EDTC 5010 Chapter 2

1. How do I plan an integrated lesson that will work with my students?

To plan an integrated lesson it is best to follow the ten steps of the "NTeQ model"(Morrison & Lowther, 2010).  The first step in this process is to state the objectives which should cover the entire instruction for that lesson.  The next step is to pair the objectives with appropriate computer functions.  Then you must identify the problem that students will be working on throughout the instruction.  The problem should be relatable to the students real world so they may connect and "relate to them in a meaningful manner"(Morrison & Lowther, 2010).  Next determine how the students will gather the needed data and what data will be given to them to solve the problem.  Plan on how much help the students will receive in collecting this data.  Then decide what the students will do before their computer usage as well as what they will be using on the computer and how they will be producing their work to display their knowledge of the of the content material and the solving of the problem.  Students will then need to interpret their computer work so they may explain the results through the desired medium.  Students will also need support activities (that do not involve a computer) that are related to the lesson and material that they can complete anytime throughout the lesson.  Lastly, decide on a meaningful and appropriate assessment for the lesson.  Following these steps to create an integrated lesson will surely help to create a student-centered learning environment that will facilitate the learning and understanding of the desired concepts and materials.

2.  Why do I need objectives to help with my panning and lesson development?

Objectives are needed for lesson plans to outline the content covered, materials needed, and the environment the lesson will be conducted in.   "They provide students with information about what they are going to be learning while giving them an indication of how their learning will be measured" (Kelly, 2011).  Specifying good objectives is vital to the creation of the rest of a well designed integrated lesson plan.

3.  How can I encourage my students to engage in the processing of information?

It is best to lead my example and the teacher should have a complete understanding of the curriculum.  New material should be taught in small chunks that take no longer than ten minutes so students can maintain their focus and digest the information.  Most importantly, "to engage students, the teacher must do more than lecture. While teaching the concepts and skills, the teacher must help students draw on their own experiences to build a "scaffold" on which they can "hang" new ideas. When students are actively engaged, they focus on what is being taught and better process new information"(Lorain).  Lessons should also include processing activities.  " A processing activity is an activity that causes students to pose questions, manipulate information, and relate the new learning to what they already know. Such engagements reinforce the learning and help move the learning to the long-term memory banks" (Lorain).  Teaching students in a way that they do remember material long term is truly educating a student.

 

4. Do I have to use a different lesson plan when I want my students to use computers?

Old lesson plans from the past that did not incorporate computers can easily be adapted to include them.  In fact, " it will not take as long to adapt an existing lesson plan to an integrated computer unit as it does to design such a plan from scratch" ( Morrison & Lowther, 2010).  Once these lesson plans are adapted to an integrated lesson, they may later be tweaked and modified accordingly year after year to remain relevant to the students as well as the technology. 

5.  What is the relationship between objectives and computer functions?

The objectives of an integrated lesson must match at least one or more computer functions.  "Computer functions are tasks that computer software can assist with or perform" (Morrison & Lowther, 2010).  It is imperative to choose appropriate computer functions that will easily help the completion of the stated objectives.  Some objectives may utilize the combination of several different computer functions.  

6.  Can you use a computer for every objective or lesson?

If you truly wanted to use a computer for every objective or lesson, you could certainly find a way but it is not always necessary for every single lesson.  It is however important that technology be integrated into the majority of the objectives and lessons to foster open-ended and student-centered learning environments that will challenge them and prepare them for the digital world.  It is more important to make sure that when a computer is used for a lesson, the computer functions are used and matched appropriately so the understanding of the curriculum may occur.  


Bibliography:

1.   Morrison, G., & Lowther, D. (2010). Integrating computer technology into the classroom: skills for the 21st century . (4th Edition ed., p. 30). Pearson.

 

2.  Kelly, M. (2011, 11 29). The importance of learning objectives. Retrieved from http://712educators.about.com/b/2011/11/29/the-importance-of-learning-objectives.htm

 

3.  Lorain, P. (n.d.). Teaching tha emphazizes active engagement. Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/tools/16708.htm

Technology vs Story Telling

When I sit and think back to all the favorite teachers I had and what I learned from them, one always stands out in my mind.  Billy Brown, who was  ''probably best known for being an eighth-grade history teacher who had a gift for teaching more from experience than from a textbook.''  Mr. Brown was an artist, a photographer, an author who wrote Mullet Roar, a hunting and fishing legend in Eastern North Carolina, and a proud Vietnam veteran.

 He brought history to life through vivid and detailed stories about our surroundings as well as far away lands such as Vietnam.  He told us first hand what war was truly like, holding back only the goriest of details.  90% of his class consisted of sitting and listening to his stories, but I guarantee no student was ever bored or dared to interrupt him.  There was none to very little use of technology in his classroom but I feel that I learned more history ( that I remember to this day) than I ever did from any other history teacher who used presentations, videos, and other visual aids and technology.  Obviously every teacher could not and should not conduct their classroom in this manner but I feel it does have validity within the educational system.  Story telling is an art as old as time and as each generation becomes more and more dependent on technology, I feel traditional social customs, such as story telling, are becoming obsolete.  How do you feel about a class structured in this manner?

