Teach with Technology Week 1

Our students are changing and many teachers now more than ever it is crucial to make teaching more meaningful. After reading both the constructivism and connectivism approach, I think a combination is needed to teach our students.

Creating lessons where our students can bring prior knowledge allows them to make more connections to the material. We need to create activities that add to their base knowledge and have them start solving problem-based activities. Having our students get away from the drill and kill mentality and move towards problem solving will enable them to think on a higher level and be apply to apply and analyze the material.  Also, our lessons need to involve our students connecting with other forms of learning whether it is online, with their peers, or instructors. The collaboration among these networks is where the real learning occurs and creates a connection within their brain to the lesson. We can use technology to bring both of these approaches into our classroom but only as an aide. Technology will allow us to bring the real world inside our classrooms and allow our students to explore alternate networks of learning and collaboration.

Why we need to use technology in schools.

When I first saw the title of this course I just imagined us cranking out assignment after assignment on how to use various components of desktop publishing. After completing the assignments, I see how they are all related to how we can use technology to further the development of our lessons and connect to our students. Our students are not just engaged when using multimedia and technology but “when information is presented using both visual and auditory channels, working memory can handle more information (BrainPop p.3) I have long thought we sometimes bombard our students with too much information and it can easily get lost. Although this is true in some cases, if we use technology combined with organizing the information for our learners we can help the concept move into long term memory.

My approach to this course was to learn as much as quickly as I could. I recognized my deficiencies in desktop publishing and used my resources and colleagues as well. After completing 3 previous courses, I knew the best help would come from my colleagues where I could get their immediate feedback and be able to share ideas. I got a real test when we worked together on the web page and I was able to see their skill level and compare my own. In doing this I was able critique my own work and “ real learning comes from a sequence of experience, reflection, abstraction and active testing” (James Zull  2002) .We have started using PLC’s in our daily routine at school and I hope to continue the collaboration I have used in this class at my school. The interactions with colleagues have proved valuable in expanding my ideas and these must continue for me to improve as an educator.  Also, I will be using Bloom’s digital taxonomy( A Churches) to create and plan lessons. I can engage my students with technology and move them from the lower levels of learning and into creating, analyzing, and evaluating.

Websites can be the start of a portfolio for students where they can express their ideas and log resources. While we need to use them as a tool for assessments, we also want the students to take ownership and use them a reflection piece. Students need to start them at the beginning of the course or semester so we can see their progress throughout the year. The websites can be updated on any mobile device and this makes it easier for teachers to fit into their class schedule.

Churches, A. 2007, Educational Origami, Bloom's and ICT Tools

Zull, J. (2002) The Art of Changing the Brain. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing

 Understanding Multimedia Learning: Integrating Multimedia in the K-12 Classroom. (2008, September). Retrieved from http://www.brainpop.com/new_common_images/files/76/76426_BrainPOP_White_Paper-20090426.pdf