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Rosalyn Martinez

Differentiation Meets Digital Technology | literacy beat - 12 views

literacybeat.com/...differentiation-tech

differentiation technology education

shared by Rosalyn Martinez on 09 Feb 15 - No Cached
  • Differentiation is an elegant mindset that suggests to teachers a framework that permits them to engage students while focusing on learning results, and digital technologies offer many opportunities to differentiate instruction in meaningful ways.
  • three-phase approach to planning differentiated instruction: Where do we start planning for differentiated instruction with technology, What are considerations for who we teach, what we teach, and how we plan? How do I put it all together?
  • Planning differentiated instruction enhanced by technology is a perfect fit for the principles of understanding by design (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005) in which teachers plan instruction based on the results they intend for their students.
  • ...14 more annotations...
  • This means that before any digital tools are chosen, before a single activity is determined, before assessment instruments are designed, the intended results must be decided.
  • It will be tempting to think something like, “I really love Prezi and Glogster” so I’ll design my activity around those two tools.” An analogy might be helpful here as a kind of caution about choosing the technology before moving forward with other aspects of instruction.
  • Once we have a firm grasp on what results we expect based on standards and objectives, we can begin to think about the best ways to challenge our students.
  • Curricular elements we can differentiate commonly include the processes of learning, the products of learning, and the content on which learning is based (Tomlinson, 2001).
  • High-quality differentiation typically means different students doing different things that lead to achievement of a common learning goal.  Developing options is an effective way to put differentiation into effect.
  • Teachers develop options that meet identified learner needs while keeping key attributes of the target concepts and results in mind.
  • They can be simple tinkering (or micro-differentiation, as Tomlinson, 2001, asserts) or those digital tools can vastly improve how students learn and how they interact in our digital world.
  • How digital technologies are embedded in the learning tasks is vitally important
  • In the following example tasks, notice how the tools enhance the learning rather than restrict it; at the same time students are encouraged to use new literacy skills in learning as they complete the tasks.
  • In your classroom, what successful tasks have you designed with the end in mind that were built on solid principles of differentiation and use of digital technologies?
    • Rosalyn Martinez
      Rosalyn Martinez on 09 Feb 15
       
      I like that the author gets to the point immediately. He defines "differentiation" for the reader and explains a three-phase approach to planning this type of instruction.
    • Rosalyn Martinez
      Rosalyn Martinez on 09 Feb 15
       
      The author is very helpful. He provides useful tips on getting started in the planning process of differentiated instruction.
    • Rosalyn Martinez
      Rosalyn Martinez on 09 Feb 15
       
      Check out these videos! They are extremely helpful & provide a great visual on how to plan differentiated instruction and how differentiation meets digital technology.
    • Rosalyn Martinez
      Rosalyn Martinez on 09 Feb 15
       
      The following are some great examples to help you get started on planning your differentiated instruction.
  • Rosalyn Martinez on 09 Feb 15
     
    This is a great article about differentiating instruction with the use of digital tools. Have you considered differentiating instruction? If so, please provide an example to share with the group as to how you differentiated instruction on a particular lesson and/or how you differentiated an assignment. If you haven't considered differentiation, please state how you feel about this topic now that you are better informed.
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  • marie_lara on 09 Feb 15
     
    That is a very interesting article! No, I have considered this as it is defined, or specified. Actually I suggested something like this awhile back when I was teaching a group of adult students in computer basics. Some of the drawbacks were brought up by others, such as it would require many more resources than we had available at the time.
  • Rosalyn Martinez on 11 Feb 15
     
    Thank you for your response, Marie! I'm certain there are drawbacks due to lack of resources, and I'm sure it's time consuming to set up. Still, I would really like to try this in the near future. Thanks again.
  • jnfreeman7 on 24 Feb 15
     
