Technology Integration and Google Applications

I think that technology integration will be crucial for future students living in the modern world. However it is important for teachers to keep in mind that some students may not have the same accessibility to technology. An example of this would be the Olivia’s Story video we were required to watch for Interactivity 1. I remember reading in Domine’s book that the teacher should be aware of the technological resources the school has to offer, and utilize them.  This is a good way to make sure each student has the same opportunity to learn and participate. Teachers should also exploit technology use and online resources, especially free applications.

It is amazing to see how much Google has to offer. I have recently found out about Google Drive, a new FREE replacement for a USB device in many ways. Google also offers functions that compete with the well-known Microsoft Office programs like Word. Microsoft can be expensive when it is not included on a computer; Google offers similar programs for free, all you need is a GMAIL account. Google Presentation is like the equivalent of PowerPoint and Google Spreadsheet is just like Microsoft Excel. After utilizing Google Spreadsheet for two of our Interactivities, I have learned how I could integrate technology into my life, not only as a student but as a future teacher as well.  I think it is interesting how documents can be shared so easily through Google.  I thought it was very cool how our Professor used the Google application to see who contributed to the document and when. It’s a good way to check and judge student participation.

Online Standards and Lesson Planning for Teachers

This week in READ 411 we have began creating lesson plans with members of the same major/ subject area. Interestingly, I have been able to use websites provided by both CURR 316 Interactivites and CURR 314 assignments. For example, I have utilized Core Curricular Standards in all three education sequence courses. This website is great because it shows you what students should be able to grasp at different times in their educational experiences. I am sure this website will be a resource I will continue throughout my career. Using these state standards, I have found it very helpful to think of unit and lesson planning. On the Internet it is easy to search for strategies and actual lessons. These online resources can be a springboard into creating a fun and informative lesson. It is also good because teachers can think of ways to utilize and include technology, especially when using it  to promote both student and teacher interaction.

            In my READ 411 group we used the Internet to follow and create our own lesson plan. Example of lessons from the Internet can show teachers a good way to organize. The online lesson examples serves as a model for teachers. For example, it is important to start a lesson with a clear objective and noting which curricular standards are met (referring to the hyperlink I provided in the previous paragraph). For my Interactivity 4 lesson I utilized a lesson plan I found on the Internet about the U.S. Constitution. Using this plan as a starting point I looked for ways to modify the lesson with technology.  The Internet can also be helpful in providing the teacher with handouts and assignments.

Video in the Classroom

Domine quotes Thomas Edison with saying that, “books would one day be obsolete and that it would soon be possible to teach every branch of human knowledge with a motion picture” (Domine, 33). I disagree with this statement, but it is interesting to see the advancement of video in education. For example, when I think about this quote I think about films like Romeo+ Juliet being filmed in English classrooms.Videos enhance teaching with the use of superior visual aids and first-hand accounts. I feel that the use of films in the classroom is one of the most important innovations in education. I believe instructional films/ documentaries have a big impact especially when utilized in a Social Studies classroom environment.  Literacy is now one of the primary goals of education, and has moved from the past objective of enhancing “spoken word”.  The use of instructional films, and other videos, in the classroom is very important. This specific technology can be used to supplement educational goals, not replace them. As we have been learning in the other co-requisite courses, visual aids are a good way to convey themes/objectives.
  Although instructional film technology has a huge impact on the classroom community, there are some benefits and controversies surrounding this form of media. In Social Studies, videos and documentaries can be shown to enhance the learning experience and revolutionize teaching. I think that YouTube is a great new way to find informative videos. I know that when I was in high school we watched many videos and clips found on the Internet. For example, we learned how to memorize the Preamble of the Constitution through a Schoolhouse Rock clip a teacher showed us.The school library also provided informational/relevant videos that teachers would check out. I like how the use of video, as Domine noted, moves from individual to group learning. Some suggest that using this technology moves away from literacy.  

