Tag: 19-A14

1. What did you learn about the intersection of technology and instruction? What was your progress on becoming a “tech-savvy” teacher?
   1. I learned about how sometimes the simplest technology is the most effective when delivering a lesson. Often simple technology enhances student learning but can easily become overwhelming for the teacher and the students. I think everything we learned in this class will greatly benefit me in the future.
2. This class was driven by mini-projects instead of test and papers. How did you respond? What does that tell you about student motivation?
   1. I enjoyed the project oriented method of instruction. With the type of learning that we were doing I prefer to investigate and be more of a hands-on learner, working to understand the technology myself because I don’t listen very well when people try to explain how to use it.

What did you learn about the intersection of technology and instruction? What was your progress on becoming a “tech-savvy” teacher?

I really enjoyed this class because I learned many useful ways to encourage students to want to participate in class activities. Many students today are captivated by technology. The various programs that we learned about are perfect for getting students interested in a topic. My favorite programs that we experimented with were Adobe Spark Post, Sway, EDPuzzle, Padlet, and Google Sites. This class not only taught me about valuable tech programs but also how to make the lesson meaningful for both the students and the teacher by giving students the chance to be involved in the lesson. At the beginning of this course, I was not aware of the majority of different tech tools that were available for teachers. I was excited to learn that they are all user-friendly, fun, different, and allow the students to become involved, hands-on, in their learning experience.

This class was driven by mini-projects instead of test and papers. How did you respond? What does that tell you about student motivation?

I really enjoyed the set up of this class. I learn best through hands-on activities, so the different assignments we created engaged me and made me excited to learn about the different programs. I was also able to understand the content more throughly and then apply it in my own way. Because the class was student motivated, I had an appreciation for what we were learning and therefore put more effort into the class because I wanted to know about the different programs. This class has further encouraged me to create lessons in which students are able to participate in ways that allow them to be creative, use different materials, and work with peers.

1. What did you learn about the intersection of technology and instruction? What was your progress on becoming a “tech-savvy” teacher?

• I really enjoyed this class because it introduced many useful technology we can use in our classrooms both during student teaching and in the future. I think it was really cool to explore different websites and apps to use because I didn’t realize that there are so many options to use in a classroom today. Since today is an ever technological society, I think it is incredibly useful to students to make use of all these resources to accompany their learning.

1. This class was driven by mini-projects instead of test and papers. How did you respond? What does that tell you about student motivation?

• I loved how hands on this class was and how we were able to explore every app/websites ourselves. Since it was a class dedicated to learning about the technological aspect of teaching, I think it was great we got to do mini-projects rather than having to do tests and papers. It goes to show how motivating learning can be when it is fun and engaging. This is something to keep in mind for the future as well as teachers because we want to make sure that our students are engaged and having fun learning too.

I learned about so many different ways to incorporate technology into teacher instruction as well as for student use. At the beginning of the course, I thought that the technology we would be introduced to would be primarily for the teacher. I was pleasantly surprised to find so many apps and tools that are available and accessible for students of all ages. I’m student teaching in a 1st grade classroom currently, and I wasn’t sure if any of the technology would be appropriate for my students. While there are apps that are more appropriate and designed for higher grade levels, there were still plenty of tools that we learned that I could incorporate into my classroom instruction. I would have to say I might call myself a “tech-savvy teacher” after this course!

I really enjoyed that this class was project-based as opposed to paper writing and tests. I honestly think I learned much more by actually being able to explore each app or tech tool and see how it worked and then complete a project. In terms of student motivation, I was much more motivated to complete the assignment because I was able to be hands-on and experiment with the different types of technology tools. I wouldn’t have the same experience if I was asked to check out the tool and then be tested on it. I liked how we were tasked with creating projects with the app, but then we had the freedom to personalize it by choosing what we designed with each.

1. What did you learn about the intersection of technology and instruction? What was your progress on becoming a “tech-savvy” teacher?

This class provided an opportunity for me to learn about a wide range of technologies and how to incorporate them into my lessons. I knew technology was an integral part of education, but I didn’t realise that technology could be used to such a great extend to promote engagement in a classroom. It was also interesting to see how not only teachers can use technology but how students can also use it. For example, I love how students can share sites like Google MyMaps with each other so they can work on a collaborative project. Technology can often seem like a distraction but if used correctly, educators can enhance their teaching and students can enhance their school work through using different sites or apps. Before this class, I knew roughly how to use technology, but now I know so much more. I have learnt about multiple apps or sites that I will use as a ‘tech-savy’ teacher!

1. This class was driven by mini-projects instead of test and papers. How did you respond? What does that tell you about student motivation?

I really liked the layout of this class and having a small thing due each week! This meant that we could play around with a new piece of technology each week and put it to use by creating something new. It also meant that we could constantly apply the new skills we learnt each week and it wasn’t just a ‘one off’ thing. I learn better through hands-on activities, especially with something such as technology. It makes sense to focus on the practical component of this class as it is technology. If we had to take tests and write papers, I would not have learnt as much as I did in this class. I think student motivation can be increased in a classroom through the use of technology and more hands-on learning experiences. It tells me that as teachers we should be doing more formative assessments rather than summative assessments such as tests and papers. Perhaps students will be more interested in school and may actually learn more!!

