My Philosophy of Technology in the Classroom

Research-based methods will be important to my practice as a teacher and this is no different when it comes to technology. I will implement technology in my classroom based on proper evaluation of the tool to ensure that it adheres to findings from research. This involves applying general ideas, such as blending instruction to include both face-to-face and online interaction, as discussed by the International Society for Technology in Education. That is, I do not want students engaging only with the online material, but also with their peers and myself. The mix between technology and person-to-person instruction has been demonstrated to be most beneficial. Therefore, before using a tool or technique, I will ask myself, "Is there an appropriate blend in the lesson?" Further, research has shown that students learn more thoroughly when the material relates to real-life situations and when they are able to engage and collaborate in the material for an extended period of time. This research on powerful learning will make me ask, "How is the knowledge I am teaching connected with the students' everyday lives?" and "Does the project allows students to immerse themselves in the material of a sustain amount of time?" By having projects be ongoing and sustained for a period of time, I also believe that students will be able to be more creative in their products.

Since students spend such a significant amount of time online, it will only be an advantage to incorporate this online and media experience into the classroom. The hope is that using technology will engage students in the material so that they learn more deeply. As mentioned before, this requires proper evaluation by me as a teacher that we are meet the learning goals. When students have the chance to teach the material rather than simply read or hear the lesson, they learn to a greater degree. Therefore, having students express what they have learned through podcasts, movies, interactive PowerPoint presentations, screencasts and other tools will enhance the understanding of the material. A great advantage to using this type of technology is that it can be shared with peers and parents on a blog or website! Having students learn from their peers with these tools will also build a rich, interactive classroom community. One tool for learning that will require extensive evaluation will be the use of games. Although I believe sometimes these can contribute to learning, the independent nature of games may not meet the criteria for creating powerful learning, creating a disadvantage in their use. Games can build problem solving skills and potentially increase engagement, but I will be using this online rubric in order to determine whether a particular game will be beneficial to the students. With games, I think it is pivotal to consider how students will interact and problem solve in the game (not just myself or other adults) in order to make sure it is meeting the learning objective.

I have already began to discuss some of the specific technology I will use so students can express what they have learned. This idea of expression of learning is derived from my consideration of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Implementation of UDL will drive my specific use of technology in the classroom. I believe it is important not only for meeting the needs of diverse learners, but for reaching every single student in my classroom. I want to build in a variety of ways that I present the material to the students using technology. I will do this by using WebQuests, PowerPoint presentations that incorporate multimedia and Google Docs, where access and alteration of the display can be easily changed. These tools will also contribute to engagement by the student. Of the three areas of UDL, I believe that technology will play the largest role in expression of knowledge in my classroom. As mentioned before, podcasts, movies, screencasts and interactive presentations will often be used by students for demonstrating what they have learned. I also believe that there are many online tools that would be engaging for students as they create projects, such as Wordle and VUVOX. There are a tremendous amount of online tools that could potentially add to the acquisition of information in my classroom, and I plan on assessing and discovering which of these will be the best for my students.

When creating assignments, projects and activities, I will consistently be considering how I can incorporate technology in order to enhance the presentation and expression of learned information. But as always, I will thoroughly evaluate the tools that I utilize on their merits for adding to the classroom learning experience.

Self-chosen project instructional technologies

I saw many useful instructional technologies today. I think I will be most likely to use one of the slideshow presentations that involves adding pictures, text, videos, etc. I saw many options today and would have to investigate further to determine which one I like best, but I can also see that some would be more useful depending on the task. I really liked VUVOX for sequencing and using timelines and it is always free! Photopeach was great for adding a little quiz at the end. I think students would really enjoy creating projects using these sites.

I think I will be least likely to use Digi-Color because it didn't add much to the coloring experience, although it will be nice to use if I have a student with a fine motor skill difficulty. For all of these resources, I would need to spend more time with them to decide if/when to implement them.

It was great seeing all the different ways that our class presented information. I think using the interactive PowerPoint presentation format in my classroom will be a great way for students to express what they have learned. I also really like screencasting -- it is so easy! Elementary aged students would definitely be able to use that as well.

iMovie project: The Soundtrack of my Life

Learn more about me by watching my iMovie!


