Module 5 Reflection

As I learn about all these tools, I realize more and more why I decided to become a math teacher: I am not creative. Coming up with a lesson for this mini project stretched my mind a little. However, I realize the importance of making the material relevant and engaging for our students. Why I love pure mathematics, most students want to know why they have to sit there and learn the material, as well as how it will help them in the real world. For my second Mini Project, I selected a Google Maps Trek. Students look at examples of architecture around the world that employ geometric concepts in a unique way. Of course, with geometry being the study of the measurements of the world, shapes are all around us. Hopefully this activity will get the students thinking about the concepts we cover in class in a more practical and useful method. I integrate it as an introduction into a lesson on 3-D shapes.

A couple of topics stood out to me in the reading for this week. In Coffman’s Using Inquiry in the Classroom, the idea of bringing inquiry into assessments really caught my eye. The importance of authentic assessments is discussed regularly among teachers. However, this is the first time I heard about bringing inquiry into assessment. After all, we are trying to build the inquiry skills in our students, so shouldn’t the assessment reflect that philosophy as well? The goal of creating an inquiry-based activity is to have students think, question, and explore a concept, rather than being told what they should know. So why would the assessment not reflect that as well? Coffman (2013) defines assessment “as the process of documenting, in measurable terms, knowledge and skills gained from the lesson or activity” (p. 139). Making sure that the students are exploring and understanding the concepts they need to know is important in designing an inquiry-based activity. We want for the students to be engaged and excited about material, but that is not enough if they do not gain the understanding and skills meant to be acquired.

Another topic that caught my interest in this week’s reading was the concept of a virtual world. I have mixed feelings about these personally, and I do not know that this is a tool I would use in my classroom. However, after reading about the virtual worlds available, I do not doubt the usefulness of such a tool. For example, teachers can use it for their own professional development in order “to improve their practice, reflect on their activities, and learn from others” (Solomon & Schrum, 2010, p. 125). Likewise, students can use virtual worlds to “play, build, interact, and explore” (p. 118). I can see that just like many other Web 2.0 tools, virtual worlds can play a valuable role in education. However, I do not like the trend where interactions are becoming more web-based. Virtual worlds afford opportunities that might not be available otherwise, but I am a huge advocate of getting away from the computer and exploring the world around us, which includes human interactions that are not over an impersonal computer. I do not see myself using this tool. I like for all my social networking to be based on in person interactions.

Sources

Coffman, T. (2013). Using Inquiry in the Classroom: Developing Creative Thinkers and Information Literate Students (2nd ed.). Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Education. 

Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2010). Web 2.0: How-to for Educators. Washington, DC: International Society for Technology in Education.

Module 4 and Mini Projects

Blog Reflection 4

In exploring some of the tools and concepts presented in Module 4, I am having trouble coming up with creative and helpful ways to use them. I see great value in using technology in the classroom, but for my subject material, most of these tools would have to be forced into the lesson, whereas they can be seamlessly integrated into an English or history lesson. In a math class, we do not spend as much time analyzing text or creating stories, so those particular mini projects were not well suited for me. I like the concept of being able to show a video of how to do something, such as creating a construction. However math is already such a visual subject, so giving extra visuals probably will not help students much more. With that being said, I can see great value in creating movies of my lessons for students to view if they are absent, or if they need to see a problem explained again. Even making videos that a substitute could show if I am absent would be a great use of this technology. However, for my everyday classroom lessons, I do not see much value in these tools.

For my project, I selected the talking avatar project. I was disappointed at how little text I could have my avatar say, but I am guessing that paying for an upgrade would allow for longer presentations. I also had trouble with publishing my presentation, and I am still working to get it resolved. One of the many reasons I am so resistant to using technology is because it never seems to work they way I want it to work. Not being the most technologically savvy person, I could see losing a bit too much instructional time due to computer issues.

