Week 3.2
One of my favorite places to be is in the Education World!
As a professional, teacher and technology specialist, I love feeding myself with great ideas of how to incorporate technology into my daily lessons. It often is exhausting knowing all of the tools that are available to me but not having the time to integrate them into my classroom. That's why it is important to have a plan...to start small...and maybe even get a co-worker to try to implement the same technology simultaneously. This gives you a sense of support and allows you to be creative along the side of someone you respect.
At http://www.educationworld.com/ you will find a plethora of resources, tutorials and ideas of how to respect and appreciate different technology tools. There are other areas of the websites dedicated to administrators, teachers and lessons plans and even professional development. I have been using this webiste for years. Over the years, this has been the one consistent webiste that I visit and share with others. You should defintely check it out!
An article that I'd like you to explore..."Integrating Technology in the Classroom: It Takes More Than Just Having Computers"...can be found at http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech146.shtml. This gives you some ideas about how to start small and introduce technology into your lessons slowly.
I've also added this resource to our LiveBinder, under the Teacher's Tab, at http://www.livebinders.com/play/play_or_edit?id=294712.
One of the best pieces of advice that an undergraduate professor provided me with was the following..."Don't feel as if you have to re-invent the wheel -- borrow from other teachers!" How right she was! Education World has a tremendous amount of resources. The gadgets of the day, classroom templates galore, interactivity centers, and subject "machines" are very impressive. As I peaked through the site, I came across another site called sketchcast.com. Anyone heard of it? Looks VERY cool...students can orally communicate a sketch and it appears on the screen. How neat would it be to visually talk through a math problem on the computer!? I was wondering - Is there anyway to search the various technology tools by grade/subject? I saw the subject machines, but those don't appear to cover everything.
ReplyDeleteWith respect to the article, I agree that many teachers assume that using computers in the classroom or in the lab is synonymous with effective technology implementation. This particular article highlights a variety of EASY and QUICK ways for teachers to integrate technology on a daily basis. I, for one, will be subscribing to Science Experiment of the Week! In my class, every Friday afternoon is a science investigation. I often have trouble finding exciting, good quality and easy activities to do with five year-olds, so how great will it be to have new experiments sent to me each week!?
-Andrea
Andrea, I agree that it's great to borrow ideas from other teachers. I myself have used lessons that I saw other teachers do and they have turned out great! I have also shared my own ideas with others. It's wonderful to be able to collaborate and borrow ideas that work well with one another. Also, I love the idea of having experiments sent to you each week! I know it can be tough to think of things off the top of your head all the time, so what a great resource for you!
Delete--Diana
You're right about reinventing the wheel. There is no need to stress yourself out trying to come up with something entirely new. You can use resources from other teachers, websites, etc... and you can modify them to fit your needs. There may be resources that are a completely different subject/content, but give you a starting point for your own lessons. Think of all the resources available to us and how we can mold them to fit our own personal needs. The possibilities are endless
DeleteSince I am not good at inventing anything, I love th idea about not reinventing the wheel. I like to use what is out there, what I know, what I am good at and pull from other places to adjust things to make them work for me. That is whatis so great about having so many resources, the possibilities are endless. You can create amazing things with what is already out there and make them extrondinary and useful..
DeleteBunker
Education World is a fantastic resource offering a plethora of technology options. One of my favorite aspects of the site is that it offers variations for every age and learning level (differentiation in technological form). My next big goal is to provide my students a differentiated learning opportunity using simultaneous technologies. I think this challenge would be worth the exploration. Thoughts?
ReplyDeleteAs the article mentioned, integrating technology into the classroom goes beyond simple PC usage. That is one of my current qualms in education. We buy a "program" for students to use in the classroom and call it technology integration. Dynamic learning opportunities, effective supplements and complements to learning should be the true objective of successful technology integration in the classroom.
Education world has a lot of great ideas and resources to incorporate technology into the classroom on a regular basis. I wish there was a sub category for strong group assignments. In many classrooms, there are not enough computers, laptops, ipads for each child to be able to do interactive worksheets or other independent assignments. I could see how some of the ideas provided could be easily used are meant for group work, but I wish there were more ideas that are promoted as group work.
ReplyDeleteJen, I share your frustration in not having enough computers for students to work independently. In some schools I have worked in, students are actually pulled from their regular instruction in groups from 1-5 to have 45minutes of first-hand technology exposure on the 5 classroom/school computers. It is great that educators want students to have digital awareness, but how can we do this more efficiently without hindering instruction to students? I would definitely like a resource that would provide more ideas for technology-integrated group projects, as one way to approach this issue.
