Assessing Meaningful Learning

There are so many ways that technology learning can be assessed and this week we learned about a few of those in class. I think that my favorite way of assessing learning is the rubric. The technology rubric allows students to have an idea of what is expected of them, and what kind of work qualifies for each grade level. The student easily knows that if they meet all the requirements under one level, they will get that grade, and etc. Students have a better idea why they got a certain grade from the teacher, with less confusion. Another form of assessment that we learned about is the clicker assessment tools. This type of tool is probably the most interactive compared to a grading rubric. Students can use the clicker to answer questions, and the information is then processed and can be reviewed by the teacher. This type of assessment is interactive for the learner, and a game like a quiz show can even be incorporated into the curriculum, making learning fun! I like this assessment because the results can be much more confidential for the student while still allowing the teacher to know if the student is grasping the concept. The last form of assessment is Kidspiration, and this is the most interactive of all. Kids can use the computer to create interesting and meaningful ways of strengthening their reading and writing skills.

So,  my reflection of this course so far? I have learned so many interesting and new things that can be used in my classroom! But above all, I have learned that I am not nearly as technically savvy as I thought I was. While I am more than adept at using technology, I can benefit from learning more. I think that this is the most important thing for me to remember as a teacher. Technology is always changing, and therefore I need to constantly prepare myself for this change by learning just as the students do. One of my favorite things about this class is how interactive it has been. I have learned that as a teacher, I can make learning much more interactive for students by incorporating technology. I love the idea of using voice threads to learn about other places on earth, cultures, as well as interacting with said cultures! Making a prezi was interesting, and I can see myself using that in the classroom. I honestly think that I would like to try to use all the technology I learned about this semester. Each technology application can only help me as a teacher to keep my students engaged, and provide a fun and stimulating learning environment.

Technology Application Standards

Technology Foundations: 1^st grade Texas TEKS
(2) Foundations. The student uses data input skills appropriate to the task. The student is expected to:
(A) use a variety of input devices such as mouse, keyboard, disk drive, modem, voice/sound recorder, scanner, digital video, CD-ROM, or touch screen;
(B) use proper keyboarding techniques such as correct hand and body positions and smooth and rhythmic keystroke patterns as grade-level appropriate;
(C) demonstrate touch keyboarding techniques for operating the alphabetic, numeric, punctuation, and symbol keys as grade-level appropriate;
(D) produce documents at the keyboard, proofread, and correct errors; and
(E) use language skills including capitalization, punctuation, spelling, word division, and use of numbers and symbols as grade-level appropriate.

Mathematics Grade 1

1.11 (D) use tools such as real objects, manipulatives, and technology to solve problems.

There are so many ways that this tek could be taught. Calculators are one such way, though it would be ideal for the student to manually learn how to solve a math problem. The biggest thing that I can think of when using technology is the Promethean board, as well as the computer. When using the Promethean board, teachers can implement a flip chart for students to use. Students can use it individually or in a whole group setting. In whole group, it would be appropriate for teachers to use the Promethean to write out problems that the group can solve together. Using the computer, teachers can use software such as math games to keep the students engaged. One other form of technology that I believe to be appropriate would be a document camera, where the teacher can show the actual worksheet that is to be completed, and model the problems for the students. There are many ways that this tek could be implemented and these are just a few.

The most important tek is that students develop a foundation for technology in the classroom. At this age, students are still young and while they have had exposure to technology and know a lot, there is still important basic skills that need to be taught. I will make sure that this tek is taught by incorporating technology in the classroom in a meaningful way. Many students learn best by hands on learning, and therefore having the experience is most meaningful. I will make sure that my students all have a chance to work on the computer at least a number of times a week. I will also make sure that the students have time to work on other applications in the classroom such as the promethean board. There are also computer class times that I can sign my class up for, where the student learns about the many aspects of a computer and how to apply their knowledge.

Visualizing with technology and all the learning that comes with it!!

I think that visualizing with technology and technology in general is something that every teacher, student, and person in general should become accustomed to! I love technology!!! With that being said, there are so many ways that technology can be incorporated into the learning environment. I think that technology in the classroom is one of the best assets that a teacher has today. Visualizing with technology allows the student to have a sort of hands on experience with their learning, by using the computer, ipod, or creating a document. The student is in control of the learning he or she is receiving when they take part in such a cool and innovative tool and idea! Kids today are so technologically suavy that it only makes sense that they be taught more about technology in school.
The impact that technology has on learning is endless. There are so many more opportunities that students can take part in when they use technology. How cool is it that you can learn about Peru, log onto google earth and then look it up to see it in real time?? This kind of learning is what students need. Overall, technology only helps to enhance the learning process. Even teachers learn from technology in one way or another! Technology can be a teachers best friend in the learning environment if given the correct opportunity.

Designing with Technologies!

For this extra credit assignment, we looked at the sites usfirst.org, Lego universe, and creatingmusic.com. All three of these sites were interesting. I knew about Lego universe because my son is very much into lego's, however, the other two sites I never knew existed. Lego universe is something that can be incorporated into the classroom and used by teachers everywhere! The site encourages students to use their creative skills to engineer their own creations. This is interesting because it incorporates Lego’s which most children like, but also web design! Children can get exposure to how to design certain things at a young age. In today’s society, this is very important because web design now plays a pivotal role in many aspects of life. Most architectures, scientists, etc. use some form of software that help them to design. Teachers can correlate this site into their science instruction while giving the students the freedom to explore and learn on their own. I really liked the usfirst.org site. There is such a need for mathematicians, scientists and engineers, that having a program such as what this site offers is uplifting! This program allows students to interact with one another, build their team skills, as well as foster their own love and learning by using Lego’s! And the biggest reward is scholarships so that the students can move into the future with the hopes that they will continue to explore their love for these subjects by making it their career choice.

I think that the site that I liked the best was creatingmusic.com. This site can be incorporated at school, as well as explored at home. Not just music teachers can benefit from using the site. It allows students to create their own compositions, learn more about the different types of instruments, as well as music. Research has proven that music helps to promote learning. What a great way to incorporate both music and technology while making it fun for the student. Overall, these sites offer many fun and important skills for students, and teachers can benefit from using them, or at least using some of the information included on the sites.