Tuesday, November 24, 2009
STAR chart Assignment Part 2
Teaching and Learning is defined as the use of technology in the classroom to enhance the learning environment. The various levels of progress and accomplishment is determined by the role that teachers and students are currently playing in the use of technology. Also, the types of technology that are provided and used help to define the progress being made.
As far as progress being made, our campus has improved slightly in this area moving from 13 points to 14 points (developing tech). The statewide summary indicates that campuses on average are in the developing tech stage as well.
Our district tries to improve in this area. I imagine an issue for any district that serves 30+ campuses and 30,000+ students is that technology is a massive project when serving a "business" of that size. Acquiring the hardware itself is an enormous endeaveor not to mention the software that must be installed in order to apply the hardware. Our campus in particular has 6 different individual buildings to go along with portable buildings and separate locations such as fieldhouses and vocational classrooms.
I think a way that our district and campus can improve is to provide training and specific lessons per course or subject that will be easily adaptable to our students. In the past we have had either great pieces of technology with few ways to incorporate in to a lesson or an idea to incorporate technology yet not have the equipment and software needed to bring it to fuition. There are technology specialists in place and they help with this process but there are 2 of them for 5 different high schools. In order to move from a developing level of technology to an advanced level, there has to be a concerted effort from our teachers to take the next step and have learning and instruction be teacher-facilitated rather than teacher-directed.
As far as progress being made, our campus has improved slightly in this area moving from 13 points to 14 points (developing tech). The statewide summary indicates that campuses on average are in the developing tech stage as well.
Our district tries to improve in this area. I imagine an issue for any district that serves 30+ campuses and 30,000+ students is that technology is a massive project when serving a "business" of that size. Acquiring the hardware itself is an enormous endeaveor not to mention the software that must be installed in order to apply the hardware. Our campus in particular has 6 different individual buildings to go along with portable buildings and separate locations such as fieldhouses and vocational classrooms.
I think a way that our district and campus can improve is to provide training and specific lessons per course or subject that will be easily adaptable to our students. In the past we have had either great pieces of technology with few ways to incorporate in to a lesson or an idea to incorporate technology yet not have the equipment and software needed to bring it to fuition. There are technology specialists in place and they help with this process but there are 2 of them for 5 different high schools. In order to move from a developing level of technology to an advanced level, there has to be a concerted effort from our teachers to take the next step and have learning and instruction be teacher-facilitated rather than teacher-directed.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Pre-K Technology Applications
Pre-K learners is able to open and navigate software in order to follow basic oral and visual cues. They can also begin to follow stories and prompts in order to process information. Teachers should provide time and guidance in the mastery of these programs as well as model the discovery of information using computer software.
Students should begin to name devices associated with computers and experiment with their operations. Teachers will provide opportunities for practice and mastery of various computer components.
These skills will begin to allow students to experience the benefits of discovery independent practice and communication skills they will need to succeed in the 21st century.
Scaffolding as a curriculum allows the students to build upon what has already been learned. This also allows teachers to individualize instruction because students will build and learn at different rates. Accomodating individual needs is a strength of scaffolding. It can also be a challenge because our time with students is limited and they must become more responsible for their own learning. If their instruction is more individualized then their achievement is more individualized as well. In other words, students are held more accountable because their instruction is also more specialized to accompany each student's needs.
The technology TEKs for Pre-K students allows them the chance to have multiple opportunities to master objectives through the continual use and practice of computer software and programs. This will be a set of skills that these students will use and rely upon for the rest of their learning lives.
Students should begin to name devices associated with computers and experiment with their operations. Teachers will provide opportunities for practice and mastery of various computer components.
These skills will begin to allow students to experience the benefits of discovery independent practice and communication skills they will need to succeed in the 21st century.
Scaffolding as a curriculum allows the students to build upon what has already been learned. This also allows teachers to individualize instruction because students will build and learn at different rates. Accomodating individual needs is a strength of scaffolding. It can also be a challenge because our time with students is limited and they must become more responsible for their own learning. If their instruction is more individualized then their achievement is more individualized as well. In other words, students are held more accountable because their instruction is also more specialized to accompany each student's needs.
The technology TEKs for Pre-K students allows them the chance to have multiple opportunities to master objectives through the continual use and practice of computer software and programs. This will be a set of skills that these students will use and rely upon for the rest of their learning lives.
Long-range Technology Plan
Because 21st century learners are so different from learners in the past every effort must be made to apply the benefits of technology to their classrooms. Several aspects can make this a challenging idea.
