I have to start by saying that this project was somewhat difficult. There is so many directions that I could have taken the infographic to create a "Big Picture" representation of the role that technology is and can have in the classroom. I began by going back to knowledge that I have previously gained in a previous course of TPACK. I wanted to create a model that incorporated technology, content, and pedagogical knowledge. The TPACK models illustrates how technology is a key component in creating learning opportunities for our students. Without content and pedagogical knowledge, technology acts as only a substitute.
The second part of the infographic highlights many of the common uses that we utilize in the classroom, helping to adapt to individual learner needs. I wasn't able to include all of the applications that I find valuable because I wanted to keep the image to one page. I often find if images get to comprehensive interest and meaning can get lost. Even with that in mind, i feel like i included too much information in such a format. We all love apps. and software but do we really think about all of the infrastructure that is needed to support apps., devices, and internet accessibility for all learners? I know that I have not and have taken for granted the limited access that some of our students have during these trying times. This is an important aspect of being digital change agents, trying to understand the restraints that our districts may have!!
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One of the main ideas, i reflected upon during my reading, was that equipping schools with technology and infrastructure should be determined by how the infrastructure and devices are going to be utilized to further the goal of educating students. As I have learned throughout MSET program, technology is not a magical solution to learning but rather a tool to enhance opportunities for learning to take place. I believe that many teachers utilize technology as a replacement, rather than enhancement to their lessons. I, myself, have been guilty but have learned to utilize SAMR, as an easy recall to evaluate whether or not to include technology into the lesson. Ultimately, throwing technology at a bad lesson, results in a bad lesson with technology!
Professional Development (PD) often leads to raised eyebrows and deep sighs among many of my colleagues. I believe that teachers realize the importance of PD and how valuable it can be given that there is thought about the adaptability, delivery, and timing, of the content. I consider these the three essential elements to beneficial PD. After reading Gura, I felt like he was reading my mind. PD needs to be delivered in different ways to give individuals the opportunity to access the information at a time that is most advantageous and with the preferred method of delivery. Honestly, 3;30pm on a Thursday is not the best time for almost every teacher, nor is 7:30am any morning. I access PD when I have time and can focus my attention to needed information. As a digital change agent, what can I do to support my colleagues with PD? I have found that I enjoy providing brief video tutorials on how to utilize an app. and how to incorporate that technology into the curriculum. If teachers don’t realize the “down the road” opportunities that technology can provide, many will continue to use it as a replacement for traditional pen and paper lessons. SAMR MODEL The SAMR Model resonates, with my teaching philosophy, because it provides a genuine road map on how to utilize technology in the classroom. The language, although simplistic, illustrates how to enhance basic use of technology to a higher level for students. The SAMR model can be easily identified and understood by educational staff at different levels of technology knowledge and integration. The realization that the use of technology as to only replace a traditional pencil and paper activity, doesn’t constitute integration. But what simple changes (functional improvements) could be made enhancing the the project? I believe that most educators have moved beyond the “S”, substitution of technology with no functional change in their classroom but are either stuck in augmenting or modifying lessons. The transformation of content, to lesson planning, and ultimately to modifying or redefining student tasks is not an easy process but SAMR to understand the functionality of process involved in transformation applying the use of technology. I believe that SAMR can impact the, previously held, ideals of how a lesson should look and be implemented. Realizing that technology is only once piece of puzzle, SAMR is an easily recognizable means of authentically applying technology to enhance what you want to the students to ultimately learn. The graphic above outlines the SAMR Model, exhibiting the concise thought parameters when incorporating technology into any given student task. The obvious question that I ask, “does technology enhance the student learning opportunity”, if the answer is no then I need to find a way of modifying the lesson to incorporate technology or to not use at technology at all. In my classroom, I have been asking myself this question frequently, after beginning my coursework and realize, their are situations where technology doesn’t deliver a better learning outcome, but I strive to find and test ways to utilize technology to enhance the learning opportunities for my student. How does technology improve teaching and learning in your school?
