Final Reflection--EDUC 6715--New and Emerging Technologies

This course, New and Emerging Technologies, has been a wonderful learning experience that provided support and guidance on seeking, adopting, and becoming a promoter for utilizing technology that will help to transform our classrooms. It has been instrumental in helping me to view the cycle of technology as it emerges, evolves, or becomes obsolete. Throughout this course, we have discovered ways to become more aware of technology on the horizon, make informed decisions, and reflect on ways we might implement it in our own classrooms in order to better prepare our students for the 21st century.

I now have a more complete picture and understanding of how technology changes as consumers look for ways to accomplish tasks faster, easier, better, or cheaper. As a teacher, I have learned how these modifications in technology can help to motivate, engage, and enhance the learning of my students. Thornburg (2009) adds: "…some technologies have the potential to shape and reshape educational practice in the next few years" (p. 9). During this course, we have discovered and discussed various benefits as well as challenges associated with adopting new technology. These resources and interactions have been instrumental in helping me to focus more on the benefits, and they have given me tools to address the challenges.

Dr. David Thornburg suggests that teachers should make themselves "aware of options" as well as "know enough to form an opinion" (Laureate Education, Inc. 2009). By participating in this course, I have been paired with other technology advocates who have provided insights, perspectives, and feedback to help me increase my own awareness and more discerningly structure my opinions.

While developing a new technology learning activity and implementation plan, I was able to realize how my students could make richer connections with our content by utilizing current technology tools; how they could access, interact, and demonstrate mastery in ways that better suited their learning styles, preferences, or needs; and how they could change not only how they learned but where they learned. In addition, I have been able to broaden my scope on ways to make learning more authentic and meaningful by providing my students with opportunities to become fluent and build skills they will need to productively learn, work, and live in the 21st century.

Some adjustments that I will make to identify new and emerging technologies will be to stay informed through the help of current resources such as the Horizon Report and educational technology sites. I will include the fresh perspectives of my students in this circle of experts and take note of technology tools they enjoy or rely on. According to Johnson, Levine, Smith & Smythe (2009): "Technology is increasingly a means for empowering students, a method for communication and socializing, and a ubiquitous, transparent part of their lives" (p. 6).

It often takes the leadership of teachers in order for school systems to realize the benefits of introducing a new technology that can help to engage and prepare our students more effectively. I hope to be able to demonstrate to my colleagues how technology can be used to motivate, engage, and connect our students to skills they will need in their futures. Fullan, Cuttress, & Kilcher (2005) add: "There is no other driver as essential as leadership for sustainable reform" (p. 57). This course has supported me in recognizing that it is in this exchange of information and resources that change can begin to take place and classrooms can begin to transform.

References

Fullan, M., Cuttress, C., & Kilcher, A. (2005). Eight forces for leaders of change. ProQuest Education Journals, 26(4), 54-64.

Johnson, L., Levine, A., Smith, R., & Smythe, T. (2009). The 2009 Horizon Report: K-12 Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009b). Program one. What is Emerging Technology? [Motion picture]. New and Emerging Technologies. Baltimore: Author.

Thornburg, D. D. (2009a). Current trends in educational technology. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Spotlight on Emerging Technology: Online Learning Modules

In order to help my colleagues become more informed about the features and benefits of online learning modules or distance education, I have prepared this presentation. I welcome your feedback!

http://www.slideboom.com/presentations/150522/Online-Learning-Modules

Final Reflection—EDUC 6714—Reaching and Engaging All Learners Through Technology

This course has been instrumental in supporting my transition into a more differentiated learning environment. It has been a wonderful learning experience that was rich in resources and collaborative opportunities. This class has guided me through the process of gathering data on my students in order to address their specific and unique needs, and has also helped me to customize my instruction through increased use of Universal Design for Learning and Differentiated Instruction concepts. With these two approaches, I have discovered ways to "take down barriers while building scaffolds, supports, and alternatives" and how to customize learning by providing choices (Meo, 2008, p. 22).

I now have the tools that I will need to begin planning for and managing a more differentiated classroom. Throughout the course, I have focused on ways that technology can help me implement the changes I want to make in order to make my content more accessible and more motivating by offering multiple methods of delivery, engagement, and expression. Howard (2004) adds: “This, in turn, allows teachers a multidimensional view of their students as learners, and offers teachers unique insights into assessing student’s knowledge, interest, and understanding” (p. 27). One of the most significant contributions from this course is the realization that students thrive when allowed to make choices, have options, and become active members of their learning community.

