State Technology Standards

For teachers to be successfully trained in technology there has to be proper funding as well as adequate resources. The good thing about this video was that it demonstrated how schools in Louisiana began the Challenge Grant Program. It was supported by state funds and reached grades K-12 and higher educational institutions. One of the benefits of this program was that it set a time frame for all teachers and institutions to become technology literate and it had an advisory council to make sure plans were implemented. When K-12 and higher institutions are collaborative in their technology training, they are able to keep their students prepared for the next advancement level of technology. Also, teachers can attend the same workshops or professional developments and they can learn from each other. It is extremely important that teacher training is supported by the community and government officials. Without this support, finding the funds to support training would be more difficult as well as developing state wide plans. In order for teachers to be successfully trained and supported in their professional development they need workshops, proper resources, and constant training. If all classroom environments had the proper technology support, then teacher could better prepare students for the technological advancements in the future.

Options for Virtual Students

On this video, we were introducing to two different families that had enrolled their children in Florida Virtual Schools and how rewarding they felt this program was. The students mentioned several advantages to participating in virtual schooling. What they seemed to like most was its convenience. They could do their work when they wanted and have time to participate in other activities through out the week. One student particularly mentioned that she enjoyed not having the inappropriate interruptions from other students that usually occur in the regular classroom setting. Another student mentioned that he felt he had more materials to work with when taking these on-line courses. Both sets of parents seemed to mention the same positive aspect of these classes. They felt that there was more one-on-one attention from the teacher making the teacher more personally involved. Both families mentioned the teachers calling to speak with the students about any questions or concerns they may have. If states would offer more courses on-line, I think we would see a tremendous increase in the development of children’s abilities by allowing them to work at their own pace. The more advanced students would not be slowed down by others and can complete more challenging assignments. Students with special needs would not feel the peer pressure of those around them and would develop more self-confidence by working to the best of their abilities. One limitation of the virtual schools that the video did not mention is the social factors. Students are missing that peer interaction. However, the triplets from the second video did participate in a sport called “wakeboarding.” For some lower class families, the opportunity to participate in sports and other peer interacting activities could be a challenge

Universal Design

If we could get a “miracle” in education, it would be what this video presented…..universal design. If one of my seventh grade students had access to a universal design textbook, it could put the information he/she reads in a format appropriate for them. It could present the information with more graphics, it could change the text language to the child’s reading level ability, or it could read the text out loud to the student. This could open up a whole new world of teaching to diverse students. We could use universal design to automatically translate something to the language of the student’s preference. One of the major challenges for teachers today is finding ways to accommodate students learning. With assistive technologies, making these accommodations could be quicker and easily accessible. Education could use universal design to create programs for individual students according to their individual needs. For education, this probably means more inclusion classes. Universal design could also mean bigger classes. Teachers will be able to more easily accommodate the special individual needs of students.

Using Technology to Teach a Foreign Language

After watching this video, I see that there are numerous ways for teachers to use technology to teach a foreign language. This particular teacher used WebQuest, a class web page, and e-mail to teach her students French. In groups, she had the students create a bibliography on a famous French person. Their entire report had to be in French and then they had to give a presentation. Their presentation could be on Power Point, a video, or on a poster. The teacher had the WebQuest linked through her class web page. This was a research tool that they could use when researching their famous person. She made a point to tell that that she is aware of the translating software and sites that are out there and for them not to use them.

From my experience, most students always feel more comfortable about a project when they can work with someone. This project is the biggest report they have ever had to do in French. This teacher chose an excellent strategy by allowing them to work together and incorporate so many resources. The few students they talked to seemed to feel pretty confident about the assignment. One group specifically said that they loved creating presentations on Power Point because it is ready in just a few clicks. Using e-mail and a class web site are excellent ways for students to learn another language. Another good strategy this teacher could have is to make the students participate in a discussion every week. This would keep them engaged and ensure that they are constantly practicing the language. Also, they could participate in on-line games as well as take quizzes in another language. They could go on scavenger hunts or plan vacations in another language. Once again, technology enhances our teaching abilities and learning experiences!

Using Technology to Teach Reading

In watching this video, we see a teacher demonstrate how to integrate technology to teach concepts about the Civil War. This teacher had students researching information about the Civil War on the internet, highlighting facts they come across, creating a newspaper article about an event, using Webquest, and using Excel to create charts for a different visual of important events. When struggling readers are given a chapter to read in a text book, automatically they are discouraged by the fact that they “think” they can not read. They spend so much time focusing on “trying” to read that they can not comprehend what they are reading. The technology tools these teachers used in the video had the students fully engaged in the learning process through hands-on interesting activities. This teacher gave the students specific websites to visit, read and gather information on certain events. He had a three-step process that he taught his students to use when researching information. First, they had to listen to what was being said on the site, then they had to read along with it, and then they took notes on what they thought were important events. Their notes had to be in bullets and no more that five or six words. I thought this was an excellent strategy for teaching students how to restate facts in their own words which enhances comprehension. The teacher from the video stated how successful his students reading comprehension skills have gotten over the past year. I believe the reason he has this “success” story is because he is integrating technology as well as other subject areas while teaching and reaching the needs of a diverse group of learners.

It is very easy to integrate other subject matter in to your own. This teacher had his students creating maps of battles, using different vocabulary strategies, and creating political cartoons. He let the learning possibilities be endless. This teacher incorporated math when sequencing, art, as well as “humor.” When you create this type of learning environment, you allow students to really think about all possible sides of a situation. As an educator and a hands-on type learner, I see nothing but positive things when you integrate technology tools in your curriculum. With technology, you open a door of endless learning experiences where there is something for everyone!

WebQuest

One advantage to using WebQuest in education is that it helps enhance the learning process. Students are allowed to take control of their learning by reading, researching, and sharing with others what they learn. Instead of sitting quietly listening to a lesson given by a teacher, they work diligently teaching their selves by using the computer. Another advantage of the WebQuest is that it allows teachers to develop an age appropriate, hands-on lesson in a matter of minutes. Incorporating this type of educational technology not only provides a structured classroom environment but it offers diversity among the teaching styles.

One problem you could face with WebQuest is having pre-selected websites. The students could be exposed to something not age appropriate through pop-ups or other links. Also, you risk the chance of websites expiring or just not working.

As a math teacher, I could create a WebQuest to teach students traditional problem solving skills. I would assign them a topic and they would be responsible for researching statistical information. Then, they would use the data they find to create and solve problems. If you are working with younger grades it could be basic number operations like adding and subtracting. However, if you have older kids you may have them use measures of central tendency. I would have them create, work, and present a couple of math problems to the class. Integrating this technology, creates a more interesting yet exciting approach to learning math skills.

Virtual Chemistry Labs

Chemistry was one of my worst subjects in high school. If I would have had access to virtual chemistry labs, I think I would have taken more of an interest in the subject. Using simulations in a chemistry lab allows students a hands-on opportunity of trial and error, it demonstrates the reasoning behind “why” and “what” they do in the lab, and it takes the students beyond the normal classroom setting to experience things that they could not normally try due to severe consequences. Allowing the students the opportunity to work individually with trial and error helps them build higher order thinking skills. Thus, the virtual lab permits students to focus on problem solving rather than drill and repetition activities. By using simulations, we change the structured learning environment and reach the learning needs of more students. For example, kinesthetic learners are not going to remember how the heart functions just by reading about it in a book. These types of learners need to “do.” With simulators, students get the opportunity to perform without the actual consequences. Student learn what makes the heart pump, what it looks like to have a blood clot, and how to take it apart and put it back together. By “doing” they learn how to correct their mistakes and how to expect the unexpected.