Technology allows for the content to be delivered digitally, rather than the traditional method of print or textbooks. The digital content allows for students to personalize it to their individual needs. Students are able to respond to questions digitally, allowing th teachers to differentiate instruction. An LMS allows for a system that circulates content information from teachers to students, providing needed feedback allowing teachers to adjust instruction as needed. Technology also provides the opportunity for real-world learning. Information is available from all corners of the world for expand student learning. Project based learning is more manageable with technology, limiting the amount of time and resources needed. The use of technology allows for teachers to use data driven instruction. Assessments and assignments can be adapted to tailor individual student instruction. A digital platform can also provide an opportunity for students to work in virtual groups. Lastly, a digital platform allows for more opportunity for student engagement. What are some areas in which this could be improved? I believe there are always opportunities to improve student-to-student communication and collaboration. As technology continues to expand on current ideals, the opportunities will increase for students to collaborate more in-depth, not only at school but at home as well. I think it is a great advantage to have an Learning Management System within your district. Our district has just started using an LMS and it has cut down on the time needed by students to utilize often utilized applications within the classroom. There also needs to be an increase PD opportunities for teachers to embrace new technology, so as to deliver meaningful instruction to their students. Technology is ever-changing and teachers should exploit their PLN to further their knowledge of effective and meaningful use of technology. How do you go about making decisions about what technology to use in your classroom or school? In the classroom, I start with the learning objective in the specific content area and determine if and how technology can enhance a students learning experience. If technology can provide resources and learning opportunities outside of the normal classroom setting, I then determine the best tool to effectively deliver the desired learning objective. As you progress through the teaching profession, you will begin to recognize tools that deliver the desired outcome. But sometimes you need to take a risk and try new forms of technology to determine their effectiveness, while realizing it my not provide the same effectiveness depending on the class or individual student. I chose Piktochart as the infographic to summarize the main ideas that I took out of "The Innovator's Mindset" by George Couros. My thought process was to think about my own classroom and what concepts I can utilize to advance the learning environment for my students. The infographic shows the the ideals I feel will create an innovator's mindset within the classroom. I utilized images from Pixabay and other resources to enhance the reinforce the message I am presenting. The process that I used to create my infographic started with the idea of creating a student-centered classroom. I included the 4 main ideals that I wanted to have in my classroom to create and promote students being the center of their own learning environment; culture, risk-taking, building relationships, and creating an innovator's mindset. This was a very difficult challenge for my to synthesize all of the knowledge I have gained, through reading the book. I want to always come back to two questions.
1. Would I want to be a learner in my classroom? 2. What is best for the students? I feel as if I keep these two questions in mind, I have created a path to plan, organize, and execute opportunities for students to be successful in my classroom. Lastly, I included some quotes from the book that resonated with me personally. There were so many great quotes throughout the book that inspired my blog and other projects. But it always came back to the the students and realizing for them to be their best, I also need to do my best to continue in developing my own growth/innovator's mindset! What did I learn from the 3 videos that I just watched?
I learned that there is a global marketplace where there is a group for everyone. Information can be accessed throughout the world via Youtube and the use of video to support different ideas, interests, and innovation is limitless. I also learned that certain conditions need to be met to build a successful organization, school, or business. Trust and cooperation of leadership is essential in creating an environment to promote growth amongst all staff. You don’t have to be the boss or CEO to be a leader. Leadership starts with the heart, caring, and showing empathy, treating everyone like you would like to be treated. I also learned that leaders take risks first! Our world is changing, technology is advancing, but yet our schools have seen limited change for over 70 years. As teaches, we need to give our students the skills they need to be successful. Success cannot always be viewed through test scores. Technology is a powerful tool for learning but doing something that is boring using technology is still boring. Don’t be afraid to take risks, use the tools to enhance the curriculum instead of teach the curriculum. Student-centered classrooms allow the student to teach and learn from each other, utilizing collaboration, communication, and creativity. What did I learn from Part 3 of Innovators mindset? Couros says, to create a culture where innovation flourishes, we have to realize, that in many cases, we already have everything that we need, we just need to figure out how to tap into it. (pp.127). After reflecting on the idea of utilizing talents of my colleagues, realizing that I am already doing this whether they know this or not. If I need help on developing a writing concept, I know the fellow teach I am going to speak too. Sometimes innovation is happening without evening understanding that is exactly what is happening. I also enjoyed how Couros explains, that “titles don’t create culture, people do”. I have worked, previously, in a large business that had all of the fancy vision and mission statements, but didn’t really hold true. After thinking about this concept, that if the concepts are driven top-down, rarely are they ever carried forth by the staff. A joint theme between the video and the book is that people will not feel comfortable taking risks unless leaders are willing to take risks themselves. As teachers, we are taught that modeling skills and behaviors to our students is an effective principle to increase desired outcomes. As has been mentioned on Flipgrid, if we don’t model “risk-taking” will are student be open to the behavior. The same principle applies to leaders of organizations, model behaviors you want attributed to your staff. Recognizing individuals for their own unique qualities, allows for a growth-mindset rather than a deficit model of teaching. By asking these four questions, allows for the optimum learning environment.
