Class Session 5
Your Blog prompt will be given in class. You will have one week to complete and submit your blog comment. You can compose your comment in WORD and then copy/paste into the comment box.
Briefly explain major changes in your instructional practices, educational beliefs, and/or technology usage since you were selected to be a part of the Spartanburg County Instructional Technology Academy.
Class Session Resources:
PowerPoints Games/Templates/Instructions
http://arcademicskillbuilders.com/
http://jc-schools.net/tutorials/ppt-games/
http://abbyjw.googlepages.com/powerpointgame2
To Download Video:
Fast YouTube Download https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/15002
WinFF (To Convert Video) http://winff.org
K-Lite Mega Codec Pack Direct Download: http://ftp.ntu.edu.tw/ftp/cpatch/media/k-lite/klmcodec544.exe
Movie Maker http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/updates/moviemaker2.mspx
SAVE As PDF Add-In http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=4d951911-3e7e-4ae6-b059-a2e79ed87041&displaylang=en
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The greatest difference this class has made in my instructional practices has been that I am more likely to offer a variety of technology options to my students and the teacher with whom I work. Instead of only offering PowerPoint as a source of completing a project, I now have a curio of options for our learning community. I have had success when working with students in Microsoft Publisher, Photostory, and Windows Moviemaker. I have also dabbled with many web 2.0 tools, such as MakeBeliefsComix.com, Blabberize.com, GoAnimate.com, as well as Animoto and You Tube for educators. Being a library media specialist, I am most fond of the information I discovered about using the Wii in the library to improve reluctant readers love of reading. I stumbled across most of these tools while doing research for this class and feel I am a greater asset to my school because of it. I have also been less intimidated with new technology than I was prior to the class. I have been able to demonstrate new technologies that I may have shied away from before. I have also been able to assist with more hardware issues than before. This is my weakest link, but I feel better prepared, having had the opportunities that the hands-on experiences of the class provided. This has been a great learning experience and I hope to be the recipient of more training in the near future!
When we began our classes in August, I remember being thankful for our brief break before we set out in earnest in September—there was so much to learn and to process about technology and education. A little respite was good! A few months later, I still feel as though there is so much to learn and to process; however, I think that I now have been given the scaffolding to help me build.
The tools themselves are amazing, and although I realize that the groupings in our text are not exhaustive, I appreciate the authors’ organizing the technology into manageable categories. They have served as great springboards into my learning, especially, about multimedia, web resources, and communication software. In reading and reflecting on the text, I have had the opportunity to see and try some of the examples—everything from note-taking tools to digital storytelling applications to student-generated podcasts. Moreover, the provided websites have provided great resources and links for both my work in the library media center and for the teachers with whom I collaborate.
What I have valued, as well, though, is learning the strategies for student achievement that these technological tools support. Getting the overall picture for student learning is critical, and these strategies, outlined so methodically in our text, provide the context in which we can use these new tools—not just for the sake of using technology, but, more importantly, for using technology for student achievement.
In the end, in learning about both the theories and the tools, I still realize that I have just scratched the surface of what SCITA has offered. What helps when I feel overwhelmed is to remember what a fellow librarian said at a national conference that I recently attended. In dealing with student learning and technology, we must remember that there is a lot learn. We just need to keep our plates small— in order to learn in small servings— but our appetites huge!
The greatest change in how I use technology in my lessons is to focus on student learning rather than the technologies for technology sake. It was interesting to see how various technologies fit into the instructional strategies that can help my students learn. I love the power that technology provides teachers to show students a world larger than their own and to give them tools to interact with the world by showcasing their ideas. The greatest change to my instructional practice has been to incorporate technology into library lessons in small chunks. Even though there is not always time for students to complete a technology project, I can incorporate technologies that focus on the instructional strategies. For example, I can use a Venn diagram, chart, or graph to help students identify similarities and differences with characters or plots in different books we read. Also, I can use technologies such as multimedia or clipart to provide students with nonlinguistic representation of concepts. In addition, I offer teachers a Library Lesson Menu that they can use to select technology projects that can be incorporate into their curriculum. I am introducing an after-school Media Club that students can join. The first project of the Media Club will be student-produced digital stories and book commercials. Hopefully, students who learn about creating multimedia projects will be able to help me introduce these technologies to their teachers and other classmates. While there will always be emerging technologies to learn about, this class has provided me with an organizational model to determine whether the technology can facilitate instruction and consider the best ways to implement it.
As I reflect back on my teaching strategies and use of technology in the classroom prior to SCITA, I can definately see a drastic change in my use of technology within my daily delivery of instruction. I went from using my Promethean Board as a “glorified white board” to using it to as a tool to differentiate my instruction. I have implemented lessons that incorporate the use of Promethean Planet, ActiveInspire, ActiVotes and more. I have also started using several of the graphic organizers and notetaking strategies with my students. One of the changes in developing my lesson plans has been through the use of the Blooms Question Creation chart. This has really helped me to focus my questions across the board and not just always trying to throw in those higher level questions. Strategies that I have learned from the easy to read textbook,specifically page 8, have also changed my delivery of instruction. I feel that since I have participated in this course, I have really grown as a teacher and have become more focused on my students’ needs because of it.
Over the past few months I have learned so many new ways to integrate technology into my classroom that I cannot begin to tell you about all of them. The change in the way I present information to my students has become more creative, rather than just a Power Point. Rather than just using my Promethean Board and being done with it, I now find myself looking for new and innovative ways to instruct my students. Now I want to use all the gadgets and sites that have been introduced to me. Because of the class and the wonderful technology book, I am now more aware of the strategies for learning. I try daily to incorporate as many of those strategies as I can into a lesson. I feel that I have become more effective in my use of technology as a result of being able to openly discuss things that I have tried in class, even if they didn’t go so well. I have learned how to help my students create lasting photostories and movies. Now instead of watching other teaches use our school ipods, I’m the teacher creating lessons for my students. Most of all this class has helped me to become more confident in myself as a 21st century educator. I want my students to have all the advantages and support they can get as a 21st century learner, and now that I have more technology knowledge, I can help them technology literate.
