EDU614 Integrating Technology

"3 Tips on Integrating Technology in the Classroom Former Gov. Bob Wise discusses Digital Learning Day and how high school teachers can embrace technology. By Laura McMullen Jan. 25, 2012 SHARE Integrating technology into a high school classroom isn't a one-step process. "You can't just slap a netbook [computer] on top of a textbook and say, 'Great, now we have technology," says Bob Wise, former governor of West Virginia and president of the Alliance for Excellent Education, an advocacy organization. Wise says that digital learning starts with teachers, whose performance is enhanced by technology-not the other way around. That's also the idea of Digital Learning Day, which the Alliance is spearheading. The first annual Digital Learning Day falls on February 1 and will celebrate innovative K-12 instructors who successfully bring technology into the classroom by assigning online course content, using adaptive software for students with special needs, and utilizing online student assessments and other digital tools. Educators, as well as parents, students, librarians, and community leaders, can learn about classroom innovations and get new ideas by chiming in during the virtual National Town Hall meeting held on Digital Learning Day. [Learn how a new iPad app is revolutionizing textbooks.] "The whole intention of Digital Learning Day is to really celebrate teachers and good instructional learning practices," says Sarah Hall, director of the Alliance's Center for Secondary School Digital Learning and Policy. And good teaching, especially the kind that involves working with evolving technologies, sometimes requires good advice. Hall and Wise shared the following ideas for effectively using technology in the classroom-not just on Digital Learning Day, but anytime. 1. Plan ahead: There has to be a comprehensive strategy in place to implement technology into the school system, Wise says, and the teachers have to be involved in the planning stages. "When a schoo

"Five Ways Teachers Can Use Technology to Help Students Posted: 05/07/2013 8:34 am Follow éducation , Classroom Technology , Open Source , Public Schools , Teacher Technology , Technology In The Classroom , Technology News SHARE THIS STORY 57 273 34 Submit this story By Darrell M. West and Joshua Bleiberg Thomas Edison once said, "Books will soon be obsolete in the public schools... our school system will be completely changed inside of ten years." Amazingly enough, however, one of our nation's most important inventors was proven quite wrong. The American education system has a remarkable resistance to innovation and the classroom experience has changed very little in the 100 years since Edison's prediction. Advances in information technology have revolutionized how people communicate and learn in nearly every aspect of modern life except for education. The education system operates under the antiquated needs of an agrarian and industrial America. The short school day and the break in the summer were meant to allow children to work on family farms. Schools have an enduring industrial mentality placing students in arbitrary groups based on their age regardless of their competencies. Technology has failed to transform our schools because the education governance system insulates them from the disruptions that technology creates in other organizations. The government regulates schools perhaps more than any other organization. Rules govern where students study, how they will learn, and who will teach them. Education regulation governs the relationships of actors in the system and stymies the impact of innovative technologies. Furthermore the diffuse system of governance creates numerous veto points to limit innovation. To overcome these obstacles, we must persuade teachers that technology will empower them and help their students learn. We argue that there are five strategies for successful teacher adoption of education technology and that these principles will he

"Best Practices for Using Technology in the Classroom Technology in the Classroom When using technology for teaching, there are four basic principles to be kept in mind: Alignment: Technology should be used for a purpose-not for the sake of being flashy and not as a distraction from other forms of pedagogy. Carefully consider the ways in which video or other media that you share with your class are aligned with your learning objectives. Consider the technology that is most closely in alignment with your teaching skills and the needs of your students-if you don't like to teach with Power Point, consider giving students a handout outlining the main points of your lecture and listing major concepts to assist them in note-taking. Accessibility: Be sure that the technology that you intend to use is accessible to your students. While computers are virtually ubiquitous, and students living on campus have ready access to computing labs and other technology on campus, do consider whether or not your students have access to technology that you want them to use. Also, consider your own access to technology: make sure that you are familiar with all of the technology that you use and that media technology in your classroom is functioning correctly before the class. Plan ahead. If you are going to show a film, for example, don't wait until you walk into class to find out if the player in your classroom supports your DVD's regional format, or you will find yourself scrambling to come up with a lesson plan that does not include the film. By checking the regional format in advance, you will be able to have a matching-format DVD player delivered to the classroom by Technology Services. Assessment: As with lectures, discussions, and labs, provide your students with guidance when dealing with media technologies. If you are showing them a film, provide them with the learning objectives that you have for them in watching the film. Consider giving them a short assignment to be fil

Below is a wonderful poster I learned about from Makeuseof. This visual features some examples of 'dumb grammar mistakes' that students make. This is a great resource to hang in a room for grades 4-12 students.

I think someone mentioned this in class. The third grade teacher I work with is using Class Dojo and the students love it. I think she has it as a free app on her phone, so as she is walking around the classroom she can give either the whole class, or an individual student some positive reinforcement. She uses just the positive reinforcement buttons, but there are negative behaviors that you can identify as well. You can type in any positive or negative behavior you wish. I think this looks very motivating for students. I would use it on my phone, too, rather than project it because I think it can be very distracting for students to see the avatars and hear the bell ringing when the teacher reinforces a student's behavior.

Here the apps are organized according to subject and grade level, which I find incredibly helpful. Rather than scrolling through numerous pages of apps, this has them organized, so it is much quicker to find what you are looking for. Also, you can organize your own collection, and some are web based.

The National Archives Digital Classroom: Primary Sources, Activities and Training for Educators and Students.

The National Archives Digital Classroom: Primary Sources, Activities and Training for Educators and Students.

Flipped and Blended Interactive Video Learning Platform

Flipped and Blended Interactive Video Learning Platform

Flipped and Blended Interactive Video Learning Platform Flipped and Blended Interactive Video Learning Platform. This site is transforming! Use the power of a youtube video within the context of a lesson! With this free site, you can take any video from youtube and install pause points where students MUST answer a question before playing it again! You can also track student responses instantly and collect valuable assessment data.

With Scratch, you can program your own interactive stories, games, and animations - and share your creations with others in the online community. Scratch helps young people learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively - essential skills for life in the 21st century.

I am always looking for different ways to present numbers. It's hard to believe that September is just around the corner and I will be teaching kindergarteners who have no concept of numbers. I found this site via Pinterest.

Van notating web pages with diigo

PARCC test questions measure deeper learning, critical-thinking and problem- solving skills. Compare existing test questions with PARCC and see the difference for yourself.

This is a behavior management tool, made FUN! Each student is a "monster" and you can create different classes. Choose or add your own behavior expectations to give immediate feedback to students on how they're doing. You really just gotta try it.