In reflecting on the reading, I am rather intrigued by telecollaborative activities. Being able to collaborate effectively with others is an important skill in many professions. To have the opportunity to work with others who have different insights due to differences in location and culture is a wonderful learning opportunity for students. Pulling in experts in the field to share information will certainly help increase the relevance of what is being taught in the classroom, and also help to make the curriculum real to the students (Coffman, 2013, p. 109). Telecollaborative activities are perfect for allowing students the opportunity to learn outside the classroom without having to leave it.

In addition, social networking is a powerful tool as well. Many of our students belong to social networks for personal use. Applying the same concepts with a focus on education and learning content is a great way to engage students (Solomon & Schrum, 2010, p. 85). In particular, I think having a social network to go along with classroom instruction would be perfect for situations like what we are experiencing now with the crazy weather. Being on an A/B schedule, I have noticed that my students are having a hard time keeping up to date with all that is going on in my class. Due to loss of class time, we are not able to go into much depth with certain topics because we still have so much to cover before the SOL. The snow has really been affecting how often I meet certain classes, so keeping everyone on the same page has been difficult. If I had a social network set up specifically for my class, my students could come in prepared and knowing what to expect, regardless of what the weather is doing. Social networking can be a great way to stay connected with the students, especially since we do not meet every single day.

Coffman, T. (2013). Using Inquiry in the Classroom: Developing Creative Thinkers and Information Literate Students (2nd ed.). Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Education. 

Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2010). Web 2.0: How-to for Educators. Washington, DC: International Society for Technology in Education.

Module 3: SMART Boards, Polls, and Flashcards

As I work my way through another eye-opening module, I am becoming more and more of a “technology believer.” I will first start with my reflections on SMART Boards and how they can really engage and motivate my students. In my school division, almost every classroom is equipped with an interactive whiteboard. Coming into this position, I had never used one myself. I know I am not old enough to say “back in the day,” but back in the day, my high school had (and still has) chalkboards, overhead projectors (the ones that require transparencies), and maybe a LCD projector on the cart, which the teacher had to sign out. When my school acquired an interactive whiteboard, the students became interested. Just like the COWs (computers on wheels), teachers had to sign out the SMART Board, which was shared between all the teachers in the school. We were amazed at what this magical board could do, and our interest in the lessons peaked. Coming back to the present day, a mere 6 years later, I am now using this technology in my classroom every day. In fact, I don’t even have a regular whiteboard to speak of. My SMART Board is the center of my lessons for giving notes. However, when I ask myself if I am using it in the best way to engage my students, I am disappointed to say that I am not. Part of this is the learning curve and getting used to the technology and discovering myself its capabilities. When I am up at the SMART Board, I use it as if it were a regular whiteboard. There are certainly some advantages of the interactive whiteboard that the regular chalkboard does not have, even without using many of its features. I realize, however, that I am not reaching the potential that the board has to offer for myself and for my students.

In creating an interactive SMART lesson that is student focused, I explored more of the features of the software used for these interactive whiteboards. I centered the lesson on getting the kids up, moving, and excited to come write on the SMART Board. Despite the fact that technology is all around them, this is a piece of technology that they often do not get to control and use. I designed my lesson to have students explore the features of the SMART board software while also exploring concepts in my content area. While my lesson was simplistic, I am excited to explore new features of the board that will get my students active and engaged with the material.

Some additional benefits of using a SMART Board are listed in this website.

Another concept covered in this module was the use of polling. I have seen and used some different polling websites before, but I had never thought to design a warm up or exit activity around a poll. What a fun and exciting way to collect data! I could design polls that will allow me to track student growth and to design better formative assessments. SMART Boards have similar capabilities with the SMART response technology. During an in class lesson, I personally would prefer to use SMART response as opposed to an online poll that would require students to pull out cell phones and smart phones to answer the poll. While it seems that every student has a phone, I do not want to run into the problem of excluding a student whose parents might not be able to afford a cell phone for their child. Of course, these polls can be completed through a computer as well, but I do not have computers for student use in my classroom. I would have to sign them out, which could be a hassle if I decide to use polls as a regular activity. With SMART response, the poll is created through the SMART notebook software. Students get to operate a small, individual input device, and the answers are anonymous to their peers. It presents the results, which I could then use as data for my own purposes. Once again, this approach could be difficult due to the fact that the school only has so many sets of the SMART response controllers. Signing them out regularly for use in my own lessons would keep other teachers from having access to them. However, I love the concept of polling.

