Week 7 Reflection

This course has helped me to develop my technology skills by forcing me to focus on the educational needs of my students. As an educator, I must take into consideration the learning styles of each student and incorporate technological tools that can drive learning as well as prepare them for the future. Education has changed tremendously. The past educational strategies cannot assist students with the future. Research has proven this theory. As their instructor, I must continue to learn and use instructional tools that can achieve the highest educational outcome possible. As a result of this course, I have learned that integrating technological instructional tools can increase retention and allow students to learn from others (not just the educator).

As an educator, I have deepened my knowledge of the teaching and learning process by not being the dominate force throughout the instructional time of my lessons. This particular course has taught me to focus on economical tools that are key indicators as they enter the work force. As a result, I have transformed my role into the facilitator and allowed my students to learn from their own assumptions and experiences. Strategize with their peers on forming a hypothesis and determining adequate solutions for the problems based on their assessments.

Giving students equal rights in a classroom was a teacher’s nightmare until recently. A teacher-centered learning environment does not allow students freedom or access to their environment (peers, community, & world). Teacher-centered environments have proven to hinder students within the learning process (strict drill and kill methods) as well as cause inferiority within collaborative environments (not exposed to the setting). Technology within the classroom converts education into a student friendly (student centered) atmosphere because the student must use their resources to successful. Student centered learning environments present students with opportunities to integrate higher order thinking as well as connect to the world for answers.

To expand my learning and knowledge, I too must continue to learn. Technology is constantly changing. As a result I must continue to enroll in programs that provides great insight on how to effectively add these technological tools within my learning environment that will assist the students’ economically and educational.

At the conclusion of this course, I have two answers that have changed based on the self-check. I found myself creating lessons that require students to present their findings. This instructional strategy lets students to teach the learning environment information they have found (learn from others). The last tool I have integrated within my classroom is the use of collaborative tools to communicate with students and parents. This will eventually become an instructional strategy that allows students to communicate to the class upon approval from the administrative team.

Two long term goals I have for transforming my classroom are to create a technological-environment friendly classroom in addition to create lessons that include these tools. In order to achieve these goals, I must present my ideas to improving my classroom to my instructional facilitator and administrators. Allow them to see the advantages of these technological tools in combination with learning outcomes. The skills and concepts will still be taught, but include tools that have the interest of the students (social networking, blogging, etc.).

Profiling the Students of Today- Week 5 Application

Unfortunately, my principal did not allow me to record the voices of my students. During to the technical difficulties I encountered while trying to create a podcast, I created a movie that provides the feedback from my students. This questionnaire consists of three 7th grades within an inclusion setting. The goal is to determine how technology plays a role within their personal life and how they technology within the classroom. The following are the questions from the questionnaire:
1. How much time do you spend doing the following activities weekly:
• Watching tv-
• Surfing the web-
• Interacting on social networks-
• Texting-
• Playing video games-
• Blogging-
• Skyping-
• Chatting on Yahoo messenger, Google Talk, & MSN-
• Facetiming-
2. What type of technology do you have access to in the following locations:
• Home-
• School-
• Community-
3. Are you interested in using different technologies for social and academic progress?
4. Do you have any experience using different technologies for social and academic progress?
5. Are you interested in incorporating any technology with the classroom?
6. Do you think integrating technology within your classroom will help with instructional material?
7. Do you think integrating technology within your classroom will help prepare you for the work force in the future?

P12 and 21st Century Skills

After viewing P12's website, I was excited about the information that was provided about transforming our students into 21st century learners based on the skills that each child needs to be successful. This website dissect all the important facets of the tools that are being asked of this competitive economy. Our students are already behind students in other nations. I think it is valuable for an organization like P12 to create a mission, objective, goals, and to assist the American Education system to help bridge this gap.

The information on this website that helped me develop a great new found understanding on the issues surrounding 21st century skills was the Framework Component. Basically this component breaks down the education system after the passing of NCLB in 2001 and gear these academic components towards higher order thinking skills as well as innovative skills. Creating standardized tests that avoids the paper and pencil will allow students to be free and express their knowledge in a creatively. In a nut shell, P12 knows that everyone may not master a standardized test but that does not mean that they did not master the skill or concept.

Test Drive

Testing my blog because I am having problems commenting to post with my google account. I will be posting to my classmates with my livejournal account (http://nikishagreer.livejournal.com) which will display nikishagreer.

Please excuse me why I try to figure out this problem. If you have any comments to assist, please feel free to leave one.

Thanks,

Nikisha

Purpose for Blogs in the Classroom

I am currently a 6th and 7th grade Instructional Resource teacher who provides special education services in an inclusion setting (Language Arts and Math). I would incorporate a blog in my class as an electronic journal to determine the students' confidence in understanding the particular concept or skill that was taught for the day. Allowing students to use the blog as an assignment site or to retrieve information placed by the teacher would place students at an disadvantage due to not all students having a computer at their home (My school is 99.9% Title I school). The blog will enhance the lesson by allowing the students to express how they feel (nonverbal/noninteractive students) and be a part of the learning process. I will use their feedback to determine the presentation of skills and concepts to ensure that multiple teaching strategies are used to meet their needs. Lastly, showcasing of work would depend on that particular assignment (book report, art project, awards, etc.) and on approval from the student.

Introduction

I want to welcome everyone to my blog. Feel free to comment on any topic that is posted. Your advice and opinions will be useful in helping me look at situations from an open umbrella.

Thank you,

Nikisha