Lori Hutchins
I already used technology a great deal when planning, teaching, and working with students (research projects, etc). Through this class I have learned a lot more about the different types of technology and the different ways that technology can be used in instruction. I am more confident in using different types of technology and feel better equipped to help my students and fellow teachers. From having students create digital stories, to using kindles in small guided reading groups, my classroom has really grown!! My belief is that it is imperative for students to be self-sufficient users of all types of technology if they are going to be successful in the future. Every aspect of our daily lives and careers are dependent on technology and with the competitive job market, we have to have a technological edge. The earlier students are introduced and allowed hands-on time with technology the more efficient they will become.
My belief that technology instruction as part of an Elementary arts curriculum is firmly reinforced! I believe that there are complex interactions between students, teachers and technology that occur in the classroom. I am eager to purchase and implement interactive whiteboard technology into my classroom. The multimodal resources, including color, image, sound and movement—bring new teaching potential to me as an educator and a Twenty-first century learning experience for my art students. My art textbooks have a whiteboard component that I will be able to use in the future with the addition of new technology.
As an accepted part of pedagogical practice I have used all aspects of the technology tools that I l have obtained so far from the SCITA Academy. My students created a digital story that I presented at my state art conference. We used our Sony microphone to record a guest artist’s story to be embedded in the presentation later in class. I have used Skype to host an artist in residence. I have shared my I-Touch and Kindle with my classes. I also use my mini notebook when students are writing so that they see me writing as well.
The text by Marzano was helpful in regards to utilizing the nine instructional strategies in my classroom and seeing them in a matrix format in the book simplified writing lesson plans. As a reflective practitioner I welcome the chance to improve my students’ learning environment and classroom experiences in this academy have given me insight into my own teaching. The lesson template we were given has been user friendly and I have adapted it to merge art standards as well as the technology standards into my lessons. I will adopt an interactive teaching style into my instruction. The hands on workshops were instrumental in giving a new technology user the confidence to try emerging technology. I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of the SCITA class.
Before becoming a part of SCITA, I thought I used technology pretty well in instruction. However, through this program, I have learned that I can integrate technology in many other new and different ways. I am excited about technology and using it with my students. I love to see them smile when we use the SmartBoard for a lesson because it is still so new to them. And they love the fact that they can use their finger to move the mouse around the board! When teachers come to me with questions about resources or lessons, I am quick to suggest ways they could use available technology in their classrooms. I have become more of a “technology cheerleader” that I was before. Several teachers have tried using technology, like PhotoStory, from my enthusiasm and encouragement. I have enjoyed getting new technologies through SCITA. I have appreciated that we weren’t just handed a box, but we have been given instructions and suggestions for using them. I have become more confident in being a technology leader in my school.
I have learned so much since I have been selected to SCITA. I always thought I was pretty tech-savvy. After-all, I was dubbed as the “go-to” person in my building if my tech person was not available. I have been humbled…..I certainly didn’t know as much as I thought. Some major changes have and will continue to take place in my classroom. Technology usage will continue be more differs and more frequent in my classroom. I have always used technology but I am now using it to help summarize, identify similarities and differences, reinforce effort, cooperative learning, and just to be the cool, fun teacher who throws in a short, quirky something that grabs my students attention. I certainly think the proper use of technology will engage students, require them to use higher level thinking skills, and retain information longer as well as apply information they have learned. I have challenged myself to find new technologies to use in the classroom, but not necessarily new ways to do the same thing I’ve always done. Before the class, I used my Interwrite board as an electronic, erasable board. Now I am using it to truly differentiate learning. I find myself searching the internet and resources to find new technology resources to use in my class. I will no longer just use powerpoint and consider myself a major user of technology in the classroom. Thanks to SCITA, I have a whole host of tools in my arsenal to help me be a 21st century teacher….as I strive to have 21st century learners.
I already used technology a great deal when planning, teaching, and working with students since I recently completed my Masters in Technology through Lesley. Although when I finished it, I was in a classroom with twelve student computers, teacher laptop, CPS System and a SMART Board, basically I thought I was in tech heaven. We then relocated and after moving to Spartanburg and going into a classroom with two computers which includes the teacher computer and a projector…I thought my days of incorporating technology were over. I was completely wrong, but I my spirits were definitely dampened and I used it as an excuse not to use technology as much as I had previously.
This class has shown me many other ways to incorporated technology and reignited my desire to use it even with less. It can be done; I just got spoiled and forgot how to really use my resources. The class has introduced me to some new methods and provided the evidence through the textbook that technology enhanced lesson really work.
Through this class I have learned a lot more about the different types of technology and the different ways that technology can be used in instruction. Whether it is whole class or individually, there are a lot of resources out there and a lot of things have changed since I first starting using technology in my lessons.
I look forward to the database of tried and true lessons as well. This is one more very valuable resource from the class that will be more than helpful. Knowing the lessons were created and used by other teachers that are striving to use quality lessons that incorporate technology versus technology for technology sake will be exciting and extremely useful.
Prior to being selected to be a part of the Spartanburg County Instructional Technology Academy, I used my Promethean Board to create flipcharts, download interactive flipcharts, and show videos to introduce topics. As a result of the academy, I was given the opportunity to attend the ActivCarolinas Conference where I learned how to use my board to its fullest. I learned how to create podcasts using the ActivInspire software so that students who are absent from school can view the examples that I demonstrated while they were absent. I also learned how to use all of the tools in ActivInspire to create outstanding flipcharts.
Since learning about the eight instructional strategies which effect student learning, I have tried to incorporate them into my teaching. I copied the book, What Works in Classroom Instruction, from McRel’s website so that I can read even more about using these strategies in my classroom.
Instead of me being the sole user of technology in the classroom, I have thought more about ways that students can be involved in their own learning by using technology. I allowed the students to create a math brochure using Microsoft Publisher to demonstrate the concepts that were taught during the first nine weeks, and I plan to incorporate more activities using technology in the future.
I am looking forward to learning even more about technology and how it can be used to enhance instruction and learning in the classroom. I want to redo my webpage to provide my students with more resources, examples of student work, and assignments. I would also like to build a library of activities using technology which I can use in my classroom.
I do not even know where to begin explaining how I have changed in my instructional practices, educational beliefs, and technology usage since I have been selected to be a part of SCITA. What a wonderful experience it has been. It is amazing how you can think you know a lot but you really don’t as much as you think. When we first started in the summer it was like a whirl wind. My mind was on major overload with all of the new information. I kind of wondered what in the world did I get myself into. I did not let it get me down though. I am always up for a challenge!