Delete-Chelsea
How fustrating is it to share a computer. Computers are a certain size, and kids have to hudle around it, there is no personal space. I knw when I am using my laptop and my kids are hovering and trying to see what Im doing I feel crowded. I can't image having 5 people around 1 computer. We want to teach technology but if you are not able to be in a individual environment that can pose a barrier.
DeleteLBunker
I agree with Michael's comments about the true nature of integrating technology in the classroom. It's not just purchasing a program, it's about how to incorporate the availible technology resources across all aspects of academics. Also, the strategy of borrowing vs. re-inventing can go beyond finding a supplemental worksheet. These days you can find a teacher created blog or website basically about any academic topic. Education World is a good resource to help with locating websites to borrow from and build activities around. I especially enjoyed the tip 19 in the article about using websites designed to promote development of problem solving.
ReplyDelete~Anna
Hi Anna,
DeleteThank you for the suggestion about tip 19 and problem solving. That is one of our focus topics at school and something that employers tell us they are very interested in. I will take a look at that. I also agree with your comments and Michael's about the true nature of integrating technology. We have to make sure that it is addressing a topic and that student's are learning part of our curriculum to make it relevant.
Tina
I actually get frustrated because there are so many types of technology I am eager to go and try with students. But, as of now I am only a one on one paraprofessional and I do not really have a say in what we do. Although, I spoke with the special education teacher and I will be able to use study techniques with my student. After reading this article I have found a way to start slow with my student and make my way up. He is interested in learning new things just as I am. We are going to learn together and try different things to see what works and what does not. I just wish I had more opportunities to use these wonderful resources.
ReplyDeleteThere were so many interesting resources on the last website you provided. There were things that I didn’t necessarily think of that my student would love to use.
This is an article worth printing!
I completely agree with your sentiments, Melissa! There is so much technology out there that it is challenging to sift through what will actually be useful in a classroom or with a small group of students. I would love to sample it all, but time limits my good intentions along with the lack of technology in my current school. I finally got our classroom computer hooked up to the computer -- Woohoo! Throughout the semester, I anticipate that we will have a chance to explore a variety of tools and then select what works best for us. Just think of the wealth of knowledge that you will have to share in your future classroom AND with prospective employers. Thanks for sharing!
DeleteAndrea
Hi Andrea,
DeleteI also agree, it seems as if there is so much technology and so little time. It is hard to find out what will bring true purpose and educational rigor to the curriculum and what is just fluff. I guess it's a little bit of hit and miss and trying things out. I am looking forward to the technology piece that I am adding this week with my new students who just started yesterday. It ties in new technology and our new mission statement and co-regulation all in one. I am excited to see what we will do with it.
Tina
Hi Melissa,
DeleteDon't get discouraged! I think by starting slow and working with this one student is the perfect opportunity to get comfortable with it. Trying something new with a whole class can be frustrating depending on the materials or resources that are available at the school. I feel if you get your feet wet now, it will really help you feel confident when you have a full classroom. Keep up the good work and it will all pay off! :-) I am always still amazed how many resources are out there for teachers! I am so thankful for these classes!
This is a great website. I like the ideas that you can check the weather in different countries with the students. This would be a great integration in any content area. Online math words problems and words of the day online are great ways to present the information in a different way.
ReplyDeleteI really like the idea of "You've Got Mail". Students draw a name from the a cup and they write a letter to the person they chose from the cup, however, they have to include 5 errors-capitalization, spelling, grammar, etc. signed and addressed. The letters are posted on the "You've Got Mail" bulletin board, and when the addresses pick up their letters, they are to correct them. Fun way to practice editing and revising.
"You've Got Mail" is a brilliant idea! While it doesn't utilize technology, I think that reinforcing appropriate grammar/spelling without the use of a technological device is so crucial (and often overlooked...) because instant communication (i.e. texting) has resulted in more informal language.
Delete-Andrea
Andrea, I agree. Even for myself, it's become a bad habit of text spelling in papers and emails. I quickly catch myself and write out the "u's" appropriately, etc. I can imagine how difficult it might be for students to catch themselves text spelling in formal assignments.
DeleteI found this website really insightful and the ideas are great for when I have my own classroom. I especially like the suggestion of using the internet to search weather in different countries, and additionally, using it as an opportunity to introduce new languages such as Spanish. I agree that technology should be more of an integration into a daily routine instead of a time set aside when kids go to the computer lab. I also agree that technology can be a way to help teachers as well as students. The article mentioned how sometimes teachers are not trained well in the area of technology and therefore don't know how to best use it to help them in their classrooms. Where I work I know the most about technology (and I'm no expert by any means....) It would be great if teachers could be provided with more professional development regarding technology so they could better incorporate it into their daily lessons.
