Tech Lesson Plan

Well, that was not my finest moment but life does go on even after you fail in front of your peers. I have given a lot of thought to the lesson both before and after I presented. The truth is that I did not present the technology well but I think that it is an appropriate use for WallWisher. Looking at the TPCK model, the pedagogy and content were both acceptable but it was a very poor explanation of the technology. Book clubs are a valuable tool for introducing literature of different reading levels yet all on the same subject. By including a class blog, the whole class is able to participate in the subject discussion even when the books are at very different lexiles. By using Wallwisher as another tool to encourage discussion and collaboration within the small group it enables the students to participate in a smaller, less formal environment. The students must partcipate because members within the small group are counting on eachother. The Wall is a perfect spot for posting vocabulary- both pictures and words-and short comments.
My downfall: In retrospect I should have sent out the email to my classmates during the week to ensure that they were all on board. The reason it did not work is because I typed in the addresses from the list instead of just copying from Jim's original list. I obviously made some mistakes. When the email did not work, I panicked. At that point I should have had my page displayed and encouraged everyone to practice on their own. It is a very simple tool to use and I over-complicated it. It is more intimidating to present to peers than to a class of students. I hope that in the real world I would react calmly and not let the technology overtake the lesson. I am challenged by technology. This does not mean that I will not use it when it makes sense but sometimes paper and pencil are the way to go.

Tech Standards

The technology standards set very high goals for the students and the teachers. When I first read them I thought to myself how much they reflected Bloom's taxonomy and encouraged higher learning using technology. I was struck by how the tech standards sounded so student-centered and constructivist. They also seem unrealistic. It would be incredible if every student understood what was possible using a computer. The problem is that every student and teacher is required to have access to this technology. And based on the standards, they are going to need frequent access to technology in order to master these requirements. I realize that technology becomes more affordable each day but it is constantly being updated and reworked. This is placing huge demands on school systems;many are just not able to keep up financially. For these standards to be met the school must be technologically-oriented. In the school my children attend there is a new computer lab and a cart of laptops. There is also a full time technology teacher. Besides private school tuition we pay a $150 technology fee per student. These students should reach the standards. I observed a 6th grade class at a CPS. It had two dusty computers on a table in the back of the classroom. There was no computer lab or teacher. The students obviously had access to computers at home, carried cell phones and used iPods. They are acquainted with technology but not through school. The technology standards set excellent educational goals. Educational standards of working collaboratively, supporting individual learning and contributing to the learning of others should be part of the academic curriculum but not only if technology is available. Science and math teachers will always welcome the use of manipulatives and lab equipment to teach but both subjects can be learned without these "extras". Technology cannot be taught without the relevant tools. The standards are good but I don't know if schools can be expected to teach when it is so expensive to provide the right technology.

Technology for the student...

The types of technology that I use in my classroom will be limited to the types of technology that I have mastered. I read Marc Prensky's article "Digital Immigrants, Digital Natives" discussing how young people have developed differently neurologically because as digital natives they have always used technology. I am a digital immigrant that grew up using very little technology and probably could have died happy being able to email until other projects pushed me to learn more. I like using the limited technology that I know how to use. I know that I will learn how to use more technology but it takes me a long time. The eToy assignment that we worked on the other night showed me a lot. Joe's picture was amazing! His drawings were accurate and very creative. Adding the movement made it an even greater picture. I still don't understand how to use the tiles for instruction. If we had not handed in that picture I would have tried to work on it all week, spending a huge amount of time on it, bothering my kids for help and it would have been as good as any other second grader's project. My mind does not work that way. The good part is that I can still teach and my students will learn. Right now I plan on teaching early elementary. It is a great age for the teacher-directed, direct instruction computer programs. At that stage, students can benefit and be entertained using drills and learning games. The computer can help with instruction and instant feedback so the students can learn facts and be introduced to new items. I like the webquests and other online information searches. The use of computers should be encouraged in inquiry-based learning. The use of computers can enhance discovery as students begin to develop their own ideas and interests. When it comes to constructivism and project- and problem-based learning, I will always encourage the use of technology and will learn a lot with and from my students. Online resources can be invaluable but if the students are going to need more involved computer-support they are going to have to go to their peers and other technology-oriented people. Part of project-based learning is discovering experts to ask for help. My students will not be cheated because I am not as computer-literate as other teachers. I will always ask for help and I will always be supportive of alternative methods, but I don't think I will ever be able to incorporate the very difficult levels of computer programs in my classrooms. I think that I will be a better teacher if I develop lessons using what I do know. I will try to encourage students to implement every tool that they can for developing projects. There is no reason we cannot learn from each other. I will learn new technology as I need it but I will need help.

Kaiser Family Foundation study

On a beautiful summer day, my son and 3 of his friends rode their bikes into our backyard, jumped on the trampoline and all immediately pulled out their cell phones to check messages and text. My mother-in-law and I were sitting at the kitchen window. "What are they doing?" she asked. I was embarrassed to explain what was going on. When reading the Kaiser study I was reminded again how ridiculous cell phone behavior is, and not just among the young. I thought this class was going to be about how wonderful technology is in the classroom and that I would be taught a lot of classroom-friendly tech. The more I think about how much technology has invaded our lives I am beginning to like the idea of "tech-free zones". Technology is great for limitless and fast information. Templates are readily available to help you organize thoughts and presentations. It is invaluable for communication. At the same time, technology is destroying contact by making personal contact seem unnecessary. Just as the Kaiser study mentions that students often use 2 to 3 types of media concurrently, any group of kids gathered can be limitless when you include those communicating online or by cell phone. All of this connecting is disconnecting people from the importance of personal contact. The classroom may be the only place where students have to shut everything off and just be themselves. Educators have worked for years to establish a child-centered approach to teaching. The focus should always be on the child, and then focus on the machine.

Technology in the Classroom

I like the progressive view of education in which learning is recognized as an active process with the teacher guiding the student through questions and challenges that are meaningful to the student. Progressives realize the importance of teaching basic knowledge as one building block of education. The teacher and the student must progress past the basics and actively experience learning.
Where does technology enter into this active process? Progressivism realizes the value of basic facts that are relevant to every education. Computer literacy is now a basic fact of education. Students have to learn how to "do"technology and then they have to take it to the next level and make it work for them. By learning how to search, develop, and create, the student moves beyond basic knowledge and engages himself in a learning process that can continue his whole life. Mastery of technology is an education in itself. Progressives want the student and the teacher to work together to explore information, synthesize findings and present new knowledge. Technology places an infinite amount of knowledge at their fingertips.
Technology is invaluable in a classroom, especially when it is accompanied by instruction and feedback from the teacher. At a time when so many classrooms are understaffed, the use of technology can help the teacher instruct the students. The use of technology provides other methods for teaching the same material. Another important use is communication. Using the computer to communicate can help build relationships among the students, teacher and the parents. By introducing the computer as a valid form of communication, the teacher creates an additional learning environment.
Technology is an invaluable educational tool. It can be used in direct instruction and inquiry-based learning. It offers a variety of ways to reach different types of learners. It offers unlimited options for communication. Technology cannot replace student and teacher interaction. But it is a tool that can enable the student, teacher and the parent to work together to develop a better learning environment for the student.