I did use technology in my classroom but I am not sure that I used it as effectively as I should have been using it. One of the most important things that I got from this class is the importance of using the technology effectively in the classroom. It is important that technology is used to support the nine categories of instructional strategies that affect student achievement. These strategies include identifying similarities and differences, summarizing and note taking, reinforcing effort and providing recognition, homework and practice, nonlinguistic representations, cooperative learning, setting objectives and providing feedback, generating and testing hypotheses, and cues, questions, and advance organizers. This not only affected how I use technology in the classroom but it made me review all my lessons. It is very important that all lessons include these nine strategies even if they do not include technology.
I have learned about many new technology resources that I can incorporate into my lessons. Some of these I am currently using, and others I have been given the scaffolding to begin my journey of implementation.
I have always enjoyed technology and taken an interest in how it can enhance the education of students. Fortunately, because of my age, it has always been a part of my life. Even through my personal education, computers were a major part. When I decided to become an educator, the modes and methods of technology increased. Throughout my student teaching I used a Promethean board. I’ve been teaching for three years now and have never taught a day without technology in some form. I have always known of and heard of various forms of technologies to get students more involved in their learning, but participating in this academy has given me more confidence in using them and teaching them. For example, this past week I have started digital storytelling using Photo Story with my students. In the past, I might have only used this, but now I feel confident to teach them how to and let them create their own digital story. I have also decided, with the help of a fellow SCITA member, to teach a class on Photo Story and Movie Maker within our district. This is a big step for me! I definitely contribute this new confidence to SCITA.
Participating in SCITA has given me a different perspective not only on the use of technology within my class, but also the strategies I use in the classroom every day. Differentiating instruction is important in teaching students. I have become more aware of technologies and strategies that will allow me to work with the varied learners in my classroom. The resources provided not only by the book, but by guest speakers, and the teachers have opened up channels to the next levels of learning and teaching for my students and me. I think one of the better benefits of the class is that I now have connections and a network of people within several districts that will lead to learning opportunities as well. I have also been able to share knowledge and information with my colleagues that are just now having technology emerge into their classrooms. Some of those I have shared with have already enthusiastically taken the information given to them and gone farther than even I have at this point. I feel like this class has helped me to build a technological foundation that I will continue to develop as the technology, tools and resources become more available to me. I do have to mention how much I appreciated the perspective of Crenwick’s friend when she stated “In dealing with student learning and technology, we must remember that there is a lot learn. We just need to keep our plates small— in order to learn in small servings— but our appetites huge!”
What an excellent analogy to help keep your perspective when you become overwhelmed in the task of integrating technology not only for your students, but for yourself.
I have always had a great interest in technology and consider myself pro-active in looking for new ways to use technology. Through the SCITA course, I have not only been introduced to new forms of technology, but have also taken a better look at the instructional strategies that go along with using technology effectively. There is so much more potential for student learning when the resources are effectively paired with the instructional strategies. Before, I sometimes used technology with students as something new and fun for them to use. I now feel more confident when choosing an appropriate technology tool to incorporate into a media center lesson or when collaborating with a classroom teacher. I also feel more adept at sharing these new technology resources with other teachers so that they may use them in their classrooms as well. I am excited about the possibility of incorporating more technology throughout my school and creating a school of 21st century learners who feel comfortable and confident using technology as they grow older. Through the SCITA course, I have had the opportunity to grow my knowledge as well as been given access to a multitude of great resources, including one another.
As a Media Specialist, I have become accustomed to thinking about technology across the whole school. I am constantly learning new technology and teaching teachers how to use it. This is part of my job. In the past, however, most of the technology that I did in classrooms with teachers involved troubleshooting and setting up equipment. This year I have been working with teachers in a much different way. I have been sharing exciting, emerging technology with them that is interactive and more student centered. (This is exactly what I wanted to be sharing with them.) I attribute this change to three things. First, this course has introduced me to fantastic technology FOR classroom teachers. I have gone back to school and shared these with numerous teachers. Second, many teachers have received Interwrite boards in our building. Now that they have a way to share online and interactive resources with their classes (and are expected to use this equipment), they are more interested in the resources their media specialist has to share. And finally, the last factor that has impacted my change in technology interaction with teachers is that our school now has a full time technician who can install equipment and handle trouble-shooting. This leaves my interactions to be focused more on instruction and assistance to teachers.
Studying the nine categories of instructional strategies has helped me focus on better ways to integrate technology into my own teaching in the media center. I have also been able to analyze some of the ways other teachers are using technology and offer suggestions to them on how to enrich their existing lessons with new technology applications. I cannot wait to begin using my new hardware that I was able to purchase with SCITA funds. I hope to inspire and encourage many teachers to try new ideas. Since my job is all about sharing (that is what a library/media center is all about), this course has given me plenty of hands-on exposure to great resources to share with others.
Since I have been selected to become a part of SCITA, my instructional practices, educational beliefs and technology usage has changed quite a bit. I have always found technology exciting and interesting and I see how my students react to projects that involve technology. They are so focused and motivated. So I now try to change my past math projects to involve technology. For example, our mathematician project use to only involve technology through internet research, but now the final project can be technology based with PhotoStory, Glogster, or Powerpoint. My educational beliefs as far as technology is what some may see as extreme, like using cellphones and email for homework assignments and things of that sort. I believe that these types of technology usage can be rewarding for some students. I don’t think all students are ready for this change, but eventually they will be because technology is changing rapidly. Working on my Masters in Technology Education has opened my mind to the limitless usage of technology. I am so glad that I was chosen to be a part of SCITA because I have learned so much about using technology in the classroom and helping other teachers use technology in their instruction. Also, being a part of SCITA gave me the opportunity to go to the EdTech conference this year, which supplied us with so many resources to use and bring back to our school. I am also lucky to be in the Technology School in our district, which provides me with all the technology resources to make my teaching more effect for the students.
The biggest change this class has made in my instruction is the level of confidence I have gained after having been “trained” on how to use so many tools. I have always used technology in my instruction, but now I feel like I have a wider variety of proven methods available to me. Because of all of the class time we’ve spent learning about the instructional strategies that have been proven most effective for student learning, I feel like I can more accurately pair technology with those strategies to create a lesson or an activity that is not only exciting and fun for the kids, but also effective in helping them understand and learn the specific skill or concept we are discussing. Because of the confidence I have gained, I am also a lot more enthusiastic about trying new technology, and sharing what I have found with my colleagues.
