of asking questions in the classroom; however, I have never had the opportunity to have my students check out some of the websites presented in Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski's book, "Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works". Using advanced organizers can be very help too and my school has access to programs such as Kidspiration, Inspiration, and various video resources such as United Streaming. These tools give students and teachers the ability to "integrate multiple senses in lessons and presentations, which improves learning" (Orey, Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). Furthermore, these tools support cognitivist theorist ideas about dual coding and elaboration.
Another instructional topic that incorporates technology that was mentioned in this weeks resources was Summarizing and Note Taking. This "focuses on enhancing students' ability to synthesize information and distill it into a concise new form"(Pitler, et.al., p.119, 2007). The cognitivist approach stresses elaboration, which is the method used when learning information that will be stored long term. This is not something that I focus on a lot in my classroom because my students are "learning to move and moving to learn" so they are rarely summarizing or note taking (with pencil and paper or on a computer). However, I do feel that my students visually internalize information and take notes, and if asked questions they could summarize the information presented in class. One idea that was presented in the book that I'd like to try with my students is creating a blog site for my students to interact with each other. As stated in this weeks resource, "blogs can provide a very effective way to implement the strategy of reciprocal teaching" which focuses on "summarizing, questioning, clarifying, and predicting"(Pitler, et.al., p.137, 2007).
Concept Mapping and Virtual Field Trip are two great ways to engage students in learning while allowing students to use technology. Concept Mapping is a great way to organize ideas, and it also provides connections between concepts that students can easily see. "It helps visualize ideas and it is a good replication of the network model of memory"(Orey, Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). Virtual Field Trips (VFT's) are another excellent tool for classroom use because they can take you to places that you can't go in real life. They create an experience that is as close to real life as possible without being real life, and this correlates with cognitivists ideas about eposodic memory and dual coding.
References
Laureate, Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Cognitive Learning Theories. [DVD]. Baltimore, MD.
Lever-Duffy, J. & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical Foundations (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works. Alexandria, Virginia: Ascd.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Behaviorism In Practice
This week for my masters course (Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology) we were asked to explore two instructional strategies that embed technology: “Reinforcing Effort” and “Homework and Practice," and reflect on those strategies and how they related to behaviorist learning theory.
After reading through the given resources, I found that I strongly agreed with the idea that "reinforcing effort enhances students' understanding of the relationship between effort and achievement by addressing their attitudes and beliefs about learning"(Pitler, et al., 2007, p.155). I feel that self efficacy can play a large part in a students life and can prove to be a very effective strategy when trying to motivate students. Some recommendations for classroom practice from the reading included "teaching students the importance of effort, and having students keep track of their effort and achievement"(Pitler, et al., 2007, p.156). Giving students and understanding and a reason for taking on or demonstrating a characteristic can be difficult, which is why I believe it is so important to use some sort of data collection method so that the students can track their effort and achievement.
In most classrooms, one of the easiest ways to track effort is by looking at the students homework habits because students are (or at least they should be) completing homework on a consistent basis. Completing homework allows students more time "to practice, review, and apply new learning so that they can make it permanent"(Pitler, et al., 2007, p.165). The behaviorist approach stresses drill and practice, but often times I find that students can only handle so much drill and practice. I feel that through the use of technology, this stagnant approach to practicing, reviewing, and applying new material can become something that is exciting and new to learn, that relates to real life practices. Some of the ideas for integrating technology into the classroom from Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski's book, included using word processing applications, spreadsheet software, multi media, web resources, and communication software. I believe that through the use of these applications, resources, and software teachers can track effort and create an open learning environment where students are practicing real life skills.
In the upcoming year, I plan to use the key strategies of reinforcing effort (as it relates to behavior management) and homework and practice (as it relates to providing students the chance to practice, review, and apply new learning). I will however, be more mindful of when and how I use these strategies so that my students are fully engaged in learning, and so I may be able to fully individualize instruction.