ReplyDelete--Diana
Diana, I definitely agree with your enthusiasm in using the internet to explore the weather and languages of different countries. I think that using technology in such a manner as that is so important because it encourages not only learning through digital awareness, but through global awareness as well.
Delete-Chelsea
As I said earlier in the semester. I am a big fan of technology. I loved this website especially "This day in history". I always loved that concept. I am sure you are all now wondering, "BUT".
ReplyDeleteYes, there is a but. As much as I love technology, I am also very nervous of it as well. The more we teach technology WITHOUT teaching the basic concepts first, hurts our students/youth. I will never forget when I went into a store to buy a (now I am dating myself) a Sega Genesis video game. The game was $20.00 and it was 20% off. The girl could not do that simple multiplication in her head. She had to do it on a calculator and she made 4 mistakes as well. She would have spent less time writing the problem on a piece of paper and solving it rather than using a calculator.
I fear that we may lose our humanity soon if this trend continues without teaching our children to first do the concept pen and paper and then deal with the computers.
Something like "THIS DAY IN HISTORY" works well for a kind of Hook to a lesson, or a form of trivia pursuit.
Interesting point, Mike!
DeleteIt's true that technology has allowed our students to do more things with having to think critically. We spent hours learning and having to show our work. If I had a quarter for every time my math teacher said, "yes, but how did you get there". It took a different skill set to explain my answer. Kids have easy access to answers with the calculators on their phones or using the Internet to "Google" their question. I am still completely for teaching with paper and pencil but because our students are interested and motivated by technology, we MUST learn how to integrate both. The key is learning to BALANCE the two formats.
I absolutely agree with both of you. This also connects to the "Bibme" website that Nicole showed us tonight. It used to take me an extremely long time to get the perfect "MLA" bibliography and now they have these really easy websites. Don't get me wrong, I think it's wonderful, however, it's taking a lot of the leg work off the kids. I feel that technology is a great way to keep students engaged, but we do have to find that fine balance to make sure that kids are still getting in their basic skills! Great point!
DeleteI love the idea of intergrating technology in the classroom. I believe students learn in different ways and therefore need more than just books to learn from. My son and daughter both have learning disabilities and they benefit greatly from learning off the computer with different programs. They are becoming stronger students because if it. I have intergrated technology for learning in my home. My kids have computer time with different programs so that they can practice reading, math, spelling and they can even char their progress.. Amazing..
ReplyDeleteBunker
Thanks for sharing, Lorena! There are so many kids with various learning abilities who benefit from the option of completing their assignments on the computer or using educational software for reinforcement. There are supports built right into a computer or educational software that can truly allow a student to complete their assignment independently. For example, a student with severe dyslexia, will have an extremely difficult time reading thorugh the chapters of their textbook at the same capacity as their peers. Not making them "slow" or "stupid" but making the way they absorb information different. There are computer programs that can read the material aloud to the student. Allowing them to change the voice and rate of speech. Inturn, they can absorb the information (same as their peers) at their own rate.
DeleteOnce again as a new math teacher I have found it very difficult to incorporate technology in the classroom. I have become more comfortable with using the SMARTboard. Although we require the students to have a graphing calculator I find it hard to make time to do this. I have found on the SMARTboard that you can view the calculator through TI-view. The students seem to like this but it does seem a little boring to them. They are required to learn the steps on the graphing calculator in order to succeed in future math courses. I haven't come across many resources for this. Any suggestions.
ReplyDelete-Danielle
Check out the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives at http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html. This is one of my favorite interactive math sites sorted by math topic and grade level. Great for interactive whiteboards!
DeleteThis website just shows why this class is so great! It's amazing how many resources are out there, but aren't known to the general public. Usually, I spend hours searching online for a good website to give me a "few" links if I am lucky, but this website exceeded my expectations. This just comes to show that we NEVER need to reinvent the wheel (like many of you stated above). We can use these resources to help guide our instruction and to make our lessons more engaging! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the compliment, Melissa! Truly appreciated! Glad you're enjoying.
DeleteIt is definitely understandable how integrating technology into the classroom can be both overwhelming and time-consuming. That article really has a lot of great ideas for teachers in how the teacher can utilize technology more in the classroom; I think this applies particularly to teachers as more often than not, the students are more skillful in technology.
ReplyDeleteOne way I have found really helps is through interactive smartboards/whiteboards; Scholastic, PBS, and SMARTboard have some great premade and revisable lessons and activities, plus just by googling "interactive whiteboard" you can find even more. Not all the activities require a smartboard and can be utilized by individual students as well-which might be helpful to allow student use of technology without the teacher necessarily needing to be apt in the given medium.
-Chelsea