As an educator, I believe we have many technologies available for us to use, but what seems to lack in most districts is the professional development and ongoing training. I believe our school has the technology available to use, but not all of teachers in our building are ready for the “technology integration” aspect for that 21st century classroom. Most teachers are comfortable using the Internet and the Office Software (Word or PowerPoint), which is how they justify the integration of technology in their classroom. In the article it mentioned that the professional development training for technology was effective for non- instructional tasks rather than instructional tasks with the students. Training for teachers on tools they need to use, such as SharePoint (our school website) or SchoolMax (online grading) is important, but if teachers are struggling with that aspect how will you ease the teachers' transition to integrating technology in their classroom. I think if we wanted to use the technology as an aid for student achievement we need to meet with teachers and give them ongoing training with the devices and software we have so they can begin to integrate them into their lessons.
It is not the quantity but it’s the quality. Same idea applies to technology, just because you have the technology doesn’t mean that teachers are using it. You can have all the technology in the world, but if you buy it and don’t know how it works or what all you can do with it, it will not be used by teachers. You need to start with technology that is easy to use so teachers feel comfortable with it and hopefully will become intrinsically motivated to use more and learn more. As I said earlier it all starts with the teachers, but teachers do need to be provided with that ongoing training, whether it is with an outside source or a group of teachers that meet once a month to discuss questions/concerns or share ideas.
Just in my classroom alone, I have a wireless projector, Tablet PC, an Elmo, 2 scanners, 3 digital cameras, and 30 laptops available for me to use. Have I received in depth ongoing training, not really? I do consider myself intrinsically motivated because I was given all of this equipment and I wasn’t going to let it sit there and not be used. I have explored some options for next school year, but I am still developing lessons that are going to integrate the technology and software, I was provided with. This year the students have used Photoshop to create computer art projects, created a PowerPoint presentation to explain the Six Guidelines of Photographic Composition and I use PowerPoint almost every time I introduce a lesson. Next year my goal is to create more “active” mini lectures, so the students are participating during the lecture, work more on art critiques using online sources, and I am incorporating a Windows Movie Maker project that deals with the elements of art and design.
Your focus is on that students, but you as a teacher need to feel comfortable using technology equipment, because in today’s society your students have been expose to it since they were born. As a teacher, you want to get adjust your curriculum so you are integrating the technology but not miss out on the content of your lessons. You ultimate goal is to create a fun, active learning environment, where the students and the teacher have open lines of communication.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
Blog #3- Whiteboards & SRS
Whiteboards and Student Response Systems (SRS) can be incorporated into any classroom, but how can I incorporate these tools into specific lessons in my classroom. Art is hands on, however the part that students are uninterested in is art history, criticism and aesthetics. I wanted to focus in on those aspects and get students more involved and be able to interact with the discussions and presentations on artists, techniques and works of art.
The Whiteboard
PowerPoint Presentations & Computer Program Demonstrations - The Whiteboard allows you to move up to the front and be interactive with the device you are presenting with. Instead of controlling a PowerPoint presentation or Photoshop from the computer you can touch the screen, draw on top, or zoom in to a particular area of your presentation. I can be up at the front of the room and guide the students along by touching the screen and “becoming the mouse”. When using Photoshop, we can use the whiteboard for a review of the tools by having the students come up the board and show the class how to use the tools and to review the step of the computer project that we have already completed. I believe the whiteboard will engage and intrigue the students because they can actually use it and touch it, which involves them in the lesson.
Student Response Systems (SRS)
Art Critics - I would use the student response systems for critiques to help elicit discussion from students. The students would be art critics and I would create a PowerPoint presentation with some artwork and questions based on artists or techniques we are learning about. This lesson will help student learn to talk about art using the steps to art criticism (description, analyze, interpret, judgment).
Interactive Lectures-I usually talk about the artist or technique being used before we start any project. Since I already use PowerPoint to deliver my presentation, I would use the student response systems to get my students more involved and check for understanding.
Review Game- At the beginning of class each day we go over a question of the day. This question relates to what we are doing in class that day or reviews terms or techniques we already used. The students copy this question down in their sketchbook and are able to use them to do a crossword puzzle. The crossword puzzle is a way for them to recognize and review the terms we talked about during the quarter. The student response systems can be used in a review game with the crossword puzzle before the final exam at the end of the quarter
Using the SRS devices will allow the students to have an opinion and make them feel they are part of the lesson. These devices will also help them ask questions or will help the teacher understand what he/she my have to review based on the responses of the students.