1)What did you learn about the intersection of technology and instruction? What was your progress on becoming a “tech-savvy” teacher?

Before this class, I had rarely thought about the importance of integrating technology into instruction, and I did not realize how easy it is to integrate technology into a classroom. I learned that using technology in the classroom is a great way to encourage collaboration between students, and allows students to show their creativity. Programs like padlet and google slides encourage students to share their ideas with each other and build on ideas. Programs like adobe spark post, microsoft sway, google sites, thing link, ed puzzle, etc. encourage students to create projects in new and creative ways. The great part about these apps is that they are all user friendly, so students are able to learn how to use them on their own, or I am able to teach them about the apps in unique ways as well, including screen casting! This class helped me progress with becoming a tech savvy teacher, as I did not know many apps that I could integrate into the classroom. I have always known how to use technology, but I struggled with applying it to a classroom setting, and this class taught me that I am able to integrate technology in unique ways into my classroom!

2)This class was driven by mini-projects instead of test and papers. How did you respond? What does that tell you about student motivation?

I loved the format for this class! Instead of being lectured at in class and doing busy work outside of class or writing papers, I was able to apply the information we learned in my own creative way by choosing the topic for my mini-projects and creating the projects in my own way. Using class time to create mini-projects also required me to learn how to use the application and create something valuable that I would post on the website for my classmates to see. I also loved seeing my classmates mini-projects on the website, as I could learn more about their interests and their personalities. The format for this class taught me that students are more motivated to learn when they are able to apply their learning to their own lives and be creative! Students are not motivated to take tests or papers, but when they are able to design their meme, video, etc. they are motivated to complete the project, and are excited to share it with peers.

What did you learn about the intersection of technology and instruction? What was your progress on becoming a “tech-savvy” teacher?

Throughout this course I was able to learn how prevalent and important the intersection of technology and instruction is. The use of technology is increasing as new apps and devices are being created. I was able to see that technology can enhance education by creating interactive activities. Before coming to this course, I was able to navigate my Macbook pretty well, so I considered myself to be somewhat “tech savvy”. However, I am now realizing that being able to use my Apple devices does not necessarily make me a “tech savvy ” teacher. I was able to learn about new apps created for educators, and on top of that, learn what I could do with apps that I had prior knowledge about. I can now say that I am further along my journey to becoming a “tech savvy” teacher!

This class was driven by mini-projects instead of tests and papers. How did you respond? What does that tell you about student motivation?

I personally really enjoyed the layout of the class. I think I thrive and learn best by doing hands on activities rather than writing out papers. Especially for a tech class, I thought it was very beneficial to make mini-projects and use the applications we were talking about, rather than write a paper on it. Using mini projects rather than papers can really test a students’ motivation. Tests and papers are extrinsic motivators as I know personally, that I’m driven by a grade. Although our mini projects are graded, in order to really create a good project we needed to have intrinsic motivation. We were asked to create a lesson from each application and there were many times where I could’ve done a simple, basic lesson. However, I found myself really getting into each mini project we were assigned. I think this process really showed the differences in student motivation!

1. What did you learn about the intersection of technology and instruction? What was your progress on becoming a “tech-savvy” teacher?

In this coursed I learned that there are many applications that are easy to use and available to teachers to make their teaching more engaged and fun for students. Technology expands the resources a teacher has. For example instead of doing a graphic organizer on paper a student could make a mind map to express their ideas. Of course access to technology is key for technology to be incorporated into a a classroom. If a school or classroom has access to computers or tablets, teachers should be using those devices to make their student learning hands-on and student centered.

This course has made me a more tech savvy teacher because now I know simple and complex ways to incorporated technology into the classroom. Also know I know how useful the google apps are. The google apps were easy to use and have many possibilities for assignments or projects. The applications I learned are helpful to make learning fun and engaging, but also the technology can be used for students who need accommodations or differentiated instruction. I would say that I am closer to being a tech savvy teacher and with a little more practice I will be a full tech savvy teacher.

1. This class was driven by mini-projects instead of test and papers. How did you respond? What does that tell you about student motivation?

I really enjoyed the set up of the class. Student centered learning is the best instruction for a student to learn and understand content. The class was more interactive and hands on. Papers and tests do not allow a student to show their creativity or full understanding of a topic, but the mini projects allowed for the students to be creative and show their learning by having to create something by using a specific application. The mini projects is the best way to teach this course.

I respond to the mini projects with enthusiasm and curiosity. I enjoyed how I could personalize my projects and learn how to use the applications at my own pace. This noticed me to go the best work I could and put my full effort in each project that I created. I was also motivated to finish each project within the allotted class time because I did not want to work on the projects outside of class.

