EDLD+5364+Teaching+with+Technology+Week+4+and+5+Reflection

Week 4 Discussion The quote that impressed me the most this week was “Technology can play a unique and vital role in cooperative learning by facilitating group collaboration, providing structure for group tasks, and allowing members of groups to communicate even if they are not working face to face.” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007) When conducting technology training for campus staff, I get better performance when I allow the participants to work in small groups.They feel comfortable about share ideas with their peers than when they are asked to work independently.Educators sometimes forget the benefits of groups in the classroom.Base groups build trust and teamwork when completing student-centered multimedia projects (Pitler et al., 2007)

I believe that teachers struggle with allowing students to complete collaborative technology project because they lack the knowledge about how to grade the group project and lack understanding about the Web 2.0 tools for collaboration groups."Encouraging our educators and schools to use technology effectively is a complicated and challenging task." (Solomon & Schrum, 2007) As an educator, I was unaware of the resources available until I enrolled in the Educational Technology program at Lamar University; therefore, I know my colleagues lack the knowledge.Collaborative groups can benefit the gifted and talented students because it provides them with the ability to explore and share ideas with others g/t students across the world, state or school without ever meeting them or leaving the classroom.Groups can help meet the diverse needs of the students.

Resources

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). //Using technology with classroom instruction that works.// Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2007). //Web 2.0: New tools, New schools//. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education, 99-116.

Week 5 Discussion This week quote that made me think about how data is collected, shared, and used among teachers and students is “A powerful way to convince students that effort is truly tied to achievement is to show them data” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007, p 161). This year I have been administering assessments using pearsonsuccessnet.com and clickers with my second graders. These students want to know their data immediately after completing the task. With paper and pencil, it sometimes take me a week to get the results back to my students; however, “technology make it easier for students and teachers to track the effects of effort and facilitates more immediate feedback” (Pitler et al., 2007, p. 156). Students want to know if their effort is successful and software programs such as Microsoft Excel are a good tool to use for tracking students’ progress throughout a subject or project. Other Web 2.0 tools can provide a more authentic assessment of learning to show the students’ progress is the use of electronic portfolios. (Solomon & Schrum, 2007)

Pitler, H., Hubbell E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). //Using technology with classroom instruction that works.// Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2007). //Web 2.0: New tools, new schools//. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education, 168-176.