Reference
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works. Alexandria, Virginia: Ascd.
After reading through the given resources, I found that I strongly agreed with the idea that "reinforcing effort enhances students' understanding of the relationship between effort and achievement by addressing their attitudes and beliefs about learning"(Pitler, et al., 2007, p.155). I feel that self efficacy can play a large part in a students life and can prove to be a very effective strategy when trying to motivate students. Some recommendations for classroom practice from the reading included "teaching students the importance of effort, and having students keep track of their effort and achievement"(Pitler, et al., 2007, p.156). Giving students and understanding and a reason for taking on or demonstrating a characteristic can be difficult, which is why I believe it is so important to use some sort of data collection method so that the students can track their effort and achievement.
In most classrooms, one of the easiest ways to track effort is by looking at the students homework habits because students are (or at least they should be) completing homework on a consistent basis. Completing homework allows students more time "to practice, review, and apply new learning so that they can make it permanent"(Pitler, et al., 2007, p.165). The behaviorist approach stresses drill and practice, but often times I find that students can only handle so much drill and practice. I feel that through the use of technology, this stagnant approach to practicing, reviewing, and applying new material can become something that is exciting and new to learn, that relates to real life practices. Some of the ideas for integrating technology into the classroom from Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski's book, included using word processing applications, spreadsheet software, multi media, web resources, and communication software. I believe that through the use of these applications, resources, and software teachers can track effort and create an open learning environment where students are practicing real life skills.
In the upcoming year, I plan to use the key strategies of reinforcing effort (as it relates to behavior management) and homework and practice (as it relates to providing students the chance to practice, review, and apply new learning). I will however, be more mindful of when and how I use these strategies so that my students are fully engaged in learning, and so I may be able to fully individualize instruction.
Reference
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works. Alexandria, Virginia: Ascd.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Reflection on Integrating Technology into the Classroom
Throughout this course, "Understanding the Impact of Technology on Education, Work, and Society," I feel that I have stretched my way of thinking on how to incorporate technology into my subject area. Before taking this class I would have considered myself to be well off when it comes to technology, but I think this course has really given me more confidence and the stepping stones to continue increasing my technology knowledge and skills.
There are many ways that I can continue to expand my knowledge of technology integration. I can continue to take classes related to technology integration, explore educational blogs and websites, and lastly continue to talk with teachers and share ideas to use in the classroom. If I'm able to do these three things, I believe that I can continue to try new ideas in my classroom and figure out what will maximize student achievement in my class.
One long term goal that I have for transforming my classroom environment into a place where technology is integrated is setting up a website for my students/ parents/ and community to go to. I believe that I could achieve this goal by setting up a blog site that students have to check on a regular basis or by using another type of website (like teacher web) to infuse technology instruction into my class.
Another long term goal that I have is to be a Physical Education technology specialist/ leader for integrating technology into the classroom. What I have found in taking just a few classes in this masters program, is that it is very difficult to incorporate a large amount of technology into a P.E. class in the same ways that you'd incorporate technology into other classes. I'd like to research and create ways and ideas in which teachers can easily incorporate technology into their P.E. class without taking away from the core objectives. My hope is that I can help other P.E. teachers expand their way of thinking and get rid of the "roll out the ball" and "busy, happy, good" stereotypes that P.E. teachers are often labeled with by incorporating more technology into their lessons.
There are many ways that I can continue to expand my knowledge of technology integration. I can continue to take classes related to technology integration, explore educational blogs and websites, and lastly continue to talk with teachers and share ideas to use in the classroom. If I'm able to do these three things, I believe that I can continue to try new ideas in my classroom and figure out what will maximize student achievement in my class.
One long term goal that I have for transforming my classroom environment into a place where technology is integrated is setting up a website for my students/ parents/ and community to go to. I believe that I could achieve this goal by setting up a blog site that students have to check on a regular basis or by using another type of website (like teacher web) to infuse technology instruction into my class.
