Technology Discussion Post #2

Technology Reflection Assignment

Description/Experience

In the last seminar, we discussed how to use Ipads in the classroom. I think this is a wonderful idea as long as the Ipad is not replacing the teacher and as long as it’s only being used for instructional purposes only.

Application

Since I am specializing in math, I can see where I could definitely use this resource in my classroom to enhance student learning.  I think that students need to be older in order to use this resource so they know how to treat it with respect since they are so expensive. Our guest speaker showed us a math application where the students could write as if it’s a chalk board. I would certainly make use of this and allow students to work in small groups or individually with this application after a lesson. At the end of the activity, students will have a better understanding of the concepts of addition and subtraction, or if in an older class, multiplication and division. Once they have been exposed to the Ipads and have worked with them, I could quiz them and see how working in their groups has helped them increase learning.

• The lesson would first begin with showing the students an activity that I had posted on Edmodo to allow them more practice on addition and subtraction.
• For the next 10 minutes, I would work our addition and subtraction problems with two and three digits. Adding and subtracting two digits isn’t a new concept to the students but we need to start working on three digits as well.
• Once I have finished instructions, I’d give them a worksheet. While students are using the worksheet, I’d pull students over in small groups to work with the ipads. I would monitor them while doing so to make sure they are doing their work and not wondering off to play another game.
• When each student has completed the worksheet and has had a turn on the ipad, students will then go to Edmodo and post what they liked or didn’t like about using the ipad in the lesson.

Reflection

1. The ipads support this lesson very well because it allows the students to use an application that will give them more practice in the subject. Also using Edmodo in order to supply them with an extra practice worksheet also gives the students another opportunity to increase their knowledge on this topic so they can master the basic skills in math.
2. Like I mentioned above, the use of this application gives them extra practice that they might not get if I only taught the lesson and handed them the worksheet. By putting the students in small groups, the likelihood of them understanding the subject increases because each student is able to assist the other in how they solve the equations. I always find it easier to learn when I am having fun. By providing a different way of learning, you make learning more fun therefore they want to do it.

--Pedagogy-Content:

• Either I could demonstrate what I am expecting of the students for the lesson, or I could use the application the guest speaker showed us in which you record directions that the students can watch before starting the activity. The tutorial could say “Write the equation 243+152 and then add them together.”The application’s tutorial would then show the students how to set it up and add the two numbers together.

• Some students are so much more advanced than other students based on home life and some students don’t really care to learn the material. Using this application would hopefully reach out to them so they can work at their individual paces while still getting the assignment done in a timely manner. It’s also fun for them. I would only be concerned that they would already know how to navigate around the ipad, so they would stray off onto another application and be playing another game instead of working on their math problems.

--Technology-Pedagogy:

• The ipad would be used to give them extra practice outside of working on worksheets so they can improve their math skills. The main purpose would be giving them a fun way to learn rather than having them sit in their seats all day doing assignment after assignment.

• It would allow the students to feel like the teacher. Each student would help each other learn the material better by being able to visually work out the problems using this application. If little Johnny wasn’t adding 4 and 5 correctly, Susie would be there to help him see his mistake. By explaining the steps to other students, hopefully this would help them have a better understanding of how to add and subtract as well.

• I would have to be extra observant when watching how the students were acting at the desks and with the ipads. If I were to leave them unattended, they could leave the math application and go play another game like Angry Birds which wouldn’t be educational at all.

--Technology-Content:

• Using this would help the students get one on one practice with it in a new way rather than just on a worksheet. The application that records what you do could allow them to make a small presentation to either me or the class after they have worked in order to show what they have learned or discovered while doing this activity.

• I think it gives the students an extra incentive to be doing the assignment. Using an ipad to practice math problems is much more fun than using a pencil and paper. Students are going to want to practice these skills if they know they are doing it in a fun manner.

--Technology-Pedagogy-Content:

• This can be effectively taught in this case because they are strictly practicing these skills on an application that caters to this specific subject.