First, educators must adapt to the changes in technology and the changes in our students. This change require a commitment in time, finances and personal beliefs to promote a technology-based classroom.
Second, students must begin to take a larger role in ownership of their education. They can know longer simply rely on information given to them. They must decide what information is accurate now that technology can provide us with so much access to differing sets of opinions, fact and findings.
Also, there will also be the difficulty in balancing each district and student needs to match the available funds for implenting technology and the emphasis placed on education in various communities.
This course can give me an awareness as to the critical nature of the role technology is playing now and the even bigger role it will play in the education of students in the 21st century.
I can beign to point to the research discovered through this course to further point to the need to make a commitment to the stregthening of my instruction through technology integration.
First, educators must adapt to the changes in technology and the changes in our students. This change require a commitment in time, finances and personal beliefs to promote a technology-based classroom.
Second, students must begin to take a larger role in ownership of their education. They can know longer simply rely on information given to them. They must decide what information is accurate now that technology can provide us with so much access to differing sets of opinions, fact and findings.
Also, there will also be the difficulty in balancing each district and student needs to match the available funds for implenting technology and the emphasis placed on education in various communities.
This course can give me an awareness as to the critical nature of the role technology is playing now and the even bigger role it will play in the education of students in the 21st century.
I can beign to point to the research discovered through this course to further point to the need to make a commitment to the stregthening of my instruction through technology integration.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Week 1 Assignment Part 2: Blog of assessments
After comleting the technology applications inventory, I feel my knowledge and skills regarding technology applications is fairly strong. My entire teaching career has involved a wide-ranging use of technology. I scored a majority of "yes" responses through the assessment with particularly high marks in the foundations and solving problems domains. Our district requires some tehcnology-based staff development each year and provieds the training for the staff. The one domain I could work on strengthening is information acquisition. I recorded 60% "yes" answers here.
Using the Setda teacher survey, I feel that I need to use more technology applications with my students in class. I have a strong functionality in regards to applying technology to my learning and job performance. While there are various technology resources availble to our students, there is a strain a time to find time to use the available resources with a campus of 2800 students. Also, most of our students don't have much prior knowledge with technology besides what is on their phone or ipod. It is difficult to assign something requiring the use of technology outside of class because so few students will have access to the instruments needed. Our library does offer extended hours so that this technology is available but then there is the issue of students getting a ride home with a large majority riding the bus home. Our school and district is trying to find more ways to incorporate technology for students by eliminating some of these barriers.
We have several teachers piloting an ipod touch program. It is only about 9 weeks into the program so there isn't much data collected yet. The program is being tried in classes that have mostly freshmen with the hope of gaining interest in the subject and process of learning at the beginning of high school rather than toward the end when it might be too late.
In my class, I make it a point to have a couple of units that are technology based. We do a research based assignment on various types of cancer. The students must use the academic search engines to locate articles and abstracts dealing with a particular type of cancer. Once they acquire the information, they will use word processing and the powerpoint to present their findings.
Where I can improve my instruction through technology would be by providing more frequent chances to use technological resources for smaller assignments and assessment. Frequent practice will prepare students to feel confident in completing larger assignments.
Using the Setda teacher survey, I feel that I need to use more technology applications with my students in class. I have a strong functionality in regards to applying technology to my learning and job performance. While there are various technology resources availble to our students, there is a strain a time to find time to use the available resources with a campus of 2800 students. Also, most of our students don't have much prior knowledge with technology besides what is on their phone or ipod. It is difficult to assign something requiring the use of technology outside of class because so few students will have access to the instruments needed. Our library does offer extended hours so that this technology is available but then there is the issue of students getting a ride home with a large majority riding the bus home. Our school and district is trying to find more ways to incorporate technology for students by eliminating some of these barriers.
We have several teachers piloting an ipod touch program. It is only about 9 weeks into the program so there isn't much data collected yet. The program is being tried in classes that have mostly freshmen with the hope of gaining interest in the subject and process of learning at the beginning of high school rather than toward the end when it might be too late.
In my class, I make it a point to have a couple of units that are technology based. We do a research based assignment on various types of cancer. The students must use the academic search engines to locate articles and abstracts dealing with a particular type of cancer. Once they acquire the information, they will use word processing and the powerpoint to present their findings.
Where I can improve my instruction through technology would be by providing more frequent chances to use technological resources for smaller assignments and assessment. Frequent practice will prepare students to feel confident in completing larger assignments.
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