Another long term goal that I have is to be a Physical Education technology specialist/ leader for integrating technology into the classroom. What I have found in taking just a few classes in this masters program, is that it is very difficult to incorporate a large amount of technology into a P.E. class in the same ways that you'd incorporate technology into other classes. I'd like to research and create ways and ideas in which teachers can easily incorporate technology into their P.E. class without taking away from the core objectives. My hope is that I can help other P.E. teachers expand their way of thinking and get rid of the "roll out the ball" and "busy, happy, good" stereotypes that P.E. teachers are often labeled with by incorporating more technology into their lessons.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Reaction to Partnership for 21st Century Skills
The Partnership for 21st Century Skills is an organization that supports schools and students across the nation, so that they may be better prepared for the real world workplace after earning a K-12 education. This organization is supported by many businesses and school systems, and their main focus is providing students with an education that includes the 3 R's (reading, writing, and arithmetic)and the 4 C's (critical thinking and problem solving, communication, collaboration, and creativity and innovation).
My initial reaction to this website was positive. I feel that this organization falls in line with what many school systems are trying to do. Like the website said, there is a gap between what students learn in school and what they are expected to do in the real world. The question I have is, how can we close in on the gap that has been created and teach students what they'll ultimately need to know? This organization seems to provide some sort of action plan, and I feel it could be very successful. I was surprised to see that there were so many businesses in support of this organization, and so few states that were in support of this organization. I would have thought that more states would have been involved.
I didn't disagree with anything on the website, but I do think this organization could be the catalyst for change within many school systems. Most schools often have a difficult time of adopting new programs, especially when it involves large sums of money. There seemed to be enough businesses in support of this organization that could help fund this program in schools across America. This would provide today's students with 21st century knowledge and skills they'd need to know, and it would make our society more technology savvy. Implementation of this program would also require teachers to be well trained, and I feel that that might be the biggest setback to every state adopting this program.
My initial reaction to this website was positive. I feel that this organization falls in line with what many school systems are trying to do. Like the website said, there is a gap between what students learn in school and what they are expected to do in the real world. The question I have is, how can we close in on the gap that has been created and teach students what they'll ultimately need to know? This organization seems to provide some sort of action plan, and I feel it could be very successful. I was surprised to see that there were so many businesses in support of this organization, and so few states that were in support of this organization. I would have thought that more states would have been involved.
I didn't disagree with anything on the website, but I do think this organization could be the catalyst for change within many school systems. Most schools often have a difficult time of adopting new programs, especially when it involves large sums of money. There seemed to be enough businesses in support of this organization that could help fund this program in schools across America. This would provide today's students with 21st century knowledge and skills they'd need to know, and it would make our society more technology savvy. Implementation of this program would also require teachers to be well trained, and I feel that that might be the biggest setback to every state adopting this program.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
The Use of Blogs in the Classroom
While it would definitely be challenging for me to incorporate weblogs into my classroom, I could definitely see the benefit of using it. Since most of the lessons that I teach are movement oriented (Physical Education), I could create a Class Portal as described in Will Richardson's book "Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms." In his book, he explained how "weblogs can be created to communicate information about the class and archive course material...at a much lesser cost than systems such as Blackboard." I figure that I could easily incorporate this into my classroom setting, considering that I teach grades K-5. Students and parents could use this weblog to find out current classwork assignments, homework assignments, rubrics, course curriculum, class syllabus, class rules, and handouts about upcoming events. I often find it difficult to find time to communicate with parents about their students progress and answer any questions that they may have, so this would be a possible solution...maybe setting up a FAQ section would help (a.k.a. frequently asked questions).
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Technology and the Future
For the past decade or so there have been many advances in the technology world, and many of those advances have spilled over into classrooms across America. It seems inevidable for teachers to continue teaching using the same methods and the same resources that were once used. With that said, which new pieces of technology do you feel are most useful in your classroom, and which new pieces of technology do you feel will become more mainstream within our classrooms in the future?
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