Participating in our social network has widened my scope of possibilities by sharing resources and perspectives with my peers. With the ever-increasing list of technology tools, this collaboration has eased the enormity and paired me with other technology advocates. I have benefited from the expertise of my classmates and their views on how to use technology to facilitate maximum learning potential. With the resources, feedback, and insights from the members of my social networking group, I now have solid support and suggestions on ways to differentiate my classroom. These resources have been key in helping me to plan for, organize, and build activities and instruction that will address the diversity in my students. Bray, Brown, & Green (2004) state that: “Meeting the needs of diverse learners is a challenging opportunity” (p. 19). Although I still can see challenges, because of this course my emphasis is now on opportunities.

Changes that I will begin to make immediately as a result of this class are to have students complete a survey regarding their backgrounds and interests; to analytically look for adaptations I can make in my daily lessons, activities, and assessments that would support the diversity of my students; to start with small changes and continue to build on successful practices; and to widen my support system with co-workers, administrators, community, and especially, my students. I will also continue to investigate current and new technologies and how they could be utilized in my classroom to enrich the learning of all students and provide them with skills that will help them make a “seamless transition” into the work world (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). By implementing these changes now and merging technology with my content, I can expose my students to a classroom that is as diverse as they are.

References

Bray, M., Brown, A., & Green, T. (2004). Technology and the diverse learner: A guide to classroom practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Howard, K. L. (2004). Universal design for learning: Meeting the needs of all students. International Society for Technology in Education, 31(5), 26-29. Retrieved from the ERIC database.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009a). Program twenty-two. Reflection [Motion picture]. Reaching and engaging all learners through technology. Baltimore: Author.

Meo, G. (2008). Curriculum planning for all learners: Applying universal design for learning (UDL) to a high school reading comprehension program. Preventing School Failure, 52(2), 21-30.

What's New as We Head into Week 6 in EDUC 6714

The past two weeks have been filled with lots of creativity. We have all been working on our Universal Design for Learning projects as well as VoiceThread discussions. I really enjoyed viewing my Ning group members' projects. Even though we had the same topic and prompts to address, we chose different media to work with and the originality was awesome. The same is true for our VoiceThreads--it was refreshing to view our discussion in this new way. We are nearing the last few weeks of the course, and I look forward to sharing ideas with the cohort on best ways to plan for, manage, and connect Universal Design for Learning, Differentiated Instruction, and Technology in my classroom.

My First Update During EDUC 6714

Well, we are two weeks into our course and already I have learned so much about how to use technology to not only give my students greater access, but to make them more motivated and active in their learning. This week at my school, I have been working on developing an online course. I have been amazed at how much fun this has been for me. I have been able to pull many elements from our Walden courses (like how to evaluate Web sites or use effective searching techniques) and have been especially mindful of the diversity that exists and how to reach all learners with elements I am including. I am looking forward to learning more about Universal Design for Learning and Differentiated Instruction, and how I can incorporate these concepts with the help of technology.

Reflection—EDUC 6713—Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas

This course has been a wonderful learning experience for me. It has provided an opportunity to examine with discernment how best to integrate technology tools in order to bring deeper, richer understanding of content to my students. By using the GAME plan to design, organize, and structure my own learning as well as my students', I now am able to view technology with increased sensitivity and better judge how it will best serve our learning needs. Throughout this course, I have focused on the traits and skills needed to become a self-directed learner and have begun to pass those same skills on to my students. In this way, they will have the tools they need to continue the process of life-long learning. Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer (2009) add that self-directed learners: "think about thinking and apply strategies to regulate and oversee their learning" (p. 3). The most significant contribution that this class has given me is that I now have a framework that allows me to help my students learn how to learn.

While exploring the facets of the GAME plan, I was able to engage in the cyclical process of setting goals, taking action, monitoring, and evaluating. This is invaluable for my own professional growth and will also provide the means to meaningful, relevant discovery for my students. Marc Prensky (2008) offers: "…in addition to using technology in school, students like having goals they want to reach, doing rather than listening, getting involved with the real world…"(p. 45). The ability to customize and differentiate my lessons more effectively has evolved through this course and by utilizing the GAME plan. Being able to choose appropriate technology tools that will extend learning and help me to tailor my instruction to specific student needs has been supported through this process.

