Technology ShowCase
Introduction:
As a teacher in the 21st century, it is crucially important to keep up with the changing times, including technology. Technology has become a center of education since it is at the fingertips of our students. In order to adapt my teaching, I use technology in the classroom to help encourage creativity, project-based learning, and collaboration. Through my Masters of Arts in Educational Technology (MAET) I have learned a mass amount of information that has helped me in own classroom. In mastering these skills it has helped me to focus on the following within my own classroom:
Below are some of the projects I have completed throughout my time as a graduate student in the field of educational technology. These projects have helped me to take my own learning and adapt it to my own classroom full of kindergartners.
- learning
- understanding
- creating change
Below are some of the projects I have completed throughout my time as a graduate student in the field of educational technology. These projects have helped me to take my own learning and adapt it to my own classroom full of kindergartners.
Learning
Personal Learning Network
As an educator, you never stop learning. In order to keep up with the ever changing times and technology, we look to our personal learning network (PLN) for assistance, ideas, and discussions. In creating my PLN using popplet I realized that it only continues to grow which in turn leads me to gain more information, learn from my peers, and create a better learning environment for my students. |
Hands on Learning
Learning is a process. Sometimes it takes a lot of trial and error before getting something right. When reflecting on various activities I completed, I decided to create a word cloud. It reminds me of all the learning that took place, trial and error that occurred, along with perseverance. With all the new technologies that I learned , I was able to take it back immediately and implement in my own teaching. |
PQ+CQ=IQ
Passion and curiosity is something that we all have in us. It is what drives us to find out more, to research, and to learn. I learned that by creating lessons around my students passions and curiosity, I can get them more involved, excited about learning, and engaged. When students are passionate about something and curiosity takes over, it drives them and in turn they put more effort into their work. |
Understanding
Exploring through Cooking
Throughout the learning process comes understanding. While learning, I was pushed to think outside the box, use given materials, and try to complete tasks without knowing the outcome. Cooking with technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge (TPACK) definitely pushed my limits through the process of making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without your typical kitchen tools. In trying such a task on my own it helped me to find the fun, excitement and engagement in the learning process. I definitely want to instill that in my own classroom and developed a greater understanding for it. |
21st Century Classroom
When people think of classrooms, they often imagine rows of desks, cramped spaces, and students sitting in one spot for hours on end. When you think about the way students look in this atmosphere some may appear to be sleeping, slumped in their seat, or zoned out. In rethinking the 21st century classroom, I created a classroom that allowed students to move. This is somewhat out of the ordinary but is becoming more common and is known as a classroom with flexible seating. This type of classroom allows for students to succeed based on their needs and comfort. |
Rethinking Education
In education today we have some wicked problems that exist. One problem often leads to another creating a snowball effect. These include but are not limited to uniform vs. nonuniform classrooms, daily schedules, access to technology, and standardized assessments. In learning and collaborating with a group, we came to understand that when we "rethink teaching" there are multiple problems that occur. My group and I created a document suggesting solutions to some of the problems we found that are a part of todays world of education. |
Conceptual Change
Online Education
When you turn on the TV, countless advertisements are displayed about Online Education. My original belief was that nobody could possibly complete their schooling fully online and get the same education as someone in the classroom. My thoughts and ideas about that changed drastically as I gained more experience with online learning myself. I learned that with various technologies a lot of learning can take place and it is simply astounding. I had the opportunity to develop three online lessons for a kindergarten classroom. Through this, I have gained a much better appreciation for online learning. Recently, I have been moving my classroom towards blended learning which includes a lot of technology interaction throughout the school day and at home (optional) to help serve my students. |
Makerspace
Students are craving the opportunity to let their creativity out. We know that each person is special and unique in their own way. Instead of conforming to the norms in a classroom, developing a space where students can create, collaborate, and explore based on their interests will help to keep students engaged. By creating this Piktochart I started with three challenges that teachers face. I then moved into ways that teachers can move to create makerspaces for innovative learning. Questions are provided to help direct teachers in transforming their 19th century classroom to a classroom equipped for the 21st century learner. |
MakeyMakey
Through the use of a Makey Makey kit, I was able to take a topic like syllables and make it more engaging for my students. Removing some of the pieces from the game, adding a Makey Makey kit and some tin foil, I developed a new way for my students to count syllables in words. While completing the task myself, it was a process of trial and error. I played around to see what worked, what didn't, how to change it, and I stayed engaged the whole time. I was thrilled to bring this into my own classroom and create a more engaging lesson when introducing syllables. |
Images and videos are my own.