Blog 1

Technology became one of the most important part of 21st century teachers and schools. Teachers who are more informed about technology, teachers will be able to better understand student, their backgrounds, their learning needs, and the types of educational approaches teachers can implement to successfully teach them. In chapter1, it explains ways and strategies for teaching and learning new technologies.

 

Teachers use technology in three primary ways.

- Inside-the-classroom instructional tools.

- Outside-the-classroom professional resources.

- Inside-and-outside-the classroom learning resources.

 

There are seven categories of "must have" teaching-with-technology.

1. Internet technologies teach students how to access and assess online information and act as digital citizens.

2. Information management technologies use web-based educational materials and digital content in teaching.

3. Problem-solving/inquiry-learning technologies use educational software and web-based tools to promote problem solving and inquiry learning.

4. Social media technologies enhance learning through online interaction and networking.

5. Multimedia technologies use presentation tools and multimedia to develop creative self-expression among students.

6. Differentiation learning technologies are assistive tools that differentiate instruction and promote learning success for all students.

7. Assessment technologies use digital portfolios and other performance assessment tools to promote student self-evaluation of their learning.

 

Strategies for learning new technologies.

Learn technologies while teaching academic content.

Expand our technology categories.

Create small technology groups.

Focus on learning for students and yourself.

 

In a old classroom setting, they utilize whole-group instruction with desks arranged in rows, while students mostly listen, take notes, complete worksheets, and receive grades reflecting test scores. However technology changes teaching and learning in enriching and productive ways by differentiating instruction, motivate disengaged students, create cooperative learning, allowing access to academic information from multiple resources. In chanpter 2, the chapter address some issues of using technology.

 

Despite benefits of technology use in classroom and teaching, there are barriers to technology  use.

- Lack of access- the need for expanded technological capabilities and declining educational budgets has forced schools to curtail their technology goals.

- Digital devides and participation gaps affect mainly low-income, nonwhite, urban and rural youngsters, and occur when students do not have access to the latest technologies at school or  home.

- Digital disconnect- the differences that students receive between themselves.

 

Questions:

1. How can teachers create activities that serve students with different technological support?

2. How can teachers resolve digital disconnect with students who are technology savvy?

3. What would be the most effective technology that help students' motivation to do outside school activities?

Lessons Learned 9/16/15

The picture slide of "Classroom in 100 Years" was interesting that it showed changes in education in the country and probably in any other cultures and countries. The classroom teaching involve so much technologies now then the first picture we saw, way of teaching where 100 years ago it was teacher centered teaching to student centered learning. Teachers help students, not students just seat there and listen from the first few pictures. Also I learned from the class discussion was parents' perspectives on education. Like Dr. chen said, it is important how parents' view on their children's education. I also agree that parents involvement of their children's education makes huge difference.

Personal Learning Goals.

"Just turn it off and turn back again" is what I usually say to myself and to people when a machine is not responding. I have to say I am not a tech person at all. Technology is a very important part of school curriculum these days. I remember I took a typing class in high school and learned a basic typing as a main curriculum of the class. Probably that was the only class that was involved a computer as a part of a class. However, technology is used in most of classes in schools now days. Even after class hours, assignments are given using a websites and some teachers require assignments post on a websites, blogs and etc. Technology an important part of being a 21st century teachers. As a future teacher, I need to acquire as many information I can to use in class and being an effective 21st century teacher.


Personal Learning Goals

1. Learn how to use social media and social networking (using the web for interactive communication) to connect with students and parents to figure out how to assist each individual students better.
2. Learn to use problem-solving/inquiry-learning technologies for different topics and curriculums for students with different needs. Create different levels of excises for students with various learning levels.
3. Learn how to use assessment technologies (student participation, student response systems) to promote student self-evaluation of their learning.
4. Learn how to use Internet technologies such as webquest, interactive educational websites, and webcasts to teach students how to access and assess online information.
5. Learn how different technologies in general could help students and teachers, and to teach effectively and get most out of students' learning abilities using different technologies.