EDTC 5010 Chapter 3

EDTC 5010 Chapter 3

 

 

            Education is a continuous life long process and it is important to remain current on the technological tools that aid in our education.  These tools allow us the accessibility of the outside world at our fingertips.  The four categories of tools that comprise the digital classroom currently are computers, mobile devices, peripherals, and data storage devices.  Each category consist of many different types of that tool or device that are each individually influenced by the platform they use, their connectivity, networking capabilities, the device software, and the file format.  As an educator, having a complete and evolving understanding of these tools and devices in the way in which they relate to one another will significantly increase the facilitation of learning in the classroom.

 

 

            Computers allow us to access the internet, create documents, graphs, and spreadsheets to find, analyze, and generate information to share.  Peripherals can then be used to display or hand out the information.  Data storage devices allow us to store large quantities of information in smaller mobile devices that can transfer the information to other devices by as simply as plugging it in to that device.  There are also a number of mobile devices that allow us to play, record and capture media, find, evaluate, and create information to share as well as connecting on the go with other people and devices.  These tools are an important component of today’s classroom to help prepare our future workforce with the competencies to succeed in the ever changing digital world, and as educators we must know and utilize these tools to do so. 

 

            In today’s increasingly digital mobile world, the common desktop computer is becoming less and less favored in the classroom.  While there are many drawbacks to desktop computers as compared to mobile devices, they do still have a few advantages.  The desktop computer is more ideal for group work (when computers/devices are in short supply) with a larger monitor display. It is also more user friendly in regards to typing on a traditional keyboard as opposed to typing on an IPad keyboard.  I much prefer to type on a traditional keyboard over a touch screen keyboard because the words per minute I can type on that style keyboard increases drastically.  I feel that perhaps the greatest advantage of having students working on desktop computers is that the teacher can easily see exactly what the students are working on, ensuring that they are staying on task.  When I have my entire class in a computer lab working on an assignment, I can take one quick look around the room and see all the monitor screens clearly, and know whether each student is on task or if they are accessing material irrelevant to the assignment.  However many the advantages to using desktop computers, mobile devices are becoming increasingly popular within the classroom and for good reason.  “Mobile devices are cheaper, more portable, and physically less obtrusive, especially during collaborative work.” The school I work at is currently in preparation to initiate a one to one learning environment in which every student will be assigned a mobile device for the entirety of their K-12 education.  They will be held responsible for all lost or damaged devices.  Each device will be imbedded with software that correlates to the current common core standards of their current grade level.  These devices will help to ensure student-centered instruction in an open-ended learning environment.

 

            The basis of any educational system is to educate, develop and train students into becoming successful high functioning members of society so that they may help make our future community, nation and world a better place.  To do so, we must provide our students with the tools to succeed in the future.  In the digital world of today, digital devices are used in almost every job market from farming to politics.  In order for our current students to succeed in the future, we must provide them with the tools from our digital world as best we can to create a digital classroom.  Training and development is an expensive business practice for any business, and companies prefer to hire the candidate that will need the least training and development especially in the field of technology.   Not only will producing tech savvy students give them a distinct advantage in the job markets they wish to be hired in, it also creates a generation who has learned to think for themselves while collaborating with others.  Digital devices are vital in creating an open-ended learning environment that will ensure these types of future adults, which is why the cost of these devices is irrelevant because the future well-being of our nation and world is priceless.



EDTC 5010 Chapter 1

 

 

           Within the educational system, there has been a change over the years from teacher centered instruction to student centered instruction.  Included in the style of student centered instruction is the practice of creating open-ended learning environments which include inquiry based learning, problem-based learning, and project based learning.  All three types of open ended learning emphasize creating a learning environment where the student must make decisions as to what information is needed to solve the problem and what is the best method to go about doing so.  While computers and technology can be a wonderful asset in creating open-ended learning environments, it is certainly not the only means to form this type of environment and vice versa.  When using computers as a tool in the classroom, an inquiry-based learning approach is certainly not the only method that can be used.  While an inquiry-based learning approach is effective and one that I used often, I believe it is important to switch up between learning methods to increase the likelihood of reaching all of the student’s learning styles.  Computers and technology may be used in problem-based learning, project based learning, and through the use of drill-and-practice software.  Drill-and practice software (computer-assisted instruction) has been around for over thirty years and is still used widely in classrooms today.  I believe there is much to gain from drill-and-practice software when it is used correctly and agree with Sonjia Jurich when she states that drill-and-practice software ''are not a panacea that will ensure successful learning for all students in all situations, but simply a tool that can be effectively employed to boost students’ academic achievement and interest.  As any tool, the final success of the project will depend on how well it is used.''

                I have found that the majority of my time in developing open-ended learning environments comes from the initial understanding of the concepts in place and how they are used within the desired material to facilitate the learning process of the information.  Once the lesson is developed for initial use, it takes no time at all to implement it continually over the years with only minor modifications depending on the material and concepts involved in the instruction. 

                Certainly not every school is capable of providing a personal computer for every student right now but this does not mean that open-ended instructions cannot be employed.  Having students working in small groups to complete an open-ended assignment can add to the effectiveness of the instruction.  Some of the benefits include a better understanding of individual differences in thinking and diverse responses, the use and improvement of social skills, a sense of pride in their contribution to the group, as well as instant personal feedback from group members.