Couros, discusses the TED Talk given by Chris Andersen showing how the growth of of Youtube has spurred growth and innovation globally. While finishing my basement, I referred to Youtube on numerous occasions to see how someone accomplished basic home task. My 71 year old father, was utterly amazed that there were videos showing how to accomplish all of our projects. He now uses Youtube weekly to help with questions. This coming from a guy who still has an early 2000’s flip phone! THREE TAKEAWAYS...
The first takeaway I have involves relationships. When discussing relationships, the first thought that comes to mind is those that involve students. Developing personal relationships, trust, and caring provides the basis for a positive learning environment. But, often times, these discussions do not include the development of relationships with colleagues and other staff members. Why is that? Couros says, "Do you see the personal moments you have with your staff as investments or expenditures"? I hope that I see opportunities to build relationships as investments in people, ultimately helping to create a positive culture within our community. The second takeaway is how to model and promote a growth mindset. Take it a step further, to help students take a growth mindset and turn it into an innovators mindset. The opportunity to create an innovators mindset begins with the mindset modeled by the teacher. If teachers are not willing to take risks and questions, will the students being to show the desired mindset? Maybe, a few students may be able to create and innovate but the great majority need to see and have the innovators mindset reinforced to be willing to do so themselves. The last takeaway I have from the first part of the Innovators Mindset brings me back to the question of "Would I want to be a learner in my own classroom"? The power of this question is understated in terms of how I have viewed my (our) classroom, the learners, that I am there to serve, and the environment I am trying to create. My perspective has changes and I try and view the things I do through the eyes of my learners in mind. What did I learn from the weekly reading and videos?
There were many different themes throughout this weeks reading and videos. Mistakes are ok? This concept has been taught to me but I was not brought up that was as a young student. We were taught to always strive for the correct answer, by repeating and practicing the way my teacher had taught. There was not a lot of creativity, self-reflection, and higher level thinking involved. As Couros stated many times throughout the first three chapters, empowering teachers to try and develop new ideas without fear of poor evaluations by administrators is a tough sell, but the culture and mindset needed to change, to give students the best opportunities in the ever-changing world. Couros states, "Learning to recognize and create new and better opportunities for our students is what matters. In fact it is essential." (p. 35). I feel like I have a better understanding of innovation because I know that it begins with a question. As teachers, we provide the questions for the majority of our school day. But should we be the ones asking all of the questions? The importance of the question and the curiosity that it brings, is a powerful tool. Innovation also be accomplished by improving upon something that is already known or has been done. How does it change your mind moving forward? My first thought, is a feeling of curiosity about my current thinking as a teacher. Am I doing the right things? Am I meeting the needs of all my students? Am I providing them opportunities for creativity, innovation, and growth? The perspective of providing students the tools to be successful, in a future that is unknown, is making me reflect on my ideals as a teacher. Moving forward, I feel like have given myself permission to provide better learning experiences for my students, through persistence and making mistakes! I have often heard, from many (coaches, teachers, adults) that leaders have natural qualities that attract people to follow their lead. I am sure many have also heard "you're either a leader or a follower". I believe that everyone has the ability to be a leader given the opportunity and knowledge base. I have played and coached several sports throughout my life and I realize that leadership takes on many different qualities, thus is not always the loudest or most outspoken that lead without even knowing. Throughout this course I would like to learn about the different aspects of being a leader, not always through voice but through actions as well. I have also realized different groups, classrooms, and teams need different types of leadership depending on the participants. I am excited to see what I can learn and utilize in my school throughout this semester.
I am astounded by all of the different technology that is accessible in every facet of life. There is not a day that goes by that I am not researching or trying a new app or form of technology. I rely on "word of mouth" and reviews to assess technology and I would like to create a foundation of personal knowledge on how to evaluate education for my students, colleagues, and school. How do I integrate technology effectively into my classroom? How do I evaluate technology to make it meaningful to student learning? These are just two of the questions, that I am looking forward to answering throughout CET 720! |
AuthorI currently teach 5th grade and am working on completing my Masters in Educational Technology. Archives
April 2020
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