    Differentiation is hard to do in the first place. When you have students in your classroom that are on 4 different levels and your students are not self directed or self motivated learners there are not enough "you" to go around the room. Technology can allow you to be in more than one place at a time. My favorite way to use technology for differentiation is the flipped classroom model. It can allow for students to work at their own pace and gives the teacher more time and freedom to differentiate during class.
  • Rosalyn Martinez on 01 Mar 15
     
    I agree with you, Jeannine. Differentiation can very difficult especially when you have various levels of student learning. I was unfamiliar with the flipped classroom model. I'm glad you mentioned it. I've researched it and can see how it would help so many students. One idea mentioned in an article I read was to have students view short videos of an upcoming lesson. On the day of the lesson, students are then able to focus on the lesson itself and work on exercises & activities in the classroom. We do that in this class & it really does help. FYI - the article I read on this subject can be located at https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/eli7081.pdf.
Maria Ing

Mixing it Up with Mangahigh: Using Games to Differentiate Instruction | Edutopia - 8 views

www.edutopia.org/...te-instruction-kristof-mueller

instruction differentiation games web2.0

shared by Maria Ing on 22 Jul 14 - No Cached
  • Tip #1: Pre-Assessment - Know What Your Students Know and Can Do
  • While the students are playing, I will note which ones are struggling with the prior knowledge, and which ones quickly master it and are ready to move on. Using my notes and Mangahigh's teacher reports, I'm ready to plan lessons that precisely target the needs of the majority of students. I can also plan interventions for those who need them, and challenges for those who are ready.
    • Maria Ing
      Maria Ing on 22 Jul 14
       
      Pre-Assessments are great tools to help identify strong and weak areas for students. Do you feel that online games could better assess student abilities and allow for more differentiated instruction than a paper and pencil pre-test or a "KWL" chart? Please explain your answer.
    • textraveller
      textraveller on 28 Jul 14
       
      Of course the answer isn't going to be back and white, but my answer would is "Maybe." Online games definitely address the issue of student motivation more effectively than KWL charts. I find KWL charts get old really quickly for students, just like anything you do over and over. So as teachers we try to switch it up, add variety, etc. An effectively designed online game could be a great change of pace. It seems like there would be a learning curve for the teacher as well, though. The teacher would have to get used to being able to quickly assess student progress on the screen. Depending on the game, that may or may not be possible. - C Hilgeman
    • ksspurgin
      ksspurgin on 30 Jul 14
       
      Does anyone else ever feel like pre-assessment (I mean the kind that really gives you valuable data), takes more time than you have to give it? I always feel pressured by the amount of content that must be covered before the STAAR test. Pre-assessments and differentiating instruction are things I do but I don't think I do them all that well simply due to a lack of time. This online game might be a helpful tool and yes, I do believe it would probably give more accurate information than a KWL chart. With the KWL charts students share too much information with each other.
    • Maria Ing
      Maria Ing on 03 Aug 14
       
      Thank you C. Hilgeman, I think you make a good point. No matter what you do, if you do it over and over, it gets boring. I think even if they played the same games repeatedly they would get bored. If the program that they are talking about in this article allows for a variety of games and continues to challenge, then maybe it would prevent the mundaneness of doing the same thing all the time. ksspurgin, I think the pre-assessment does take a lot of time. I know that I don't give one because in order to cover all my material required by testing I really need to start my material on the second day of class. That leaves no time for pre-assessment. I think if I had an electronic pre-assessment like the game, it would be much easier because it could process the data for me versus me having to take time to do it when I needed to be preparing materials for the six weeks.
  • Tip #2: Formative Assessment - Know Your Curriculum
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  • Prodigi quiz engine satisfies my hunger for data, allowing me to collect data during class, as well as review it later through reports and a gradebook. And by circulating during class, I can support students with targeted feedback. After class, I can check their high scores and the amount of time spent on task, and see which math problems were causing the most confusion -- which helps me plan better lessons in future.
    • Maria Ing
      Maria Ing on 22 Jul 14
       