With recently receiving a Masters Degree in Technology, I was so excited to be selected to be a part of the Spartanburg County Instructional Technology Academy. The idea of adapting technology in the teaching/learning process of my instruction is a strong focal point of my educational being. The instructional process should be a process that is centered on the learner and I believe that it can be achieved through the integration of technology. Incorporating new emerging technology into my classroom brings excitement to my students and it makes being a part of this academy worth it.
By being in this academy, I have learned so much. The authors of the text that we’ve used did an excellent job defining “The Seven Categories of Technology” and “The Nine Instructional Strategies” and how they can be incorporated into our teaching. They define the instructional strategies and list how it can be used in various formats with various subjects within the classroom.
By being a part of this academy, I have been able to incorporate forms of technology that I never thought would work in the classroom. By using the Kindle, my lower level students are able to “stay afloat” when we read and they don’t feel left out. Also I was introduced to Skype and found it an effective tool to use for online/after school help sessions. By using my Ipod Touch, I was able to download instructional games that my students can play in the classroom.
I believe technology will become an effective means of learning if used properly. There are many software programs that are more than drill programs and in this academy; I have been introduced to a plethora of technological opportunities that can enhance my students learning.
I enjoy using technology in planning and in my classroom. SCITA has helped me to see what can be accomplished with technology. Even though many aspects of technology are more easily used with older students, there are still many things 1st graders can and should be doing with technology. They can type faster than I thought they would and I can read all the letters. I have used several different programs that help my students become more familiar with technology. My students have used Word and we are currently working with Photo Story 3, but the main computer activity I use is still Odyssey. My students have become very good at manipulating objects on the promethean board as compared to students in the other 1st grade classes at CSF. They know what to do when they get an hour glass or the edit box. The Kindles which I received as a result of SCITA are still not at the top of the list of technology to use with 1st graders as most of the stories I have found are above their reading level, but they do very well manipulating the Kindle and many can even turn on the text to speech feature. It reads with no expression and sometimes it is showing a picture, but still reading the words so they cannot follow along as I would like them to, but my students are enjoying them, especially those reading at a higher level. SCITA has given me the confidence to offer help to other teachers when they have a question about technology. It is my goal to continue my study of technology not just for students in my class, but as an example for my own children. I firmly believe it is a necessary part of every student’s education and preparation for the workplace of the future.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my participation in SCITA and the new technologies that it has afforded me. Before SCITA, I didn’t have as much inspiration to try using new technologies in my classroom, but this Academy has pushed me to try new things. One of the most important ideas that I have gathered from SCITA is the capability to record my lessons on the Promethean Board. I was able to use my new digital voice recorder and Promethean Board to record lessons to be posted to my class website for viewing with Windows Media Player by parents and/or students. I have also been inspired to allow my students more freedom to use various technologies to enhance their learning. I have a new appreciation for the importance that technology has for my students. In the past, I have been more afraid to allow my students the freedom to experiment with technology; I haven’t given them enough credit for the technological knowledge that they already have from growing up with technology. I look forward to a year in which my students can create movies and digital stories to share their creativity and learning. I look forward to also sharing my new gained knowledge with my cohorts and colleagues. Lastly, I have enjoyed learning more about McREL’s Research and the Nine Strategies that were identified as important parts of student learning. Further analyzing each of these strategies has allowed me the chance to reflect on my teaching and my use of these strategies. Overall, I am very appreciative of the opportunity I have had to participate in SCITA.
Since I was selected to be a part of SCITA, I have been able to use more technology as a tool for teaching and learning. When my students get excited about using the iPod or the Kindles, I get excited too. I’ve always believed that once you have a student’s attention, your next job is to keep it. Then, you can teach them and they will learn. Incorporating technology into my lessons helps me “get” and “keep” my students’ attention and therefore impacts their achievement. Because I am an ELA teacher, I received five Kindles that I use during guided reading groups (differentiated reading groups). I have several students that “hate” to read. When I put Kindles in their hands, they can’t wait to explore it and find a book, or listen to the robotic voice using the text to speech option. Not only have they helped with improving reading comprehension, but they have also helped with vocabulary acquisition. It is so easy on the Kindle to click on a word while reading and view the definition without having to get out of the book and look it up separately. I see my students use that tool constantly. I also incorporate the iPod and some of my school’s iPods into guided reading lessons. I make review activities or find appropriate videos to reinforce the content. I feel so lucky to have been given the opportunity to be a part of SCITA. I believe I’m a better teacher because of it and my students are better learners.
I believe I have made some changes in my instructional practices and technology practices since becoming a member of SCITA. I now try to include some type of technology in my class sessions with students. I used Glogster at the beginning of the year to introduce myself to new students and share my summer adventures with returning students. They really seemed to respond to this and connect me to their own lives and experiences. I’ve worked on my Media Center webpage to offer more resources to students and parents. Additionally, I done digital story telling with my second graders and posted them on my webpage. Parents have shared their excitement and appreciation about this with me. Teachers have asked me how to do this kind of project with their students too. My third graders did a biography project that we turned into a wav file and posted online, too. That project opened some more doors for me with scheduling other classes to come in and work with me in my flexible blocks. Plus, I used my iPod to show an iTunes clip to my kindergarten students that was related to our class work together. I just scored “cool” points with them for that, but it will help later on!
I have been able to share many of the resources from our text and class with teachers to help them master the new technology in their classrooms, too. I’ve learned a lot about what I only knew pieces of and I gained a lot of knowledge about things we don’t have in our district yet (like whiteboards and classroom response systems). I know now that our district (or at least my school) is behind in implementing new technology tools for our teachers. We are even further behind in training our teachers and preparing them to shift over to using new technologies. I hope I can begin to create a buzz and excitement about them and help teachers begin to slowly implement them within their lessons.
I can honestly say the biggest difference in my teaching has occurred with using more technology in my classroom. I have always used the internet to gather information, lesson plans, activities, etc. I have learned so many new “tricks” that has made my usage of these things so much better! I have started keeping a bookmarks page and began to attempt podcasting. I have also attempted working with students in Microsoft Publisher, Photostory, Quia’s and Inspiration. I have been able to make my webquests better by organizing my sites more efficiently. My fellow teachers are always excited when I come back to school after a class. I have shared information with them from the start. We are all incorporating more technology now.
