1. I would consider myself a digital resident when thinking about my everyday life. I can, for the most part, learn how to use any program and am competent in many. I use technology on a daily basis and am usually the person who has to help my supervising teacher when there is a glitch. However, the words in the wordle are foreign to me which makes me feel like a digital visitor. I am not familiar with all of them other than the word "vlog."
2. Kahoot is definitely something that I will use in my classroom depending on the rules for technology. I think it is the perfect balance of classwork and competition. Also, there is a way that the shy students do not have to put their real names up. This would help them feel less stressed when answering questions but could also boost their confidence because they are seeing that they got the answer right. I think using technology in the classroom is so important and letting the students get on their phones could have a major impact on them. They are more likely to get involved by doing this than doing a worksheet. It is a fun way to introduce new concepts or even review for a test.
3. Digital writing is important because our students will be digital natives. They will have grown up during a time where typing and using programs on a computer or phone is the norm for them. It will help prepare them for state tests that are now online by having them practice their typing skills in a way that they do not realize that they are practicing. However, there are still some students who will not have access to this type of digital writing at home which would make it difficult to have this type of assignment. I especially like Prezi because it is just a modern version of powerpoint and allows the students to get creative with their work. Also, the meme website would be a cool tool to use today because students love making memes and it would allow them to make old assignments new and fun again.
4. I am amazed that there are that many tools that can be used in the classroom when I normally only think about the first 15. I am not surprised that the most popular are at the top because I assume, like me, many people do not realize what is out there to take advantage of. I am also surprised that turnitin is so far down the list because I even had to use turnitin in high school so I figured it would be in the top 20. I love that Youtube is number one because I do not think teachers realize the amount of videos that can be used in the classroom. I also would like my students to eventually create a youtube video that could potentially help my other teachers. I plan on going back to that list when creating lesson plans to see what other cool tools I can use.
5. When teachers integrate technology they need to think about what their ultimate goal is. It is so easy to use technology that we are familiar with but is it really achieving what we want? Also, it is important for teachers to recognize that the same technology or program can be used for different levels of Bloom's. Youtube can be used for basic recall or comprehension but could also be used to create or evaluate. As teachers, we need to take advantage of the different resources that are offered and use them to their fullest potential, even if that requires more preparation on the teacher.
6. I would love to try padlet in my classroom because I think that would make the students who like to hide, still participate in the classroom discussion. It would also allow them to put out multiple different points of view without feeling discouraged when a classmate says something else. Up to this point, I have not used much technology in my classroom because I am not able to create a lesson. However, I fully expect to take advantage of technology whenever I have my own classroom because I think it is a great think for the teacher and the students.
Allison, I liked the question you posed for number 5. "It is so easy to use technology for what we are familiar with, but is it really achieving what we want?" I think about this problem often with technology. Are we using it as a tool for learning or as an aid for learning? I think it is important to do both, but be aware of what exactly shows student learning and what parts of technology should be getting the credit. As educators, we have to keep in mind to how we are using the technology.
ReplyDeleteAllison,
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the digital resident bit. Some things I'm really tech savvy with, but others I haven't got a clue. Most of those words in the Wordle cluster were so foreign, so happy to see that I'm not the only one! I love the question you pose in number 5! I myself am very cautious about technology in the classroom especially when it's at the hands of students 24/7. With every addition of technology to a lesson teachers add there must be a goal constantly being met by students. If students aren't achieving more or at least the same with technology used teachers have to throw it out.
One thing that you will find is that the very best tools go up and down on the list and some tools become obsolete. The Why is the most important to consider though. Sometimes we can't truly figure out how they work until we try them out with our students and then we figure out the pitfalls and possibilities.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that you will find is that the very best tools go up and down on the list and some tools become obsolete. The Why is the most important to consider though. Sometimes we can't truly figure out how they work until we try them out with our students and then we figure out the pitfalls and possibilities.
ReplyDelete