      Formative assessment allows teacher to informally "test" students on their understanding of concepts. It also allows for the identification of misconceptions or misunderstandings. Please share a formative assessment strategy you are familiar with. Do you think that using a educational game such as the one in the article would be more, less or have the same benefit to the teacher and students as "traditional" formative assessments?
  • In my classroom, the difficult goal of differentiated instruction is made easier by games and data. While a new generation of classroom tools, like Mangahigh's games and adaptive quiz technology, give me both of these ingredients in one place, it's all about how the teacher uses games and data to effectively differentiate instruction.
    • Maria Ing
      Maria Ing on 22 Jul 14
       
      Differentiated instruction is not a new term, it has been around awhile. I think most teachers still struggle with differentiating instruction enough to reach all levels of learners in their classrooms. I hope that as technology progresses and becomes more readily available, especially in the educational realm, it will be a problem that won't be so difficult to solve.
  • When students are in the Goldilocks zone, the game keeps them there, progressing at just the right pace to keep them challenged and engaged.
    • Maria Ing
      Maria Ing on 22 Jul 14
       
      I love this term, "Goldilocks zone" to describe what they call the "sweet spot." It is a challenge in every class to find this pace for each student. I always seem to have some students who breeze through the material, which makes me feel it may not have been challenging enough. On the same token, I have students in the same class that are struggling and expressing that I am going to fast. I think if I could have a educational game that challenged each student at their proficiency level and allowed me to be sure each of them got the attention and support they needed to obtain the knowledge needed, I would be ecstatic!
  • Tip #3: Goldilocks Principle - Find the Sweet Spot
    • Maria Ing
      Maria Ing on 22 Jul 14
       
      Watch this video about using online math games to differentiate instruction.  Educators in K-12 are expected to vary instruction based on a students needs and abilities.  What are some ways that you have successfully differentiated instruction in your classroom?  If you are not a teacher, give an idea of how you think instruction could be differentiated.  
  • mrigal on 27 Jul 14
     
    Many digital natives, which are today's students, play video games. They are many supporting facts that video games can enhance student learning. Of course the learning will depend on the design of the game. As the video shows, video games can be designed by the teacher that is linked towards learning goals. To add, video games can be a strategic which may be challenging to the mind - increasing mind power and learning.
  • Maria Ing on 03 Aug 14
     
    I fully agree, games are only as useful as much as they connect to the content that we are trying to teach. If the game is designed well, students can learn a lot from it because it caused repetitive practice of concepts.
Fred Kaplan

The Differentiator - 0 views

www.byrdseed.com/differentiator

education technology classroom learning goal differentiation

shared by Fred Kaplan on 05 Aug 09 - Cached
  • Fred Kaplan on 05 Aug 09
     
    A great and simple site for quick and easy differentiation of content, processes, and products for instruction.
bradlampton

Best content in technology in education PK-20 | Diigo - Groups - 5 views

groups.diigo.com/...technology-in-education-pk_20

shared by bradlampton on 09 Feb 15 - No Cached
Gladys Suarez liked it
    • marie_lara
      marie_lara on 09 Feb 15
       
      I have noticed that! & It makes so many things easier if someone else has already created a video.
    • gracehernandez13
      gracehernandez13 on 16 Feb 15
       
      It is a way to take control what you feel needs to be shared or learned...it is a great tool to enhance learning and creativity. GHernandez (alwzgrace13).
  • Using Skype to bring professionals to the classroom allows for important connections and knowledge. Do you think that companies would allow their employees to Skype and give speeches about their field?
    • bradlampton
      bradlampton on 18 Jul 15
       
      Skype is very much important for businesses nowadays because it has many good points which directly helps in improving the workplace efficiency. Check this link out : http://smallbusiness.chron.com/can-businesses-use-skype-58302.html
  • If virtual worlds are being used by employers, shouldn't we be incorporating this technology into our K-12 instruction?
    • bradlampton
      bradlampton on 18 Jul 15
       