1. I’ve learned that technology can open up a ton of new opportunities for students. For example, engaging students in a lesson using virtual reality allows for exploration of places in the world the student may never be able to learn about in real life. Technology should add to a student’s learning experience and not be used when it is unnecessary. Since technology is used heavily for communication and research in nearly every modern job, integrating technology into the classroom allows students to gain functional skills and knowledge about the many uses for technology and what appropriate use looks like. I feel like I have become a ‘tech-savy’ teacher because I can now see when a lesson may be enhanced by integrating technology and I can think ahead to what barriers I may have. For example not all apps are free and only certain programs allows students to collaborate on at the same time.
2. I believe I used each mini project in the class as an opportunity to create a project I could use in my classroom in the future or as an example. The projects were intrinsically motivating because they were purposeful and useful to me and also allowed me to be creative. This tells me that if I incorporate technology into the class that allows my own students to be creative (within safe boundaries), they will be more likely to be motivated to do their best work. I am very glad I was allowed the time to explore the different technological tools so I could think through the pros and cons of having my future students use each tool as well.

1. With this class, there were so many different sites and programs that we were introduced to! I probably have only heard of one or two sites prior to this class, so it was great learning and being hands on with so many new ones! Before the start of this class, I did not really feel comfortable using technology, it being one of my weaknesses. I was pleasantly surprised with how easy it was to use these different programs, and how creative you can get with it as well! As a teacher, we can use these sites to help students learn about different subjects, and it can be used with students of all ages. When using technology in the classroom in the future, it will definitely engage students to listen and participate. I can say that I have become more tech savvy throughout the course of this class, but there is always room for growth and improvement! 

I loved how this class was based off of doing mini projects every week instead of having papers and test. It allowed us to engage with the different programs and helped us to really understand it by actually creating something! It is better than just watching a video about it or researching about the site because through that, we would not have been able to learn as much as we did. When students are given the chance to be hands on and engage with technology, it is more interesting and will motivate them to do their work, because through this course, I found myself to be more motivated to complete my work. I know that with this class, I really enjoyed getting to make and use different programs every week, and by doing it, it will help me to remember how to use these sites in the future. Great class overall and I really liked it!

1. What did you learn about the intersection of technology and instruction? What was your progress on becoming a “tech-savvy” teacher?

Integrating technology has always been difficult for me because as a student, I grew up working with worksheets and textbooks. The use of technology was only offered as a special or not at all. So, it is interesting how schools are being more tech-savvy now. I am amazed at how many educational technology tools I could use for different lessons in my classroom. It is another way for students to be creative and use it in a collaborative way. Also, it is a great way for students to be engaged with the content and be used to create something meaningful. Additionally, it will be interesting to see what projects students come up with by using these technology tools. My progress on becoming a “tech-savvy” teacher has grown immensely! It is amazing how educational technology tools have grown throughout the years. I love how we can add questions to educational videos for students to answer, to create a my map to show a variety of things like the Oregon Trail or the landmarks around the world, to use thinglink to present information about any topic and to use padlet to post answers to questions about any lesson. Learning about all the different technology tools we could use in the classroom is valuable because now we can create lessons without having to worry about how the technology tool works. Being exposed to all these tools is beneficial, we just need to put in the work to create meaningful content for our students.

1. This class was driven by mini-projects instead of test and papers. How did you respond? What does that tell you about student motivation?

I didn’t know how this class would go, but I actually enjoyed it and learned so much about how I could integrate technology tools into my classroom. I loved how we learned about a new technology tool every week and played around with each one in order to create one of our own in the end. Also, learning how others used these tools was insightful because I got to see different projects using the same technology tool! I felt more engaged with the content because I was adding my own creative ideas to present my knowledge of the technology tool. It was fun exploring these technology tools and creating either lessons or information about me with them! I feel like students are motivated to do something if the content is relatable and meaningful. The more engaging teachers make learning, the more likely they will be motivated to produce something worthy. Also, being able to work as a group allows students to work together to make the most out of a lesson. If you based this class on tests and essays, I don’t think we would’ve seen the fun in using technology in the classroom. I know I was more motivated to learn about each technology tool each week because it allowed me to create something that I could use in my future classroom. So, I liked this style of learning and I enjoyed all the different technology tools you introduced to us. Additionally, it was nice to see all the different ways everyone used the technology tools compared to mine.

The intersection of technology and instruction in classrooms is valuable for many reasons. Since technology is so multi faceted and can be used in all subject areas, it provides access and engagement to content in new ways. Because of this, all students including those with diverse learning needs can access information, work collaboratively with others, create projects, and express their ideas in unique ways.

I think I have become a much more “tech savvy” teacher because of this class in regards to becoming more confident in creating technological tools, presenting information in unique ways, and sharing projects and information through multiple outlets. The tools I’ve learned in this class will help me help my students work with others, express creativity, and be able to show their thinking. I now have many ways that I can assess and work with students.

I really enjoyed the fact that the class was taught through hands on projects. I would not have been able to learn how to use the tools without the opportunity to make something on my own with it and have support in the classroom. I was motivated to learn the tools and will save my projects to remember how to use them because I can see how tools like Padlet, Clips, and ThingLink can provide extra support for students and get them using the computer or tablet to stay engaged, and motivate them as well when they have the freedom to create things they’re interested in and excited about.