Any new technology tools that you can use in your classroom is way to engage your students and help them focus in on what you are talking about. For example, the students in my classroom have never seen a document reader (ELMO) before and when I use it in my classroom my students were intrigued. I used the Elmo in my classroom for the first time about a month ago for a demonstration and I actually have seen more students paying attention and focusing during demonstrations, compared to when I have done a group demonstration with everyone gathered around the table. Just by incorporating technology tools in your lessons it will get your students attention in what you are doing by how you deliver it. I believe, consistently using new technologies in your classroom will get the students excited to not only use the tools but they will understand what you want them to learn. Students need to be re-trained from passive learners to active learners and you will see that light bulb go on more often.
The Whiteboard
PowerPoint Presentations & Computer Program Demonstrations - The Whiteboard allows you to move up to the front and be interactive with the device you are presenting with. Instead of controlling a PowerPoint presentation or Photoshop from the computer you can touch the screen, draw on top, or zoom in to a particular area of your presentation. I can be up at the front of the room and guide the students along by touching the screen and “becoming the mouse”. When using Photoshop, we can use the whiteboard for a review of the tools by having the students come up the board and show the class how to use the tools and to review the step of the computer project that we have already completed. I believe the whiteboard will engage and intrigue the students because they can actually use it and touch it, which involves them in the lesson.
Student Response Systems (SRS)
Art Critics - I would use the student response systems for critiques to help elicit discussion from students. The students would be art critics and I would create a PowerPoint presentation with some artwork and questions based on artists or techniques we are learning about. This lesson will help student learn to talk about art using the steps to art criticism (description, analyze, interpret, judgment).
Interactive Lectures-I usually talk about the artist or technique being used before we start any project. Since I already use PowerPoint to deliver my presentation, I would use the student response systems to get my students more involved and check for understanding.
Review Game- At the beginning of class each day we go over a question of the day. This question relates to what we are doing in class that day or reviews terms or techniques we already used. The students copy this question down in their sketchbook and are able to use them to do a crossword puzzle. The crossword puzzle is a way for them to recognize and review the terms we talked about during the quarter. The student response systems can be used in a review game with the crossword puzzle before the final exam at the end of the quarter
Using the SRS devices will allow the students to have an opinion and make them feel they are part of the lesson. These devices will also help them ask questions or will help the teacher understand what he/she my have to review based on the responses of the students.
Any new technology tools that you can use in your classroom is way to engage your students and help them focus in on what you are talking about. For example, the students in my classroom have never seen a document reader (ELMO) before and when I use it in my classroom my students were intrigued. I used the Elmo in my classroom for the first time about a month ago for a demonstration and I actually have seen more students paying attention and focusing during demonstrations, compared to when I have done a group demonstration with everyone gathered around the table. Just by incorporating technology tools in your lessons it will get your students attention in what you are doing by how you deliver it. I believe, consistently using new technologies in your classroom will get the students excited to not only use the tools but they will understand what you want them to learn. Students need to be re-trained from passive learners to active learners and you will see that light bulb go on more often.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Intergrating Technology into the 21st Century Classroom
After reading the article, Designing Change for Faculty, Students, and Institutions, I think that it discuss very relative points on how to develop and integrate technology into the 21st Century Classroom. Before any change can happen, each teacher needs to accept that there is a need for change and “the need to learn”. Teachers are afraid of integrating technology because of their lack of knowledge or lack of time. Lack of time is a poor excuse because if your ultimate goal is to help your students retain the things that they learn in your classroom you need to take the time to change. Things that worked 20 years ago in the classroom, aren’t working currently. Your not going to change all teachers minds, but if you show the effectiveness and easy of use of technology integration, they may willing to try different things in there own classroom.
To begin integrating technology enriched lessons into the curriculum for our students, we need to “educate” our teachers on how to do it. It is important to show all teachers how to properly use any programs or technology device. During our SIP (School Improvement) days, I believe we need to organize and develop workshops for teachers in our building. These workshops can cover the “basic” technology skills to how to use interactive programs in the classroom. By introducing a technology concept to a small group of teachers and showing them the easy of use and how to incorporate these skills or programs into the classroom with curriculum they are teaching, it will help them to understand the importance of the technology integration and the affects on the students’ long term learning. The workshops or training should be on-going, so teachers can have a support line to help answer any questions and provide feedback for any problems that might occur. If teachers feel comfortable using technology and know that they have support they will be able to make that transition smoother and will more likely use it in their classroom.
