Application Assignment Blog Post-
Week 7
Karabaic,Stephanie
Three years ago I transformed my classroom into one that is highly technology based.I did this with ample support and guidance. I then flew with it and evolved in my understanding, knowledge and practice in using the varied and daily technology that seems to come flying at us with warp speed. Everyday there are new apps for the ipads, new programs, and new tools that we need to consider as to their application in our classrooms. We need to embrace that which can further advance our students’ understanding and engagement and reject those things that are merely just mimicking other more established tools. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by the pace at which these technologies are advancing and arriving. To just keep up with some of the digital trends can boggle ones mind.
I follow a few outstanding technology blogs and find their delivery to my facebook page or to my email a gift. How wonderful that these blogs serve the singular purpose to digitally deliver the latest and greatest educational technology trends directly to me. For this purpose, I have always loved receiving blog feeds, but have not yet embraced them for use with my students. I am still unsure if I am going to use the blog feature of Haiku, my Learning Management System, rather than a site like Blogger. I do think blogs have some great educational applications and am moving in the direction of using them in my classroom.
The teaching and learning process is distinctly different when using technology with students. As a teacher, you have to use technology not just for technology’s sake but with an end in mind. As an educator, I always try to accomplish the goals of deeping reading, while covering the Common Core standards by using technology whenever possible. In this way students are getting exposure and hands on experience with identified academic skills along with those identified essential digital skills. Sometimes,however some students may misuse technology and as educators we need to be sure that the safeguards are in place to prevent misuse as well as clearly communicating what is acceptable and what is not acceptable when it comes to technology use in the classroom. The ability for students to move to other websites, or instant message or email another student instead of working on the task at hand remains an issue for me at times, with certain students. It is those types of events which may turn some teachers off from using and integrating technology into their classroom instructional model.
I still remain teacher centered but am conscious of moving in the direction always towards learner centered. I have a great deal of behaviorally challenged students this year and classroom combinations that are extremely difficult to manage. Many of those behavioral issues have balanced out to a tolerable level. However, two classes remain a challenge to complete academic work as a group. This is not due to technology but because of those behavioral issues, my ability to utilize digital tools effectively with these two groups remains frustrating and challenging. For most of my students, the kinds of work we do as a large group is a great experience, however 40% of my classes are so behaviorally disconnected that working as a large group may have to be something I alter for the instructional atmosphere to be effective. For some students the independent nature of many technology based assignments poses too many challenges for them. Consequently, we need to employ technology when technology achieves the goals we have for students. When students cannot manage technology successfully, then we need to modify its use and application. One of the NETs standards for students is as follows: “Exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity”(ISTE.org/nets,2012) Perhaps my behaviorally challenged students are further challenged because they have not previously been exposed to much educational technology in the school setting. These 7th and 8th graders should be able to successfully navigate using technology without my fearing their misusing it. Then my focus shifts from the task to the implementation and tools being used. Students need to be taught how to behave when using technology and for some that means constant reminders. When a teacher has a group of behaviorally challenged students, perhaps it’s too much of a lofty goal to utilize technology on a daily basis. I am a realist, which does compete with my desire for all of my classes to utilize technology at the same level, perhaps I need to reassess some student groups’ ability to do work successfully using technology.
In two years, I see myself not as a Reading and Writing Specialist who transformed her classroom into a 21st Century digital classroom, but instead as a technology integrator who assists other teachers in developing their own 21st Century skills in the classroom and enriching their students’ instruction with blogs, podcasts, ipads, digital storytelling,and digital video tools. Additionally, I see myself as continuing to develop my own technology rich skills. Another goal I’ve identified is my technology knowledge and expertise will be at a level, where I can maintain a professional blog that others will choose to follow to enrich their own 21st Century Skill Set. There I can post samples of what is possible, apps that are worth their notice and time and ways to teach specific academic skills enhanced and entrenched in technology. I can make screencasts and Youtube.com videos using Googleplus Hangouts. I can serve as a source and a place to go to for technology information.
International Society For Technology in Education (2012). iste.nets.s Advancing Digital Age Learning. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.iste.org/. [Last Accessed December 14,2012].
http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students