      The advantages of virtual worlds include cost, location and engagement. Why engagement? If you are a teacher then you are probably only too familiar with the problem of trying to keep a class of lively youngsters interested in a subject long enough for them to understand it. Their attention span is limited and boredom threshold is high so you have two issues to content with. Great post! Check this site out: http://www.avatarstorytellers.com/default.asp?iId=HILHG
  • kjsanders on 09 Feb 15
     
    This article really clarified the differentiation concept for me. I've learned that differentiation involves a lot more than finding a different purpose for a given activity to serve. For example, while a lesson in ceramics could be a foundation for a geological lesson on erosion, or a chance to provide physical therapy for fine motor development, choosing different deliverables such as making a model of an anatomically correct turtle or a scaled model of a combustion engine are also types of differentiation. Thanks!
stacey perkins

Voicethread in the classroom - 10 views

njea.org/...voicethread

web2.0 Technology classroom differentiation

shared by stacey perkins on 18 Sep 14 - No Cached
  • collaborative projects
    • stacey perkins
      stacey perkins on 18 Sep 14
       
      Voicethread works as an asynchronous discussion board, so students could work collaboratively in different class periods or locations.
    • Elizabeth Rodriguez
      Elizabeth Rodriguez on 18 Sep 14
       
      Stacey, I've not heard about Voicethread but I am excited to look into it and come back and comment more in depth on this web 2.0 tool. It's amazing just how much technology is out there for use in the classroom! I love it because I am always looking for innovative technology tools for our faculty to use in their courses!!
    • Gena Jean
      Gena Jean on 20 Sep 14
       
      This app was new to me as well, but I could definitely see where it could boost communication among students. As a design instructor I could definitely see how it could be used by students to help them in sharing their work and providing constructive criticism to one another's works.
    • Karla Fabiola Garcia
      Karla Fabiola Garcia on 20 Sep 14
       
      This tool is also new to me. I love what I have read so far and the different ways it can be incorporated into the classroom. I am defenitily sharing this with my colleagues and brainstorming on diffrent ways we can incorporate, as some of us don't have many computers in our classroom.
    • Maricela Gonzalez
      Maricela Gonzalez on 30 Sep 14
       
      My initial response to Stacey Perkins Article Post- As was stated in your link, it makes sense that "text alone can't deliver the subtlety and expression required for meaningful connections (http://njea.org/news-and-publications/njea-review/march-2011/voicethread)." Students need a place to be able to communicate and learn from each other. Not just via text, or typing forums- but also through real life asynchronous discussion boards. This allows students the ability to work together and collaborate to come up with some real solutions to problems. What I noticed about this particular medium, was that as an educator I would have the ability to use a webcam, and reach all types of students in that manner. It appears to be a good way for students to learn from each other, and really get into the lessons that are being taught.
    • Maricela Gonzalez
      Maricela Gonzalez on 30 Sep 14
       
      My 2nd reply- @Gena Jean- I agree with you that this application can help students communicate and thus collaborate with each other- in efforts to gain knowledge. It is important in today's world that our students are as tech savvy as possible, and so the incorporation of asynchronous technology such as this has so much value in today's educational realm. The students of today are living within the technology revolution. They grew up with smart phones, and my daughter who is only 1 year old…screams when I take away my phone because she in some way understands apps like "Candy Crush." She literally knows what to do to manipulate and thus communicate with the technology. It's truly amazing in that same regard, how Voice Thread can help even the shyest students come out of their shells. As educators we need to speak our students language and that is making sure that we learn as many technology driven programs as possible- such as Voice Thread and so on.
    • Pedro Rodriguez
      Pedro Rodriguez on 04 Dec 14
       
      @stacey perkins I have heard of voice thread but have not seen its potential in the classroom. I am glad you shared it with us. I a begin to start integrating discussion into lessons, I can see how voicethread is a good tool for students. This tool changes things up a bit, instead writing, one can record their voice. I also like the integration to LMSs.
  • You can look at examples of how other educators are using VoiceThread on its digital library or browse Ideas for using VoiceThread, a collection of 143 examples from the library
    • stacey perkins
      stacey perkins on 18 Sep 14
       