For that “traditional” teacher in the building we can start small. We don’t want to throw everything out and expect teachers to use all of the technology skills, we wouldn’t do that to our students, so why would do it to teachers. With proper instruction, communication, support, and in small doses, I think that teachers will be more comfortable integrating technology into the curriculum. Lecture is one “traditional” tool, that is still very important in the classroom, but by allowing students to “actively participate” in the lecture format, it will help students get out from the “stuff and dump” passive learning environment. Every teacher in our building has a computer; some even have tablets that they can use for “interactive” lectures. Showing and informing teachers how to use PowerPoint and the tablet to incorporate more student communication can be a start for the more “traditional” teacher to get there feet wet with the 21st century lecture format. If the students are engaged and “actively participating” in “mini- lectures” they will be able to engage in higher level thinking by applying the information that they talking about-making that real world connection.
I also thought it was interesting that in the article it refers to talking to the students about the “what”, “why” and “how”. If we want to move the students from the passive environments to active learning environment we need to answer their questions about change and why it’s important for classroom learning. Teachers have these questions, why can’t the students? Students are comfortable doing something like worksheets because it’s that easy “A”, but some don’t want to sit back and be given the information. Incorporating “active learning environments” will help the students become engaged and will be more apt to participate and communicate to each other.
Before purchasing any technology device, it is important to talk to teachers about there current curriculum and then figure out what types of software or devices would well in the classroom. It is important to have technology available for you to use, but the technology coordinator should be expected to show teachers how to use these devices properly, otherwise they won’t be used by “all” teachers. It’s important to stress that we don’t want to replace the importance of the content; we as teacher should look at “integrating” technology as an aid to retain the content for the long term. The 21st Century Classroom, integrates technology and helps students gain real world skills and higher order thinking by creating “active learning environments”.
To begin integrating technology enriched lessons into the curriculum for our students, we need to “educate” our teachers on how to do it. It is important to show all teachers how to properly use any programs or technology device. During our SIP (School Improvement) days, I believe we need to organize and develop workshops for teachers in our building. These workshops can cover the “basic” technology skills to how to use interactive programs in the classroom. By introducing a technology concept to a small group of teachers and showing them the easy of use and how to incorporate these skills or programs into the classroom with curriculum they are teaching, it will help them to understand the importance of the technology integration and the affects on the students’ long term learning. The workshops or training should be on-going, so teachers can have a support line to help answer any questions and provide feedback for any problems that might occur. If teachers feel comfortable using technology and know that they have support they will be able to make that transition smoother and will more likely use it in their classroom.
For that “traditional” teacher in the building we can start small. We don’t want to throw everything out and expect teachers to use all of the technology skills, we wouldn’t do that to our students, so why would do it to teachers. With proper instruction, communication, support, and in small doses, I think that teachers will be more comfortable integrating technology into the curriculum. Lecture is one “traditional” tool, that is still very important in the classroom, but by allowing students to “actively participate” in the lecture format, it will help students get out from the “stuff and dump” passive learning environment. Every teacher in our building has a computer; some even have tablets that they can use for “interactive” lectures. Showing and informing teachers how to use PowerPoint and the tablet to incorporate more student communication can be a start for the more “traditional” teacher to get there feet wet with the 21st century lecture format. If the students are engaged and “actively participating” in “mini- lectures” they will be able to engage in higher level thinking by applying the information that they talking about-making that real world connection.
I also thought it was interesting that in the article it refers to talking to the students about the “what”, “why” and “how”. If we want to move the students from the passive environments to active learning environment we need to answer their questions about change and why it’s important for classroom learning. Teachers have these questions, why can’t the students? Students are comfortable doing something like worksheets because it’s that easy “A”, but some don’t want to sit back and be given the information. Incorporating “active learning environments” will help the students become engaged and will be more apt to participate and communicate to each other.
Before purchasing any technology device, it is important to talk to teachers about there current curriculum and then figure out what types of software or devices would well in the classroom. It is important to have technology available for you to use, but the technology coordinator should be expected to show teachers how to use these devices properly, otherwise they won’t be used by “all” teachers. It’s important to stress that we don’t want to replace the importance of the content; we as teacher should look at “integrating” technology as an aid to retain the content for the long term. The 21st Century Classroom, integrates technology and helps students gain real world skills and higher order thinking by creating “active learning environments”.
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