The Soundtrack of My Life from Alecia Dudgeon on Vimeo.

PocketPhonics for iPad/iPhone App FAQs

Here are the answers to some FAQs about the PocketPhonics App!

What category of AT does the application fit into?

There are two categories that this program can fit into. First, Reading for comprehension and vocabulary, as students are able to develop phonics skills and see the meaning of words. Also, Writing as a support for motor-skill challenges because it builds skills in writing letters.

How does the app work?

There are several steps for using this iPad/iPhone application, including saying the sounds, writing the letters, listening to sounds and selecting the appropriate letter.

First, the program asks the child to repeat the sound that is said by the program. Then, the child is able to practice writing the letter(s) that matches the sound. Starting points and arrows are included to guide in the correct procedure for writing the letter. Fun cheers are given for correctly writing the letter!

Then, the child is asked to select the appropriate letter(s) after it is read by the program. After several sounds are given, a word is spelled! A colorful picture that represents the word is displayed with another cheer to encourage the child.

There are over 30 sounds, which range from t to ea, ch to ow with many, many more. In the end, the child has the opportunity to hear, spell and see the meaning of 170 words.

Which of the Universal Design of Learning principles might be facilitated by this application and how?

The application represents information in many forms, as the child with see the letters, hear the sounds and physically interact with the letters by practicing writing the letters. Because the child is able to say it, write it and hear it, there is engagement in learning in a variety of ways. Further, the design is very colorful and encouragement by fun graphics contributed to the engagement of the program.

What types or groups of students might benefit from using this application?

The application is design for students in early childhood. It is fantastic for children just beginning to read, as it builds the early phonics skills necessary for learning to read. However, any student who is struggling in matching letters to sounds will benefit the application. Also, the application will assist students in writing letters, so it can help those who need more work in that area.

For what learning goals might it be more effective?

The application very much targets matching sounds to letters in the building of phonics skills. Therefore, learning goals that revolve around this idea may be reached by using this application.

Are there any concerns I should have about this application?

If you are targeting the specific skill of matching sounds and letters, you do not need to have any concerns. However, this application does not have an extension in the learning activity. So, if you are looking for a more whole language approach to reading, this application will not meet your needs.

What are some suggestions for teachers contemplating using the application?

If you are an early childhood education teacher, use the application for students who need to build specific phonics skills. It can be a great beginning task before being exposed to sentences and whole books. For elementary education teachers, consider this application for students who need extra support in phonics and writing letters.

Podcast of The Snowy Day

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Click the link above to listen to my podcast of Ezra Jack Keat's The Snowy Day.

A little about me...

I would like to start by introducing myself with this fun word cloud. Here are important words that I believe represent me!

 

I grew up in Edmonds, WA, which is about halfway between Seattle and Everett. This map shows you where I am from...


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After growing up in Edmonds, I moved to Seattle where I attended the University of Washington and earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. My dad, mom, brother and I are all UW alumni and huge Husky fans.

One special day was December 28, 2010 when the Huskies were in the Holiday Bowl facing Nebraska. Now, this isn't special because I was sitting at home watching this game at home, but I was lucky enough to go down to San Diego to attend the game! As a Christmas gift, my parents helped pay for all of us to fly down to California and go cheer on the Huskies in their first bowl game in 8 years. The morning of the game, we ordered room service, which is pretty extravagant for my family. Although we were all so excited to be there and should really be believing in our team, we all thought it was unlikely that our Huskies would win.

There was a lot of nervous energy during the game, as it really started to appear that we could win. I remember that I started thinking it, but didn't want to say it aloud in fear that it would jinx the result. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and said "We might win the holiday bowl!" and of course, I was shushed by everyone because there was apparently still too much time left. But, it all turned out fantastic because the Huskies won! It was electric in the stadium and even in downtown San Diego afterwards. This one day will be a vivid and fun memory for me for always.

Welcome!

Today is the second day of winter quarter and I have just created this blog in IT 442 Classroom Uses of Instructional Technology! I'm excited to post more about my teacher-in-training experiences on this blog.