Week 8 – Final Reflection
Discussion Prompt: Let’s take some time to reflect on the outcome. Provide two or three lessons you can take away from the course. How were you challenged? In what way have you been changed? What would you like to take with you?
Transcript
I have enjoyed and appreciated the dynamics of the course. Two things I will take away from the course are:
One- Proficiency comes with practice (Reder et al., 2020). It is not enough to hear about the latest technology or to watch tutorial videos. Repeated hands-on engagement built my understanding and confidence with the technology applications I used in this course. I was able to embed the tools in my work with adult learners.
Secondly- I do not shy away from technology. I will use what I learned through the course to support teaching and learning practices.
Ongoing connectivity issues challenged me in my location here in Korea. The bandwidth is low and valuable time was lost waiting to connect and sites timing out, delaying my ability to work efficiently- but I did not give up. I was also challenged by the amount of time it took to learn how to use the technology tools, apply them, and produce products for the course.
This course has changed and increased my technology tool repertoire, which empowers my ability to design professional learning that incorporates these tools (Roblyer & Hughes, 2019).
I take a kin spirit of perseverance with me- I will not give up. No matter how challenging and time-consuming increasing my knowledge, skills, and abilities to integrate technology may be, I will continue to stay the course because the reward, in the end, is my ability to build the capacity of others which has a ripple effect on the adult learners who deliver teaching and learning in schools.
References
Reder, S., Gauly, B., & Lechner, C. (2020). Practice makes perfect: Practice engagement theory and the development of adult literacy and numeracy proficiency. International Review of Education, 66(2), 267-288. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-020-09830-5
Roblyer, M. D., & Hughes, J.E. (2019). Integrating educational technology into teaching: Transforming learning across disciplines (8th ed.). Pearson.
Week 7 – Assistive Technology
Discussion Prompt: Roblyer & Hughes (2019) discuss the importance of equitable access to websites for all students in Chapter 8. Address examples of how you use technology and assistive devices to create a classroom designed to meet the needs of all of your students.
Transcript
Roblyer and Hughes (2019) assert that the challenge students with special needs face in the classroom is their ability to increase literacy skills such as reading, writing, communication, and processing information. Technology has made many advances over the past three decades that promote equitable access to learning for all students. Access to technology tools and resources is no longer supplementary or nice to have resources. We know that assistive technologies are integral to teaching and learning and that they have the power to transform learning experiences for our exceptional students who struggle with physical and cognitive disabilities (Ahmed, 2018).
The types of assistive technology used in our classrooms depend on the student’s individual needs (Roblyer & Hughes, 2018). We first identify challenging tasks student face. Then we look at the student’s strengths and skill level and build on those skills that can be supplemented with assistive technology. We provide access to three types of assistive technology to support students in the learning environment. Low-tech items include pencil grips, footrests, adaptive seating, visual schedules, graphic organizers, and highlighting tools are common tools used to accommodate students. Mid-tech items that require batteries or electricity include calculators, audiobooks, voice amplification, and software that supports spelling and word prediction to help level students’ learning playing field. High-tech items with processor capability, such as computers, tablets, or software applications, have essential features such as text-to-speech, speech recognition, and built-in dictionaries that help students who struggle with reading, writing, organization, communication, and processing information. These resources are readily available and accessible for all students who need them to help them be successful in the classroom.
References
Ahmed, A. (2018). Perceptions of using assistive technology for students with disabilities in the classroom. International Journal of Special Education, 33(1), 129-139.
Roblyer, M. D., & Hughes, J.E. (2019). Integrating educational technology into teaching: Transforming learning across disciplines (8th ed.). Pearson.
Week 5 – Gaming
Transcript
Roblyer and Hughes (2019) describe the makeup of gamification and its impact in the educational setting. Notably, students today are growing up in a world with technology and games that attract their attention and keep them engaged through virtual environments, scenarios, problems, and competition with themselves or others. Gaming in the classroom serves as an avenue to bring together skills and play while challenging themselves to reach new levels of a competition. Teachers benefit from combining challenging standards, complex content, and collaborative competition as it creates fun learning experiences and motivates students who otherwise may not persevere through learning tasks. In a sense, teachers who design learning tasks in virtual environments are masking learning in a way that motivates students, increases their interest, and focuses their attention on learning (Chen, 2016).
Gaming is inappropriate in the learning environment if it does not add value to the learning experience or benefit students. A challenge with gamification in the classroom is the potential for students to misconstrue play as not having to put forth their best effort. Competitive games where students compete against each other present a challenge when students focus more on the score or the number of points they have earned. Additionally, not all games challenge students at a depth of knowledge needed to master the standard. For example, if students engage in higher order discourse with supporting evidence, a game that prompts students to select the correct multiple-choice answer or fill-in-the-blank responses presents a misalignment to meeting the learning target. To make gaming productive, I would ensure that it aligns with the standards and targets the intended knowledge and skills. I would also involve students in the decision-making process. A well-planned lesson can easily fail if we do not take the time to ensure it grasps the interest and meets the needs of all learners (Chen, 2016).
References
Chen, S. (2016, February). Classroom gaming: What it isn’t, what it is, and how to do it right. https://www.edsurge.com/news/2016-02-23-classroom-gaming-what-it-isn-t-what-it-is-and-how-to-do-it-right
Roblyer, M. D., & Hughes, J.E. (2019). Integrating educational technology into teaching: Transforming learning across disciplines (8th edition). Pearson.
