EDLD+5364+Teaching+with+Technology+Week+1,+2,+and+3

Week 1 Discussion Posting: “Teachers worry that this type of classroom environment may be misinterpreted by others who see a constructivist teacher as not in control or not working hard.” (Sprague and Dede, 1999)

This quote described how I feel about my classroom when others enter and see my students working in a nontraditional setting. Others think that I do not have control of my students because they are exploring centers and workstations. Once I had a principal advise me that my classroom is too loud for them to be learning; however, when my students were given the assessments. They performed better than the quiet classroom students.

After reading this article, I would classify my classroom as a constructive classroom. According to, “This does not mean students are not learning. Such activities are often more motivating and interesting to students because they are learner-focused and authentic, encourage critical thinking.”( Sprague & Dede, 1999) These students are in control of their own learning rather than a teacher presenting, lecturing and boring the students with data. Students need to be involved more in their learning than in the past.

Sprague, D., Dede, C., //Constructivism in the Classroom: If I Teach This Way, Am I Doing My Job?,// Volume 27 Number 1, 1999, pg. 8

Week 2 Discussion Posting:
==== “Increased levels of student-to-student interaction in computer learning environments appear to provide positive levels of student achievement. With regard to the subsequent effects computers may have on students with learning disabilities, when low-ability students are paired cooperatively with high-ability students in computerized interactive learning systems, the low-ability students spend longer percentages of time engaged in the learning process." (Page, 2002) ====

==== This quote by Page triggered my thought to my students.I teach in a classroom with 75% of the students at-risk and reading below grade, as well as 88% of the students are in the low socioeconomic category.This year I have observed my students motivation level improve and their learning increase on the days they are allowed to use the computer lab and the wireless lab.They have learned how to navigate between the programs, find their assignments, and take their unit tests. When my students are allowed to use computers in the classroom the learning environment increase and all students are on task.If the students are not allowed to use the computer during their extra times, they seem to misbehavior and be disconnected in the learning process. ====

====“While educators are challenged to teach all kinds of learners to high standards, a single classroom may include students who struggle to learn and number of reasons: learning disabilities such as dyslexia or ADHD, English as a Second Language, emotional or behavioral problems that interfere with concentration, lack of interest or engagement sensory and physical disabilities.” (nd) ====

====This quote from the CAST video, Diversity in Learners, describes my second grade classroom. I have 22 students with one or two students in each category. I do not have any physical disable students. One thing that has made the class a challenge is the combining and rezoning of the elementary schools from eight to six school s and adjusting to a new environment at an old middle school built over 60 years ago. My students are a challenging classroom for substitute teachers because of the diverse needs. The administration expects the same high standard from our new diverse learners. Finally, the new proposed budget cuts will add another challenge to our educators that is larger class sizes in K-5. ====

References:
Page, Michael. (2002). Technology-enriched classrooms: Effects on students of low socioeconomic status. //Journal of Research in Education, 34// (4), 391-392

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

====Rose, D., & Meyer, A. (2002). //Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning.// Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Available online at the Center for Applied Special Technology Web Site. Chapter 1. Retrieved on October 5, 2009, from @http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/ideas/tes/. ====



Week 3 Discussion Posting Over the last thirty years, I have observed how technology has evolved from large machines stored in a fidget rooms to handheld machines, such a classroom response systems. “Automated classroom response systems – provide teachers with a new way to gather and disseminate specific feedback. This tool collects data through the use of “clickers, then generates an immediate analysis of how students responded” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, and Malenoski, 2007). This year I was given the opportunity to pilot “clickers” with my second grade students and have used the data collected to represent their progress throughout the year. During Response to Invention (RTI) meetings, I display the data collected to demonstrate alternative methods for assessing the students. The questions used to evaluate students learning can be true/false, yes/no, or multiple choice answers. If multiple choice questions are used, I use all levels of Bloom’s taxonomy. Furthermore, the classroom response systems provide students with self-monitoring feedback. According to Rose and Meyer, feedback is effective when it is provided in an ongoing method supporting course corrections and building learners’ confidence through self-monitoring skills. (2002)

During this week videos, I was impressed by the digital video about Cameron usage of the green screen to add background to his movies using a MAC. He spoke about being a visual learner and developing movies to understand a new concept. Cameron stated “If our teacher describes something that maybe I don't understand, I go back and look at it. Then I picture it, and I think, "Now, what would that look like if I put it on film or on the green screen?"(Edutopia.org, nd) I wonder how many students I have like Cameron in my classroom this year.

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

Rose, D., & Meyer, A. (2002). //Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning//. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Chapter 6. Retrieved on March 5, 2011 from []

Edutopia.org (nd). //Digital Youth Portrait -- Cameron//. Retrieved on March 7, 2011 from [|www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-profile-cameron-video]