      If you aren't sure how you might incorporate Voicethread into your classroom/curriculum, check out how these teachers are using it.
    • sharonmahabir
      sharonmahabir on 24 Sep 14
       
      Thank you for the link. I have never used Voicethread in my classroom. I wanted to implement a new technology this year and I think Voicethread is a great tool that my PreK students will be able to use. I particularly liked the Brown Bear example. We do a Brown Bear unit at the beginning of the year and this would be a great way for students to represent their learning.
    • stacey perkins
      stacey perkins on 27 Sep 14
       
      Sharon, I have taught in the elementary grades for years, and have struggled to find tech tools that were user-friendly to my students. Their frustration threshold is low! But I think Voicethread would require minimal training.
    • Maricela Gonzalez
      Maricela Gonzalez on 30 Sep 14
       
      My 1st reply- @ Elizabeth Rodriguez- just like you I had never heard of Voice Thread. I think that it is definitely something that I can use in my classroom. Right now I'm really trying to use as much technology within my curriculum, but I really need to figure out which Web 2.0 technology is going to be the most effective for the amount of time that I have with my students. I will need to research a little more about this particular software, and I hope that I can find some online You Tube tutorials to help me figure out an easier way to use this platform.
    • Pedro Rodriguez
      Pedro Rodriguez on 04 Dec 14
       
      Wow, there are many examples one can use. I know sometimes the hardest part of web tools is learning how to integrate them into the curriculum. I can see the examples are also grouped together by subject. Best part is that educators can contribute to the examples.
  • Examples of classroom VoiceThreads
    • stacey perkins
      stacey perkins on 18 Sep 14
       
      Examples of some finished products...
  • ...3 more annotations...
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  • A single educator license is free and class and district memberships are reasonable
    • Pedro Rodriguez
      Pedro Rodriguez on 04 Dec 14
       
      Trying out the product at no cost is a great idea. By creating voicethreads, you can showcase your work and it becomes easier for the school of school district to see how it works. This can convince administration to purchase voicethread for the whole school or district.
  • rather than using text to talk about text (which doesn't jive when you're teaching art history)
    • stacey perkins
      stacey perkins on 18 Sep 14
       
      Since virtually all of my students are struggling readers (I'm a dyslexia teacher), I think they would be more engaged with--and more willing to respond to--pictures or videos than a written prompt.
  • stacey perkins on 18 Sep 14
     
    How could Voicethread be used in the classroom to differentiate instruction?
  • ...1 more comment...
  • Elizabeth Rodriguez on 21 Sep 14
     
    VoiceThread seems to be a great tool to have students interact with each other. I have found in my own experience that sometimes students have a difficult time sharing in person, in front of a classroom. VoiceThread would give students the ability to share their thoughts with the classroom on different assignments. I think its a great collaboration tool!! I would not hesitate to use it in my classroom!
  • mariavictoria1 on 18 Oct 14
     
    Hi Stacey! I have never heard of Voicethread but after reading the article you shared it seems like a very intriguing tool to use. What I loved the most about Voicethread is that it allows those with hearing impairments to collaborate through webcam commenting by using sign language. Thank you for sharing.
  • robertogarcia24 on 07 Dec 14
     
    It's very nice to hear about the voice threads. I've never actually used them before, but I've seen students present information using them. It looks like something I'll be looking into for my future classes. Thank you so much for sharing.
Stephen Simon

Grades are in: Digital learning gets more state attention | District Administration Mag... - 9 views

www.districtadministration.com/...ning-gets-more-state-attention

shared by Stephen Simon on 20 Apr 14 - No Cached
  • Texas
    • Stephen Simon
      Stephen Simon on 01 May 14
       
      Well we are finally improving and making progress. Now if we could just get healthcare to the rest of the uninsured children in our great state.
  • Eric Folks on 20 Apr 14
     