The main point that sticks out to me most from class is that technology can only do so much. I am trying to find a balance for “good old fashioned teaching” and the integration of technology. We have to remember to be careful not to use the technology just because it is there. We must have a clear purpose and goal for everything we do with our students.
I’ve come a long way…excited about the prospect of learning new technologies to integrate with curriculum, I was anxious to be a part of the SCITA community. Having been in the classroom for 30+ years, I was ready to learn new ways to teach old things. The summer institute set the stage for what proved to be a journey of learning for me. Sometimes I felt overwhelmed by the expectations, but always, I was excited to implement new technologies. The coursework was a key factor in bringing me up-to-date with emerging theories and truly changed the way I looked at how students learn. The Nine Categories from the text are now used as I plan instruction and curriculum. The “hands-on” sessions were invaluable and everything was new and exciting for me. My teaching has definitely changed for the better as I’ve tried much of the software and hardware that’s been previewed. Promethian Planet has become one of my favorite web sites and my students have really enjoyed bringing stories to life digitally and creating presentations with Kidspiration. I’m looking forward to continue using and integrating technology across the curriculum and hope to bring my second grade team along for the ride. The excitement of learning is evident in my classroom and that’s what teaching is all about.
I applied to be a part of SCITA because I wanted to learn about technology and that has happened! I am excited about using so many of the ideas we have discussed in classrooms and with other teachers. I have gained a lot of knowledge about technology and teaching in general that affects my day to day planning and teaching. Doing old things in a new way is so exciting for me and especially for my students. The text has been informative and easy to read and is a great resource that I have already shared several times. The class sessions were a learning experience for me every time we had one. I have done more with technology this semester than I ever have before – on my own and with other teachers and students. I think this course has been the jump start I have needed to move into such a technology oriented society. I look forward to continuing my learning next semester and to keep trying new things at school.
When I signed up to be in SCITA, I was excited at the thought of new things to be added to my classroom. This course has given me many new tools to work with my students each day. I used to think technology was mainly just my computer. Through this class however I have found ways to incorporate things that my kids use each day, such as the ipod, in my classroom to improve their learning. I have started thinking of new ways to reach my students and have been thinking about ways to change the same old things I always do. I look forward to seeing my students’ excitement as they use the new technologies and see that I am excited as well. I am excited about the upcoming workshops that will continue to improve my learning and the learning of my students.
“Well, what happened wuz…” Thus begins many explanations in my middle school and, is the best way for me to begin this last blog. I began SCITA excited about the opportunity to get exciting new toys like the Kindle and IPOD and with an expectation to learn new skills and brush up on old ones. Then, “what happened wuz” I became increasingly perplexed about this thing called learning and the “mash-up” of these new tools and these new learners in our classrooms today.
I needed to go the shrine of curriculum and mediate there for a long while. I sifted back through behaviorism, cognitive theory and constructivism. I communed again with Vygotsky, Dewey, Piaget and Skinner. I revisited my commitment to education and spent some gut wrenching moments with Marc Prenksy’s 4-step summation of technology adoption:
Dabbling.
Doing old things in old ways.
Doing old things in new ways.
Doing new things in new ways.
The hard questions followed and bit by bit I was able to face the truth that although I knew in theory the benefits of technology usage, as a older “digital immigrant”, I retained a lot of what Prensky calls a predigital “accents”. In other words, I knew about technology, I knew it was valuable but honestly, I often found myself at stage three – just doing old things in new ways. But, questions continued to trouble me – Was I not capable of new ways of thinking? Was I just too lazy to think of how to do new things in new ways? .
“Well, what happened wuz…” My answer finally came, but I didn’t like it – Fear! But, having faced and acknowledged that fear, I am ready to move forward with invention, creativity- exploration and innovation! Is this what happened to educators as cognitivism began to replace behaviorism? Or when constructivism was being born out of thought and observation? What began for me as a class in technology became much more. The SCITA course has been a time of renewal and regeneration and of deep thinking. As educators, we cannot keep using technology only to do old things in new ways. We cannot limit the power of technology and our “digital native” students. They need “new things in new ways”. What are these new things and new ways for our “neomillennial” students? I don’t know the answer. I do know that it is a journey that will not be led by a single guide. It will be a journey of collective intelligence, collaboration, globalization and new ways of communication. The SCITA course has been a wonderful tour guide. Now, it’s off the bus and time to ramble around in a new city on my own.
Since being selected to be a part of SCITA I have learned of many different ways to include technology in my classroom. I have used technology in my classroom on a small scale in the past. For example, I have used handhelds for my students to create graphic organizers, visuals, and papers/journals with whole group novels and literature circles. I have even allowed children to use power point presentation and to create flip charts for presentations. My issue was I never integrated into my lessons to teach ALL children how to use the technology. Those who created PPTs did so at home, and those that created flip charts did so with my during activity or after school. While those actions do reach some students I am missing more students who are expected to succeed in today’s world of fast paced technology.
I now realize how simple it is to model how to use the technology in everyday activities, and once the children see how to use it, it does not take that much more time for them to use it in the classroom. Third graders are at a stage where they need to learn how to appropriately use the technology before taking it to a deeper activity/understanding. It is very simple to use the technology I have available in my school to meet the strategies of effective teaching. I have seen myself grow, improve, and more willing to take risk with technology. I now know that as long as I have a back up plan for the clitches, that you will encounter from time to time, then I can step out and model for students what expect to see them do. I can then have them use the technology. I want my children to be extremely successful students, and one extremely successful adults, and technology is the key to that in today’s world. I am excited about the theory that I learned and/or revisited. I am also excited to continue to learn about all the ways I can reach my children.
When I first learned about SCITA, I was excited, to say the least. I love using technology, and the prospect of learning about new and creative ways to incorporate technology was tantalizing. I had high expectations, and all were met. I really enjoyed the class and learned a lot. I have discovered new ways to use Word and Excel, gotten loads of ideas for digital storytelling, and made contacts I plan to use extensively. I even created my own wiki page (really more like a blog) my students can log into and post comments. They loved it! Beyond the technological aspects of the class, I have honed my “best practices” in classroom instruction. I am more aware of the way students learn and have focused on incorporating the nine strategies in my instruction. Ideas just keep popping into my head of how to do “new things in new ways,” especially with my gifted students. Our students need to be technologically savvy, and I’m excited to help lead the way. Sometimes it only takes learning about what others have done to spark our own imagination. I feel that I am a better focused, more confident teacher now. I have truly enjoyed the class and would not hesitate to jump in again if it were offered!
