I thought I knew a lot about implementing technology into a curriculum for a school or even a school system. I felt that integrating technology into classrooms was relatively simple and it only took someone to guide teachers into using it. I realized that it was much more complicated than I had originally thought: it requires many people collaborating and funding from multiple sources, among other things. One of my favorite assignments from this class was reading technology plans. It was very informative to see what a technology plan from a larger school system looked like. I think that by reading my school’s SIP and analyzing the way in which technology was integrated into the SIP was also an eye-opening experience, especially when comparing it to technology plans from across the state. After analyzing the plan, I had the opportunity to do a SWOT analysis of our campus. I was really most interested in the opportunities that existed on our campus and plan on trying to get our staff to make use of these. It was also interesting to see what our faculty really thought about technology integration when they knew it was anonymous. What I found was that a lot of teachers were more open to change when asked in that format than when we spoke in groups. I used those surveys while developing an Action Plan for Technology Integration for our campus. I submitted the plan to the administration and I hope to eventually lead our campus with the implementation of the plan.
In this project, students were to use Kidblog to generate blogs on the various terrestrial and aquatic biomes throughout the world. As they began to gain comfort in their blogging, students were asked to incorporate various multimedia of their choice to enhance the content of their blogs. See the video below for a full summary of what my students did. Most people have heard the proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child.” When breaking down this quote, a reader usually interprets it to mean that a child is more likely to be happy, successful, and productive in his life if all those with whom he comes into contact influence him in a positive manner. A study completed in 2010 refers a study in 1987 which calls this a family’s social capital (Hohlfeld, 2010). A higher social capital influences the child in a positive way. It is therefore important to consider all factors that influence a student’s learning.
Technology and technology access provide students with an array of possibilities when you consider that technology allows for more personalized learning and allows students authentic learning experiences. It’s also important to note that many technological tools allow students to express their creativity but in order to do so, students must build their skills. To do this, students must be allowed to practice. A 2010 study showed that students who have more access to technology both in school and in the home and are using it often are more likely to have a greater breadth and depth of knowledge when it comes to using technology creatively (Barron et al, 2010). We also know that this must begin early: 95% of brain development occurs at a very young age (before the age of 5) and rapid brain development also occurs during puberty (Smith and Throne, 2009). However, a study done by Common Sense Media shows that for children ages 0 – 8, only 48% of children whose household income is less than 30,000 have a computer in their home and only 27% of parents of this same group own smart phones (Rideout, 2011). Though this home digital divide does exist, schools play an important part at helping to bridge this gap. They can begin by allowing students and other community members to check out digital tools to use in the home. A study done in Florida shows that this is increasing but not as much in schools with lower socio-economic statuses, which is where it is especially needed (Hohlfeld, 2010). It also should begin at an early age so that younger students will have access when their brain is in its highest rate of development. Schools can also help by providing training for families and community members and involve students, parents, and community members in the technology planning process (Hohlfeld, 2010). Teachers and schools can also aid in providing students a social network of peers and mentors who are interested and experienced in using tools. It has been shown that when students are exposed to a network of these kinds of mentors, it can lead to increased engagement in these types of activities themselves (Barron, 2010). When we say to ourselves, “It takes a village,” we have to consider what we want our village to look like. We can empower the children of our communities by building our village the way we wish it to look, by providing our children access to the types of people we want to have a positive influence on them and the tools to empower themselves. Barron, B., Walter, S., Martin, C., Schatz, C. (2010). Predictors of creative computing participation and profiles of experience in two Silicon Valley middle schools. Computers and Education. 54. 178-179. Hohlfeld, T., Ritzhaupt A., Barron, A. (2010). Connecting schools, community, and family with ICT: Four-year trends related to school level and SES of public schools in Florida. Computers and Education. 55. 39-405. Rideout, V. (2011). Zero to Eight: Children’s Media Use in America. Common Sense Media. Smith, G. and Throne, S. (2009). Differentiated instruction and middle school learners. Differentiating Instruction with Technology in Middle School Classrooms. ISTE. If I had to describe diversity in my own words, I would begin by using the term different. People tend to lump diversity into discussions about race and culture but in reality diversity can mean differences in those things in addition to age, intellectual level, social and emotional awareness, learning style, learning difficulties, physical abilities, religious background, among many other categories. Prior to the technological advancements that we have seen the last few decades, it was not abnormal for someone to not be exposed to other cultures in their entire lifetime as explained in The Case for Cultural Awareness by Lynn Hilt. However, with the advancements in technology and access to information from all over the world that we and our students now have at our fingertips, it is both easy and vital that we create learning environments that foster student awareness and respect of each other’s differences.
We can begin by understanding that our students are all different and meet them where they are at in the learning process. By bringing technology access to our classrooms, we can create personalized learning experiences in which students guide and sometimes even control their own learning (Richardson, 2012). In this type of situation, students work at their own pace and master the content in their own way, rather than having someone control their learning for them. This learning environment actually cultivates a feeling of safety for students since they realize that the teacher cares for them and their needs as an individual, which is important for learning and brain development (Smith and Throne, 2009). With technology, we are also able to provide tools to assist students who are different due to various disabilities and allow everyone the opportunity to achieve their learning goals (Edyburn, 2006). So we begin by setting an example – that we understand diversity within our own classrooms and respect each student’s needs and desires. We can further promote cultural awareness and respect by connecting our students with other people in the community, around the country, and around the world. Harnessing the power of the internet and technology in the classroom is at its finest when teachers use tools like Skype to connect students to other students and to professionals who can promote their learning. This exposes students to different people directly and creates an authentic environment in which they can learn this vital skill. In addition to using tools like Skype, blogging is an exceptional tool in which students can express their own thoughts to share with others and analyze other’s viewpoints as well. Blogging is an easy way to connect with others and can be done on a small scale, with classmates and parents. Classmates can provide feedback on a blog or share their own thoughts on what was written. They can also teach one another within the blogs. Parents can also be provided access to a students’ blog and can be a part of the learning. Students, though they may not act as such, are eager for approval and allowing parents to have access can expand the learning that happens through blogging (Smith and Throne, 2009). It can be extended into the students’ community or even further when the blog is made public and shared with people across the globe. Students in other parts of the world can comment in the same way that classmates do. If the blog is public, there is also a possibility that students from different parts of the world may have personal feedback that others would not. For example, a student may do a current event blog on the Pistorius trial coverage. A student from South Africa may be able to provide a first-hand account of how the public is reacting to the trial. Another example of how this could work is having students blog about the characteristics of various biomes around the world (which my students are about to do). A student living in one of these places could comment and provide feedback about what it’s like to live in that biome. An environmentalist could spark a discussion about a particular environmental issue in the biome. This tool fosters the idea that the classroom extends beyond the physical walls; that learning can happen within the classroom but can connect people from everywhere, regardless of their differences. Edyburn, D. (2006). Failure is not an option. Learning & Leading with Technology. Retrieved from https://kennesaw.view.usg.edu/d2l/le/content/456068/fullscreen/10046450/View Smith, G. and Throne, S. (2009). Differentiated instruction and middle school learners. Differentiating Instruction with Technology in Middle School Classrooms. ISTE. Retrieved from https://kennesaw.view.usg.edu/d2l/le/content/456068/fullscreen/10046451/View Richardson, W. (2012). Preparing students to learn without us. Educational Leadership. Retrieved from https://kennesaw.view.usg.edu/d2l/le/content/456068/fullscreen/10046452/View |
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July 2015
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