    Grades Are In: Digital Learning Gets More State Attention Does Texas deserve a "B" when it comes to enabling the 10 Elements of High-Quality Digital Learning?
  • ...10 more comments...
  • Eric Folks on 25 Apr 14
     
    How far is your district from enabling customized learning? I interpret this as true differentiation, and for most teachers, without technology integration it remains an elusive goal beyond modified assessments for those with IEPs. A basic prerequisitie of customized learning I believe, is that there are multiple ways the teacher provides for learning the same content...this way if students don't get it the first time, they can go to another explanation that might be more likely "to click."
  • Eric Folks on 25 Apr 14
     
    10 Elements of High-Quality Digital Learning 1. Student eligibility: All students are digital learners. 2. Student access: All students have access to high-quality digital content and online courses. 3. Personalized learning: All students can customize their education using digital content through an approved provider. 4. Advancement: Students progress based on demonstrated competency. 5. Quality content: Digital content, instructional materials, and online and blended learning courses are high quality. 6. Quality instruction: Digital instruction is high quality. 7. Quality choices: All students have access to multiple high-quality providers. 8. Assessment and accountability: Student learning is the metric for evaluating the quality of content and instruction. 9. Funding: Funding creates incentives for performance, options and innovation. 10. Delivery: Infrastructure supports digital learning.
  • Brenda Wohlfeil on 25 Apr 14
     
    Interesting that many of the states' grades went up because of state regulation changes. It is no surprise to me that Utah is a front runner. I have always admired and appreciate their education website. The resources for teachers and parents, in my opinion, is the best, bar none. Utah Education Network: http://www.uen.org
  • Don Martin on 26 Apr 14
     
    I was at a conference with a member of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) yesterday and we talked about technology in the classroom. He is the head of the classroom technology development group at THECB and he is not convinced that we are using technology appropriately and that there might be a rush to use technology either to be the first to introduce something or just to ride the wave. I've said this before about other topics, the problem is not the technology, the problem is we don't know what to do with it yet or what we can do with it. There is always a learning curve for anything new, however, the learning curve for educational technology may be the steepest curve we have ever met as human beings. In fact if the curve gets any steeper it will be a vertical line rocketing towards the heavens! It is very difficult to climb a vertical face. So what do we do about it? I think we as instructors have to determine what our needs are in the classroom, investigate tools that can address those needs and finally focus on mastering those tools and not worry about all the other things going on around us. That is not to say that we should become static or satisfied with our approach, in fact we need to be lifetime learners. In any endeavor it is possible to become overwhelmed with information. We have all seen at one time or another the student with the deer in the headlights look because they have become overwhelmed and lost in the content. I think that many of our peers are in the same position with education technology. As a result it becomes necessary for us to help them sort through the web of Web 2.0 If we help them find 2 or 3 tools they can effectively use for collaboration and they can master that is enough in the beginning. Let's then help them identify 2 or 3 tools that can help them make better and more engaging presentations, once they have mastered those we can move on. Human's are extraordinarily adaptable but we also are easily overwhelmed
  • Araceli Gracia on 26 Apr 14
     
    Our school is a large open campus that the biggest problem is having enough bandwidth. We only have so many ports which makes our internet slow at times. The issue of cost is the reason that they will not invest in any more throughout our campus. Not sure about the price of this investment but if they want technology to be used in the classroom this has to be taken care of first. Don, When I first started this class, I have to say I was one of those deer in headlights type of student. I am not going for my MTT like most of the students in this course, so it was an eye opener to know that I really did not know much about technology as I thought. Although I have learned so much in this class, I think that introducing teachers to a few Web 2.0 tools at a time, and letting teachers explore there potential in the classroom is something that inexperienced users would appreciate.
  • Eric Folks on 28 Apr 14
     