As I am a student who has grown with technology—I remember the first CoCo Computer in our school a gazillion years ago where you had to program it and use a cassette tape in order to make it work , digital technology has transformed our way of working, thinking and playing since that first experience twenty five years ago. Kindles, I-Pods, Digital Voice Recorders, personal response systems, Interactive white boards, Web 2.0, Kidspiration, Netbooks, and many more– all wonderful tools to help teach students skills I have had the opportunity to use this semester. My class “got into” Media by being the computer teacher’s “guinea pig” so many years ago, then I signed up for an American Memory class to get a “free” laptop (I think I earned every cent of Congressman Charles Taylor’s grant money!), then I was awarded the opportunity to have a workshop in the Library of Congress for a week. The rest of my journey to Media Specialist is history.
SCITA is another step along that road of learning to use technology in the classroom. As an educator, I must stay fresh and change with the times if I am to engage my students. As a result, I have worked with using technology much more frequently in our short class times. I also have lesson plans written for the future that employ technology. Whether I am teaching old things new ways, new things old ways, or new things new ways, I need to engage my students in their learning and the 21st century learner seems to require active participation in a way that I may not have been incorporated previously. If they are not engaged, they simply “check out”. Students have been highly interested in whatever new gadget I am using, even if just to put the netbook onto an LCD projector to use United Streaming. They noticed I was using something different and had to investigate the “little laptop”. The document camera mesmerized them as they realized I could project whatever I put under it onto the screen. They have enjoyed using some of the websites that applied to their learning. Making a commitment to myself to continue to learn and grow and not be afraid will only benefit my students. I look forward to using the tools more and involving students more in their use as I add to the school’s collection and to learning about more tools and their applications in the future.
My main concern that I see is the digital divide that will only get wider and wider. Too many of the students at my school don’t have a computer at home yet, even though they may have a flat screen TV or all the latest games. Using computer technology as a tool to accomplish a goal just isn’t a priority in their parents’ lives. Most do not go to the public library either, where they could have at least some access. I want students to see possibilities of traveling beyond Spartanburg, SC and want to grasp some of this for themselves through my encouragement and teaching them some of the uses.
Before SCITA came along, I had become a bit of a techno-geek. I started integrating Web 2.0 tools with my students about three years ago. The more tools and applications I tried, the more I wanted to learn. I blogged, did podcasting, video creation and editing, wikis, etc. and used Google Earth to create a Google Lit trip. When I first learned of the opportunity to apply for the technology academy, however, I initially considered not submitting an application. Why? Major technology burn-out. I felt overwhelmed, frustrated, and just tired. I had taken on multiple projects that were complicated and time-consuming – I stumbled through using these applications, ran into problems, felt that a lack of technologies and money were always going to be a hindrance. I wanted a take a technology “break.”
Once I saw the equipment being provided by participants in SCITA, I couldn’t help but get excited. iPods in education? How exciting would that be for students? I’m on board! The most significant change I have experienced since SCITA is a renewal in my interest and excitement in technology. I’ve grown tremendously as a learner and as an educator. I realize now that technology can enhance any instruction – from being used as part of the instruction itself – to being implemented in student activities, practice, and in their final assessment. The integration of technology in education does not have to include an extensive multi-media project that requires additional software or expensive equipment. There are many tools and applications available that are free or part of the MO 2007 suite. This course has extended my belief in the variety of ways technology can be integrated effectively. I feel that educators who are afraid of new technologies or believe that they do not have the skills to implement new applications in their classroom need to also be made aware of the wonderful resources they have in front of them now. There are so many applications to share that are user-friendly. Teachers can integrate these seamlessly – without feeling overwhelmed and afraid.
Interestingly enough, I was aware of how technology can enhance instruction and make it more appealing to students. The change for me is the realization that technology can help us accomplish educational goals that seemed only philosophical in nature. Differentiating instruction is important – but also impossible at times without resources and help. This course illuminated how educational websites and technology tools can provide instantaneous feedback and supplement exercises that will specifically address a student’s area of weakness.
ESOL students and learning disabled students can use technology applications and programs that will aid them in better ways than educators with limited experience and time may ever be able to do.
Not enough class time to complete group projects? I’ve never really considered how technology can be a time-saver. Obviously it saves the educator time – grades can be averaged for us, documents can be stored and shared for future uses, etc. Technology, though, can save time for students. Data entry is quick, copy and paste functions make the writing process quicker and more efficient for students. Time is spent on essential learning of concepts – not mechanics. Time is also extended for the students. Groups can communicate outside of class through wikis, shared docs sites, etc. Students can continue practicing skills and learning about concepts with Internet access at home.
This course has reinforced my belief that educators must continue learning, changing, and adapting to provide learning that is relevant to our world and to our students. Without the integration of technology, our classrooms are likely not providing authentic learning experiences, limiting students’ capabilities and excluding a large number of our student population (those who cannot learn information the traditional ways). Most importantly, without a knowledge of technological applications, we are not preparing them to be successful in a global, competitive, technologically-advanced society.
I believe SCITA has given us tools and the knowledge to enhance our own instruction and to also share with others. We must be willing to not just “talk the talk” but “walk the walk.” This experience is not meant to be isolated. I am very excited that I have exciting new links, software, applications, etc to share with other teachers. SCITA emphasizes we are not in this alone – it’s important to help one another, be willing to guide other people who may feel uncomfortable or unsure, and to speak up and ask questions when we stumble ourselves. Even if the integration of technology an educator integrates is basic, it’s still an enhancement and will only keep growing as his/her comfort level increases.
The biggest change for me since taking this course – I’m not going to experience anymore technology “burn-out.” I realize now that every application will not work with all students, may not be practical for my situation, and it’s impossible to try everything out there. What’s important is finding, testing, and using applications that ultimately help your students, enhance your instruction, and makes what we do more effective and more enjoyable.
