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.