    Araceli, We too have been tackling the issue of ports and infrastructure in general. Fortunately, we have a very supportive superintendent and school board, and they have been very frugal leading up to this point...much of the investment dollars driving our infrastructure improvements have come from our fund balance. We're at the point where we're piloting class sets for Biology next year and a 5th grade 1:1 at one campus using IMA funds, but honestly we're all holding our breath, wondering if we have the infrastructure necessary for these efforts to be successful, at least on the technology side. This summer technology will be making lots of changes to our network, and that always makes us nervous. Last August they moved us from roaming profiles to folder redirect, and come August staff development (and Sept for that matter) we had lots of improvising to do as most users would only see partial profile loads due to the network configuration at the time. This meant users could sometimes see their drives but not access them (permission errors are so frustrating!), or they couldn't see their network drives at all. As it turned out, this really helped drive teacher and student adoption of Google Drive for file management, so in that respect it worked out. I agree with you and Don and many others, teachers need to be eased into new technology tools one or two at a time, and we as instructional (technology?) leaders need to make a compelling case for why the advantages outweigh the time investment for learning new tools.
  • lbanuelos on 28 Apr 14
     
    Our school districts are just beginning to implement newer forms of technology aimed at providing students a richer learning experience. I am certain that bandwidth will be a concern since currently we use the internet for email and submitting paperwork. Do I agree that to do for the say of doing is not the right approach with new technology. Our approach must be strategic and well thought out.
  • eeverett3 on 28 Apr 14
     
    Nice to see that Texas is as high as the "B" category...and another mention of the texas VLE that allows students to take/make up high school credits online!
  • Jose Escobedo on 29 Apr 14
     
    Is funding a major factor why some school districts don't rush in implementing new technology in schools? I am amazed how some Asian countries had no technology in schools 20 years ago and now it is a different world.
  • Stephen Simon on 01 May 14
     
    I think that it will be a slow process to bring personalized, adaptive learning to the classroom. The article is intriguing in that it brings to light the deficiencies in the public schools of America. This is a sad commentary on the institutional legacy tempered by political decisiveness impacting every individual in the country who has received an American education. Rather than investing in the future knowledgebase of our young minds, we waste our precious resources on the military industrial machine. I ponder the thought of what will happen next when we have the entire nation wired with high-speed internet access. I consider it a given that every child today has a cell phone or access to one. It is but a small transition from there to a smartphone with complete access to social media, search engines, email, and instant messaging; in short, a completely connected computer. How will the upcoming generation use this technology?
  • Brenda Wohlfeil on 01 May 14
     
    I can't agree more with all of you that stated the infrastructure as being a big problem. My school bought 50 iPads only to have the infrastructure support no more than 10 at a time. What a waste! I have met with other private schools, and in every case, lack of a good infrastructure was the major obstacle. Jose, here is a link to an article on technology education in South Korea. One of the things that stuck out for me was the access that students have after school hours. http://edutechassociates.net/2012/05/14/what-can-we-learn-from-south-korea/
  • Merrill Redfern on 05 May 14
     
    Our school is also going through some technology updates/changes this summer. Currently we have several classrooms that are either having trouble keeping a connection or not making a connection at all. I always see a first grade class sitting in the hallway working with their Ipads because the connection in their classroom is non-existent. From what I understand, we have plenty of bandwidth but not enough ports to support it. We have recently bought 25 Ipads. I am eager to know if our infrastructure will support them all plus the ones we currently have. http://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/technology-in-education/
Merrill Redfern

Tomorrow's Classroom (2014) - YouTube - 6 views

www.youtube.com/watch

shared by Merrill Redfern on 26 Mar 14 - No Cached
  • Merrill Redfern on 26 Mar 14
     
    This video is a great example of how technology can influence a classroom for the greater good.
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  • Araceli Gracia on 26 Mar 14
     
    What a powerful experience. Those students will always remember, their sharing and learning with others around the world. It makes me feel so guilty focusing so much on standardized testing, especially as it the time gets closer to test. Obviously there is so much more to a student's learning than just testing. http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/effects-standardized-tests-teachers-students-10379.html
  • lbanuelos on 27 Mar 14
     