Since becoming part of the Spartanburg County Instructional Technology Academy, my instructional practices have improved. I have taught technology applications within the curriculum for years but my approach used to be less focused and less deliberate than it is now. Use of the SCITA lesson plan template forces me to really think about the technology standards being addressed and the assessments that will measure student learning. I was introduced to RubiStar in 2005 but really did not use it until this fall. It would be fair to say I have become a believer in the power of rubrics.
Of the nine instructional strategies, numbers 3 (recognition and feedback) and 8 (hypotheses) were the only surprises, mainly because it was a revelation to learn that the structures had to be taught in such a deliberate way. Technology integration has been a big part of my job for some time, but it has been eye-opening and mentally invigorating to learn about so many new software applications and web resources. The fifth graders loved Glogster EDU and the sixth grade teachers are excited to have their classes try the software next. First grade students are running around the school with Flip mini camcorders interviewing staff members for a movie they are making. Third graders just finished adding their own chapter 31 to Sideways Stories from Wayside School making extensive use of the digital voice recorder. So, there are many positive outcomes resulting from my participation in this course, but the most important one to me has been the chance to meet and talk with teachers from other districts to get new ideas to incorporate into my instructional program.
HUUMMM..it’s hard to describe what SCITA has done for me. Coming into the class in August, I rated myself as being pretty good with technology. Well, was I in for a rude awakening! Pretty much, I knew how to turn a computer on and off, and how to open files. I have learned so much.
Before thise course, technology was an afterthought. I used it, but after planning my lesson, I’d think about how to incorporate it. Now, I am so excited that I think of the technology first. Webcams- which standard can I use that with? The number of resources out on the web is astounding. I have learned reliable places to go to without digging for an hour. Loved the text, too. Perhaps the most useful one I’ve ever used. Technology is even more exciting to me now and I want to share it with the children. It is contagious and already my students are reaping the benefits. We are more creative and using more higher order thinking skills. I cannot wait to receive my clickers (another piece I had never seen). The kids will be so excited they won’t even know I am assessing them!
This class has also taught me to not be afraid of new things, but dig in and figure it out. I have a little more patience now that I have more knowledge. I have so much more to learn and at times the class was overwhelming because I felt I was not up to par with the others. But that was stress I was putting on myself- not from the SCITA instructors. I look forward to the workshops and am trying to figure out how to get back to the Georgia Technology conference. That was also a wonderful learning experience! Thanks for this opportunity and all of the work everyone put into getting this grant!
I think being a part of SCITA has had an impact on the way I teach. The instructional strategies were not really new to me, but I thought the relationship that the textbook created between technology that we have and the instructional strategies was great. I’m not a big fan of reading textbooks, but I did learn a lot from this one. I learned several different activities with Word and Excel that I never would have done with my students before because I didn’t know about them. I actually don’t think I would have ever attempted anything in Excel with my kids had the textbook not given me examples of activities I could use with elementary students.
I thought I knew a lot about technology before SCITA, but now I know a lot more and have gained several ideas that I’m hoping to have time to implement in the future. My kids and I are currently in the process of working on our first digital stories. Digital story telling has been a great way to get the kids excited about researching, learning about history, and working through the writing process. They are so excited about the final product that they have sort of forgotten about all the work they are doing before hand. I think that is one of my favorite things about using technology with my kids. It’s a natural motivator for them.
My favorite thing I have taken from the class and used in my classroom has been the Cornell notes. This is my first year teaching third grade and teaching science and social studies has been an adventure. I knew I had to figure out a way to get them to retain the information I was teaching so I took the Cornell notes strategy and changed it a little to fit my kid’s needs and it has turned out to be a great way to get the kids started with note taking.
Overall, I think being a part of SCITA has been a wonderful experience. It has been nice to be with a group of people who were using technology in their classrooms. I think I have learned a lot this semester and look forward to continuing to try new things with my kids.
Since joining SCITA a few things have occurred in my classroom. While I had used technology on a regular basis, my use of technology has now grown smarter. My power points have become more stream lined and the technology portions of assignments have become more meaningful for the students. My ability to use the new technologies has improved greatly and my frustration as not being able to do certain things has been reduced. I especially like knowing how to use you tube videos in class now. The lecture portion has begun to pay off. My students are starting to get instruction from time to time on how to take notes. I have begun working mostly with my GT classes with this as I work to improve my teaching of these skills. The textbook, mainly page eight, has helped to make me more aware of the impact of different teaching strategies. My students now spend more time looking at similarities and differences between things we are studying and today and the past. This course has opened up so many new things for me to try in my class. I like having new opportunities and new “tools” as my disposal to help better reach the students I work with every year.
Technology has always intrigued me. I remember starting with the Apple IIe’s and the first time we had access to the internet and email. Prior to starting this class, I regularly used Power Point and the internet to teach and was very proud of the ways I incorporated technology! When I turned in my application for this class, I was so excited about the knowledge this class would offer. It has far exceeded my expectations. Every aspect of the course, from the textbook, the class sessions, the opportunity to network with other educators, has been phenomenal. I have learned so much about myself as a teacher and ways to improve my effectiveness as a teacher. I am so excited about the creating and constructing lessons that incorporate technology in ways that affect instruction and meet the needs of my digital native students. It has also taken some of the fear away about trying new things. Knowledge is a powerful thing! I have also enjoyed listening to my classmates talk about ways they use technology and ideas they have. Participating in the class will definitely change my way of teaching and in the process make me a better teacher. I have gained so many new ideas and skills and I am so glad I made the decision to apply and grateful that I was chosen to participate.
When I signed up to participate in SCITA, I was excited about the opportunity to get new technology toys and learn how to use them in class for instruction. Through the process of taking this course, I have become more aware of the fact that I do not regularly use technology enough and am currently looking for opportunites to implement technology whenever feasible. I have also learned about many new technologies that are available that would benefit students. I now pay more attention to what technology is available to me and how I can use it to enhance instruction. I did not expect to learn the teaching strategies, such as the variety of ways to take notes, that went along with the course. To me, that was an added bonus. I am excited about looking back through certain sections of the text and my class notes to serve as a refresher and help me find more ways to implement technology into my lessons. I am glad to have participated in the course and I am thankful for the new knowledge and the focus this will give me for future lessons. I think the fact that we alternated between workshop-type class meetings and classroom instruction, including teaching strategies like the variety of notes, was an effective way to structure the class. It did provide us with a variety of information to take back to our classrooms. If I had it to do over, I would definitely take the class again!