• Students would be able to get a bigger variety of number combinations that I may not have thought of while creating the worksheet or while teaching the concepts in class before starting the activities.

• I would determine that by the behavior of the class that day. If they are really intent on learning the material, then they will be responsible enough to work with the technology on the lessons. If they are acting out that day, then there is more of a chance that they will do something on the ipad rather than the assignment that you’d like them to do. Students shouldn’t be using them just to play. They should be using them for educational purposes only. They must earn the fun things before they are given fun things.

Technology Discussion Post #1

Technology Reflection Assignment

 

Description/Experience

We discussed how to use Edmodo and Prezi. I really liked both of these sites because they are ways that I can make my classroom more fun for my students. Regular slideshows get boring but with Prezi, I can make the presentations really fun! Edmodo is really neat too because it’s a fun way outside of class to get to interact with the students. My only concern with that was if the students didn’t have a computer at home. I would have to work that out with my students of course but it definitely was a concern.

Application

Prezi could be used while giving a short lesson at the beginning of an activity. My class is always working on their alphabet since they are in Kindergarten. I could make a presentation where they would have to identify the letter that pops up on the screen and then the next item the path would go to would be a word that starts with that letter. By doing this, the children will get practice identifying letters of the alphabet in a random order. This will help when they start reading. As I mentioned above, this would be for Kindergarten. I would have to work to make it simpler than I would for an older age group. I would measure this by taking the students aside in groups later in the day. Here, I would hold up flash cards and test to see if they are beginning to recognize these letters. If they are, then I would keep using this method.

1.      Have the class come sit on the carpet in front of the projector.

2.      Give instructions. Tell them what they will do when the letter comes up on the screen.

3.      I would start flipping through the slides while they tell me which letter appears. When we get to slides with words, we would sound out the words as a class so they can hear what sound the letter makes.

4.      Repeat step 3 until all the letters have been recognized.

5.      Later in the day while they are working on an assignment, I would pull them out in small groups.

6.      I would hold up a flash card to the group and have one student answer at a time so I could see if the Prezi show is helping them learn.

 

Reflection

Pedagogy-Content:

• I would make the presentation very simple and make sure that the font was a kind that they could easily read and understand. If they can’t understand what the lesson is about, then there is no point to try to have the lesson at all.
• Not every child comes from a good supportive home that is going to help them start learning their alphabet before they come to kindergarten. Because of this, I would have to make lessons that cater to those who don’t know the alphabet while making sure that I’m not going too slow for those who are more developed in this area

Technology:

• A major function of this technology is that it helps make lessons more entertaining than a boring lecture by itself. It also keeps them focused on what is going on up front.
• I have found that it is very accessible and it automatically saves online so it doesn’t take up space in your hard drive.

Technology-Pedagogy:

• I would use it to make the lessons more fun and it would be good to start getting the students familiar with the technology they will be using the rest of their lives.
• I would have the activity up on the screen rather than just using the same note cards over and over again. I can also change the path on Prezi, so the order of the letters wouldn’t have to be the same
• I would have to make sure that the students were focused on the lesson. Prezi may make it more interesting, but I would have to limit myself to so many graphics so they don’t start acting up because they think it’s cool.

Technology-Content:

• I could give even more examples than I had before because it’s all based off the internet where I have an unlimited amount of resources.
• I don’t think it would really change the content they are learning. It just gets the lesson up off paper and on the screen where they can learn as a group.

Technology-Pedagogy-Content:

• There would be a happy medium between what is don’t with and without the technology. You can’t rely completely on the technology. They must do something on their own to practice these things or they won’t really learn. Prezi is just a decorative way of teaching.
• It would help me see what works and what doesn’t work. If they learn more by working in this manner, then I would associate more of it into the lessons. If I see that it isn’t helping, then I would try to only use it on occasion just so they still get the technology exposure.
• I would make sure that the technology used would be necessary for the lesson. If I automatically know that it isn’t going to benefit them in any way, then I won’t even take the time to make it. However, if I think that it could help, then I will make the presentation and test it out on the students to see if it does help.