    That must have been an amazing experience for all those involved. Collaboration on a global scale offers so many opportunities for students and educators. Teachers collaborating with students as peers. Voices and opinions are shared across continents. Instructors learning from each other through sharing ideas on what it takes to become better partners in education. That sounds like exciting stuff. Araceli, I also agree that there needs to more to education that a high score on a standardized test.
  • Merrill Redfern on 28 Mar 14
     
    I couldn't agree more about standardized testing. I saw a quote one time that stated, "teachers are required to differentiate instruction to students who need to pass a standardized test." Makes one think. Our campus is currently preparing for the Writing STAAR next week. Our 4th grade teachers are doing an awesome job at trying to keep it fun. For instance, they are calling this week Writing Boot Camp and keeping all things military. Wearing camo all week, moving up a rank each time they complete a mission (homework) and then holding a boot camp graduation (party) at the end of the week are just a few of the fun activities planned. My favorite is when they march up and down the halls chanting..... momma, momma can't you see, what 4th grade has done for me.....
  • Brenda Wohlfeil on 28 Mar 14
     
    Last year, I discovered epals.com. Epals.com is a safe pen pal program via the internet for classrooms around the world. Students can email and/or Skype. The best part is that classes around the world can actually work on projects together like the one in the video. http://www.epals.com/#!/main
  • Brenda Wohlfeil on 28 Mar 14
     
    Merrill, the Writing Boot Camp sounds fun. I would like to find fun ways to review math. We are at the end of our review week for the ITBS exams, and I can tell my students are burning out.
  • Merrill Redfern on 29 Mar 14
     
    Brenda - I like the idea of students connecting with other students around the world. That in it self, is an education. I hope learning about other cultures, traditions as well as completing projects together will one day be more common for students as more technology advancements fill up our schools. There are always obstacles though like the lack of money, etc. On another note, we will be preparing for our STAAR Math in a few weeks. I've been tutoring Math and have found Pinterest.com a handy site for math games. http://www.pinterest.com/tlsafran/math-review-games/
  • Jose Escobedo on 30 Mar 14
     
    Talk about thinking outside the box for this teacher. I can imagine the enthusiasm those students felt everyday they interacted with each other.
  • eeverett3 on 30 Mar 14
     
    I enjoyed the video and particularly the teacher' purpose...connecting lessons to real world applications!
  • Brenda Wohlfeil on 30 Mar 14
     
    Merrill, thank you for the link.
  • Araceli Gracia on 30 Mar 14
     
    Merrill, I love that idea of Writing Boot Camp. This gives the students a nice break from the same routine of passing the STAAR and only focusing on the test. I will definitely share this idea with my grade level and with 4th grade so maybe they can incorporate something fun like this for next year. Your students are very lucky that they have teachers who care enough to keep them motivated. Thanks for sharing.
  • lbanuelos on 31 Mar 14
     
    This project will definitely keep the students interested and involved. Experiences like this enhance the learning process by expanding the classroom across continents. Students learn to solve real world problems by working together. Instructors can also share teaching strategies.
  • Eric Folks on 31 Mar 14
     
    We too use Writing Boot Camps...we've noticed a huge correlation bt student's ability to write and their performance on other subject-area assessments, not to mention general weaknesses in writing TEKS. Each summer we do a Writing Boot Camp to help address those, and it seems to be paying off. Our scores have shown improvement!
  • Olivia Basham on 31 Mar 14
     
    Eric, we have also instituted a writing boot camp this year. We will see this weeks what the results are!
  • Jeff Blackman on 04 Apr 14
     
    Really inspiring! It's amazing to think how much more those kids are learning about world cultures from this kind of experience vs. reading about it in a textbook or listening to their teacher lecture. I love this type of learning because it hits so many different modes - doing, hearing, listening, conversing... Wish I'd had a teacher like that!
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