I applied for SCITA so I could obtain more technology for my classroom, but I have obtained so much more. SCITA has changed to way I teach and inspired me to try many different teaching strategies for teaching my students. I have learned many new ways to apply technology and software to reach students.
Learning the nine instructional strategies has taught me to try many different strategies to reach all learning styles. It has helped me to focus more on the way I teach and not solely on what I teach. I have learned many ways to provide notes for my students.
Being part of SCITA has taught me to use technology in a variety of ways. I am very excited about teaching my students what I have learned. Using technology really excites my students and increases their interest in learning. I have began using a variety of flipcharts for promethean and made learning more fun. When planning lessons, my focus is more on the ways I can use technology to increase learning and make students more motivated.
The class prompted me to do what I had been taught early along in my career: guide the students to learn on their own, use hands-on activities and creative programs. I enthusiastically embraced those principals when I began teaching, but as the years have passed I have reverted to teaching the way I was taught: “you sit still and listen and I’ll do the talking”. Although I have always tried to be creative in my teaching methods, this course has reminded me that allowing the students to learn through doing, produces creativity and an eagerness to learn. Using modeling, graphic organizers and a willingness to allow them to make mistakes, I am watching my students perform better and enjoy technology more.
However, while I do appreciate the concept of learning being fun, I believe that students really need to know facts about their history, their geography and their culture. When I allow my students to select the subject of their research, they invariably choose rap stars, movie stars, or wrestlers. To be comfortable, they want to search more about what they already know. But I believe that the Internet can make traditional subjects fun and that it is the teacher’s job to guide students in the appropriate direction. While I suspect most of my students see our founding fathers as nothing but dead white guys, helping them find facts about Marco Polo and how he brought pasta noodles from the orient to his home in Italy gets their attention. Then when we find that Thomas Jefferson brought a pasta machine with him from Italy some five hundred years later, they are interested. And last, we find that Thomas Jefferson made pasta at Monticello and added cheddar cheese. He continued to serve his guests this at the White House. Somehow, through a guided search of the internet, Marco Polo and Thomas Jefferson come alive, even if the students only remember who invented macaroni and cheese. It is the perfect tale for a Photo story project or for a Voki performance.
I’m not sure our culture will allow for us to continue in the classroom without expanded use of technology. Students are accustomed to instantaneous responses and results. How can we demonstrate to them the significance of learning if we cannot use the tools they see being used on TV and in the movies. We need to know at least what they know about text messaging, the use of an iPod, or understand how to operate a camcorder. We are there to show them how the technology they are using for entertainment can be used to learn and succeed.
I believe the biggest change that’s occurred has been my awareness. This awareness includes, not only the new technologies available, but more immportantly, the integration, or lack of, within the educational system. I love the technology we have acquired. I do not love how difficult it is to integrate the technology into my classroom. Using the netbook and ipod has made me want to jump in with my students and create centers of learning using these tools. Not having wireless internet at my school stops me cold. I have had to rearrange my plans of technology action so that what I would like to do, my school and/or district is able to comply. I do understand there are limitations and hands are often tied.
The class hasn’t changed my views of the use of technology in the classroom, but has reinforced that idea. Working with the techology limitations, I am encouraged to push the useage of technology in my classroom and show how the technology is useful, not just as a tool for presentation, but for a deeper understanding of mathematical content.
I always thought that I used a lot of technology until becoming part of SCITA. I know find myself gearing my lessons around technology and not trying to fit the technology into my lessons. I am excited to say that I will be attending a single gender conference in March where I will be conducting a session on motivation in boys using technology. I am excited to bring in the amazing projects that I have conducted so far with my boys and show how technology can really motivate the classroom. I have found more ways to use technology every day in my classroom and I know feel more comfortable using it. There are still many things that I want to learn how to do but for right now I feel that I am making a lot of progress and can’t wait for more.
a media specialist, I have begun to take notice of current technology instructional practices and emerging technologies. After participating in the instructional technology course offered through the Spartanburg Instructional Technology Academy, I am more aware of the unlimited possibilities a single computer, software, or electronic tool can make before, during, and after instruction. There have been no immediate changes in my instructional practices. The most significant changes in my technology usage are my newfound love of blogs and wikis. I’ve recently become familiar and comfortable with using software such as Kidspiration and PhotoStory 3.
One of the most important beliefs which became clear to me throughout the course is the need for technology to help students build a foundation of knowledge. The enhancement of instruction is possible with correct application of technology. Along with the appropriate teacher and his or her instructional strategies, technology can help students fill in the gaps, build foundational skills, and compensate for weaknesses.
As a media specialist, I have begun to take notice of current technology instructional practices and emerging technologies. After participating in the instructional technology course offered through the Spartanburg Instructional Technology Academy, I am more aware of the unlimited possibilities a single computer, software, or electronic tool can make before, during, and after instruction. There have been no immediate changes in my instructional practices. The most significant changes in my technology usage are my newfound love of blogs and wikis. I’ve recently become familiar and comfortable with using software such as Kidspiration and PhotoStory 3.
One of the most important beliefs which became clear to me throughout the course is the need for technology to help students build a foundation of knowledge. The enhancement of instruction is possible with correct application of technology. Along with the appropriate teacher and his or her instructional strategies, technology can help students fill in the gaps, build foundational skills, and compensate for weaknesses.
When I applied for SCITA, I did it because I was burned out on teaching the same old way. I was looking for new ideas and a way to integrate technology more into my classroom and to make my classroom become more alive and student centered. This class opened my eyes to new ideas and strategies. Now when I plan, I am more focused on the nine strategies, my teaching styles, and how can technology possibly be used to help me help my students to master the content. This class has given me wonderful ideas and I know this is just the beginning of a technology oriented classroom. I have always enjoyed using technology in my classroom, but was always nervous about it because it was new to me as well. This class has helped me become more confident in using technology and using it more effectively.
I do have to say that Scita has been a great experience for me. I have always been an advocate for technology. I have always been a teacher that was willing to change and to try new things. But, I think that there have been some changes that I have made as a classroom teacher because of this program. The number one thing I have noticed is that I have cut my time in half creating things. I was taught a lot of short cuts and tricks that make using technology more effective and less annoying. I also think that I am always aware of technology. I am conscience about incorporating it in my lesson planning. I am always trying new things. My kids are also enjoying my class even more.
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