The other technology that caught my attention was the online flashcards. While I admit to not being a “flashcard person,” many students do well with this system of studying and reinforcing concepts. With geometry in particular, students have a lot of terms and concepts that they have to know. Creating flashcards online could be a really effective tool to get them working with and studying the material.

As always, I am amazed at all the tools that are available (often free of charge) and can be used in the classroom. When integrated properly into a lesson, technology can be a great way to get students engaged and thinking at a higher level.

Module 2 Reflection

As I reflect on this second module, I am beginning to recognize more useful aspects of technology and how it can be used in the classroom. I am feeling more settled with the layout of the course on Canvas, and I had the pleasure of meeting with Dr. Coffman in person during her office hours. I am looking forward to the new technologies we will be learning about and using for this course!

One of the points in this module that really made me think is the concept and awareness of a digital footprint. I consider myself a person who is not the most digitally connected. I held off for a very long time before signing up for Facebook, and once I joined, I set the privacy settings fairly high. I always try to make sure that I disclose as little personal information as possible. This class is pushing me out of my comfort zone a little bit when it comes to use of technology, whether it be for personal or professional purposes. I had been resisting Twitter, and I had no intention of having one before this course. While I may be more conservative when it comes to technology use, many of our younger students think nothing about creating a new account online. As a result, they need to be taught the skills of safe Internet use from an early age in order to keep them protected.

In regard to blogs, I find them to be a great tool and source of information. While not all blogs are considered quality material, many blogs share well supported opinions or useful information worth considering. Teaching students how to sort the good information from the bad in the examples of blogs will help them to understand that not everything online is high quality. In addition, blogs are a great way for students to learn how to write and post their thoughts for the world to see. I can see the educational value of a blog and am excited to find ways to motivate my own students to reach this higher level of thinking and posting.

I still have some reserves when it comes to using certain technologies in the classroom. While many students do have access to a computer and Internet, not all do. I would hesitate to assign homework that requires the use of technology, unless the students without the resources are willing to work with some accommodations. In addition, while technology is designed to be more user friendly in order to gain a larger audience, some students can get frustrated when something goes wrong or they are not sure how to use the technology. If the assignment has a grade attached, such a situation could escalate the students' stress and anxiety. Until I gain more confidence in weaving technology into my lessons, I will keep these tools as an extra resource for my students rather than a requirement.

I love the concept of Padlet and sticky notes in general. Before even knowing about this online tool, I had plans to set up a "Stuff that Stuck" board in my classroom to use as an exit tool for my lessons. I want for my students to provide feedback by writing either a concept they learned, a lightbulb moment they had, or a question they want answered on a post-it note and and then stick it to the board as they exit the classroom. I could set up a similar activity online for my students (especially to cut down on the waste and cost of providing post it notes) or make a resource page similar to the one that the geometry teacher had created.

For my padlet page, I would love for you to share what kind music you like. I posted a Youtube video of Sinead O'Connor singing an Irish Rebel song called "Oro Se do Bheatha Bhaile." I would love to know what kind of music you listen to (I was also a music major, remember?). I could do something similar to this for my students as a way to get to know them and their tastes in music or some other topic. Please, post away!

Reference List

Coffman, T. (2013). Using Inquiry in the Classroom: Developing Creative Thinkers and Information Literate Students (2nd ed.). Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Education. 

Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2010). Web 2.0: How-to for Educators. Washington, DC: International Society for Technology in Education.