In my personal GAME plan, I was able to begin to make changes in my instructional practices by offering my students more authentic, technology-infused activities. Royer & Richards (2008) add this perspective on the pairing of technology and real-world activities: "Students create authentic 21st century multimedia literacy products similar to those they encounter and value outside of school" (p. 31). During this course we have discovered, discussed, and developed lessons incorporating problem-based learning, social networking or online collaboration, and digital storytelling. Building collaboration skills was a major component in all three of these lessons. "In a collaborative environment, students are actively engaged in the exchange of ideas and are not only responsible for reaching their own academic goals, but the goals of others in the group" (Tech4Learning, Inc. 2007). In addition to increasing teamwork skills, all of these strategies foster creative thinking and provide powerful channels for students to connect with content.

In our DVD, a perfect summation of this course was offered: "Use technology to accomplish your goals" (Laureate Education, Inc. 2009). Rather than use technology for the sake of technology, this course has endorsed aligning our technology use with our vision for teaching, the goals of our students, and the enrichment of our content. My objective for my classroom is to help my students become active, involved, and immersed in their own learning. I will strive to help my students erase the line between what happens in school and what happens beyond by offering exposure to activities that are authentic and address my content. Technology is the implement I can use to accomplish this.

References

Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Program twelve. Spotlight on Technology: Digital Storytelling, Part 1 [Motion picture]. Integrating Technology Across the Content Areas. Baltimore: Author.

Prensky, M. (2008, March). Turning on the lights. Educational Leadership, 65(6), 40-45.

Royer, R., & Richards, P. (2008, November). Digital storytelling. Learning & Leading with Technology, 36(3), 29-31.

Tech4Learning.com: Digital Storytelling Across the Curriculum located at http://www.tech4learning.com/workshops/kolk/digitalstorytelling

Using the GAME Plan Process With My Students

During the last several weeks, we have focused on creating and implementing our own personal GAME plans to help us learn about technology and technology resources. This plan has set the foundation for developing self-directed learning skills that are important for both teachers and students. This lifelong practice includes "planning, monitoring, and evaluating learning activities" (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009, p. 3). When learning through this approach, we manage our contributions and participation in developing new skills or obtaining new knowledge. By passing this framework of learning how to learn on to our students, we are offering the tools they will need to apply knowledge to new situations.

To help my students increase their proficiency with technology, I will have them utilize the GAME plan as well. We will start my reviewing the current technology standards (NETS-S, 2007) and setting individual goals based on background knowledge. Next we will address preferred learning styles and how they might match current or new classroom activities. This will lead us to our action plan. Student feedback is so important at this stage because when they are allowed to make choices about their own learning, they become more engaged and outcomes are improved.

Once we have our action plans in place and are beginning to implement them, our next step is to monitor our progress. This reflective practice will be challenging for many students but is necessary in order to align actions with goals. I will encourage journaling in our class blog or discussion board to promote the positive aspects of collaborative networking. Making adjustments can help to place students on an improved path toward accomplishing their goals. Finally, we will evaluate our progress by revisiting our goals and measuring gains realized and also how we might alter our approaches the next time.

Modeling and scaffolding all of these steps will be important as I link my own goals to those of my students. Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer (2009) add: "…as you are considering ways that you can meet the required teacher standards, you can simultaneously consider ways to help your students meet the required student standards" (p. 7). We will initially discuss and create GAME plans in a whole class situation and then students will be encouraged to design their individual plan. Through the use of a GAME plan, students will be better equipped to transfer and apply learning skills to the constant flow of technology changes that they will experience in their lives.

Concentrating on one or two goals at a time will make this implementation more feasible for my students, but I also want them to envision themselves continuing this cycle throughout their lives. Our GAME plans will need to be an ongoing process as we steadily improve in existing areas and tackle new ones. Collaboration and brainstorming will be key interaction tools that I utilize in order to help students benefit from others' ideas. I look forward to watching my students deepen and enrich their understanding of our course content through their GAME plans and will consider the plans successful when my students are able to take initiative for their learning, consider and learn from others' perspectives, and exhibit confidence in discovering new areas of technology.

References

Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

National Education Standards for Students (NETS-S) located at http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForStudents/2007Standards/NETS_for_Students_2007.htm