Week 3- Importance of Data Collection and Analysis
Transcript
Roblyer and Hughes (2019) outline the various types of data collection software tools and programs that help educators identify the appropriate resources for instruction, formative and summative assessments, and learning tasks for students. Data collection and analysis inform the teacher of students’ progress toward meeting the learning objectives and standards. Teachers can analyze the data for patterns and trends that indicate content or concepts that may require reteaching (Dutch, 2016). Data collection is also crucial to crafting constructive and actionable feedback for the students (Marzano, 2010). The feedback supports students with monitoring their progress and identifying where there are opportunities for growth. Additionally, students benefit from data collection and analysis when they participate in goal-setting conversations. It gives them a voice and helps them better understand the goal they are trying to reach and assess their work.
One of our district’s continuous school improvement goals focuses on students self-monitoring their learning progress. This entails students setting goals relevant to their learning needs. In some schools’ students track their progress through digital portfolios. In many of our elementary grades, students have pocket folders or binder-style portfolios as they learn how to set goals and monitor their progress at the foundational level.
When I was a classroom teacher, I utilized both types of portfolios with students. The one-on-one conversations made the students feel like learning was not done unto them but with them. Students kept a page in their portfolio that stated their goal in their handwriting and typed by me. There was a graph page for them to physically color in the graph, or for those students who could create graphs on the computer, they filled in their graphs in that format. This process allowed them to compare their data to previous assessments (Roblyer & Hughes, 2019). Another page was a chart for them to record their reflections on their learning and establish modified or new goals noting what they would do to improve. The benefits were that students took greater interest in the quality of their work and increased their confidence (Marzano, 2010). The use of rubrics was one of the most powerful tools for students and for me as an educator as it outlined the expectations and criteria for success. Students had definitive markers to help them set their goals and to know what they needed to do to be successful.
In my current role as a professional practice and improvement specialist, I support school leaders and educators by considering appropriate assessment tools for the beginning, middle, and end of instruction. With the increase of digital resources in our classrooms, educators can use click and response devices during the beginning of instruction to gauge what students know about the topic. Students can see their responses and know if they understand the topic. A data collection and analysis tool that works extremely well is PearDeck. I support and encourage educators and school leaders to utilize this digital resource to promote equity and access to learning for all students. Students are empowered through this resource as they can see their results in real-time.
We have noticed at times, students focus more on a score than on being able to articulate what they learned or need to do to make improvements. We have also learned that too much attention to the data and not enough attention to ensuring that learning tasks are rich with active participation and cognitive engagement will skew the results, leading to unreliable data. So part of making data collection purposeful and its analysis effective for teachers and students, we are cognizant and intentional about not over-assessing and redirecting students to how their work efforts contribute to their scores.
References
Dutch, R. A. (2016). Using student growth data to improve the instructional practice of career and technical teachers. Northeastern.Edu, 1-134. http://hdl.handle.net/2047/D20221986
Marzano, R.J. (2010). The art and science of teaching: When students track their progress. Educational Leadership 67(4), 86-87. http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/dec09/vol67/num04/When-Students-Track-Their-Progress.aspx
Roblyer, M. D., & Hughes, J.E. (2019). Integrating educational technology into teaching: Transforming learning across disciplines (8th ed.). Pearson.
Week 2- Differentiation through Technology
Discussion Prompt: Roblyer & Hughes (2019) discuss the impact of curriculum standards on students and educators in Chapter 1 reading. Jonassen (2007) discusses a variety of instructional strategies designed to differentiate and personalize instruction in Chapter 24. How does the effective teacher balance the demand of a standards-based curriculum catered to the individual needs of each student? What tools do we have at our disposal to help us comply with both demands? What best practices regarding technology in your instruction do you incorporate into your lessons?
Transcript
To balance a standards-based curriculum with student needs, an effective teacher recognizes that a standards-based curriculum serves as the foundation for expectations of learning (Parkay et al., 2014). It is WHAT teachers should base their instruction on at each grade level. The teacher then builds upon this foundation by identifying teaching methods that articulate HOW they will deliver the instruction.
Roblyer & Hughes (2019) outline technology standards and frameworks that complement and elevate academic standards students need to know. We utilize interactive whiteboards, laptops, and other digital devices in the classroom. Web-based tools such as Google Workspace, NearPod, Pear Deck, IXL, or Socrates provide students with various interactive programs to practice and demonstrate their understanding of the learning objectives.
Best practices within a gradual release approach foster a differentiated learning environment where teachers can integrate technology in meaningful ways to meet the needs of each student (Parkay, 2014). Resources such as PearDeck or Kahoot gauge what students know and understand during whole group instruction. Students may work collaboratively with their peers using Google’s interactive tools. Students may also work independently using FlipGrid, a game-based or learning analytic resource that adjusts content to align with their needs.
References:
Parkay, F. W., Anctil, E. J., & Hass, G. (2014). Curriculum leadership: Readings for developing quality educational programs (10th ed.). Pearson.
Roblyer, M. D., & Hughes, J.E. (2019). Integrating educational technology into teaching: Transforming learning across disciplines (8th ed.). Pearson.
Leaning Into Leaders 