Interactivity #4: The U.S. Constitution Lesson Plan

 Paige Lattimore 8th Grade Social Studies Constitution Lesson
The Bill of Rights Institute, Constitution Day Lesson Plan

 

      I thought that Interactivity#4 was a fun and informative assignment. It was great being able to both plan and create assignments through the use of technology. In this case I specifically used the Internet and other resource applications like Google Spreadsheet to organize and plan tasks for students. The Internet also gave me an idea of things to try in my classroom. I thought teaching the Constitution is very relevant and important for students in both civic life and curricular standards. I tried to accomplish covering many of the NJCC standards on this "unit". Early American history is probably my favorite time period to learn about, so I thought this lesson was a good idea. The website I found the lesson plan on had numerous resources like the 7 Articles of the Constitution handout and homework/classwork sheets.

      I felt that using technology could be helpful especially for the homework assignments I required for this unit. For example, the Governments Around the World handout requires research, and the lesson plan provides a website that students could utilize; of course students can do their own online research as long as they use credible sources. For this assignment, the teacher can also suggest students to create graphic organizers through technology such as PowerPoint in order to comply with the lesson plan. The use of technology can help bridge the understanding and accessibility of this lesson for the students. It is also important that the lesson complies with state curricular standards. The Internet also serves as liaison for teachers to learn different ways of implementing lessons and to be aware of the curriculum standards. Overall the use of technology, like the Internet, facilitates student learning and teacher awareness. However, it is important that the use of technology in the classroom should always support the learning experience. In this activity, I wanted to make sure technology filled in the gaps of supporting classroom activities/assignment. Ultimately the student is being assessed on content knowledge, not computer skills.

 

Interactivity #3: Generating a State of the Art Inventory

The group process required for this interactivity could be challenging at times. It is hard to work and collaborate with people you have never met in person before. However, through the use of technology it was possible to work together. Each person brought something new and unique to our inventory. Although we did not separate the spreadsheet by content area, I feel like some of the sites/technological programs can go across curriculum and subject matter. For example Katherine, a fine arts education major, suggested the website Flash Card Machine. I have never heard of this website before, but looking at I feel like I can, or my students can, utilize this technology for studying. The best thing about this assignment was being introduced to new technologies, I may not have encountered before, and learning from the members in my group.  

It is also interesting to see how the educational sequence courses are all connected. The things I am learning in one class may have been discussed or relevant to the other. In READ 411, Language and Literacy Across the Curriculum, we have just went over using technology to assist students in their comprehension levels. An example of this could be using the Internet to define a term or concept that you are not familiar with. To do this, you could use a variety of techniques for the “Stages of Pedagogical Development” found in Professor Domine’s book (and also how we organized our spreadsheet). In Assesment of Learning (CURR 314), both students and teachers can benefit from the inventory we have done. Through technology, assessments can be found and provide help facilitate learning. An example is finding quizzes to test the students’ knowledge of a subject. In both classes, technology can be used as a tool in assisting both the students and teacher.

Interactivity #2: The History of Films and Television in Public Schools

According to Vanessa Domine, “technology is merely a vehicle through which the young consumer can attain social, cultural, and economic power” (Domine, 43). Today technology plays an important role in the lives of students and the general public. When applied to education, technology can transform the classroom experience for all participants. Through out history, the advancement of technology has changed and improved. From starting off with the basic chalkboard slate to impressive Internet technology that provides an infinite amount of knowledge. With the advent of new technology, classroom focus has moved from individual to group instruction. Although there have been many technological advancements, I feel that instructional films and television programs are one of the most, if not the most, important innovations in the classroom.  This form of technology is especially important/impactive when applied to a Social Studies classroom environment.

            The video we watched portrays film and videos as one of the first major progressive movements in instructional technology. This type of media provided a new means of visual instruction. Instructional films has helped with teaching in overcrowded classrooms and with cost expenses by providing an affordable means of instruction; as textbooks can be very expensive. According to the video, films made their first appearance in the classroom in the 1930s, although their use declined in the mid 1980s. However, they are still utilized today. In Domine’s essay, she states “TV and film—both as technologies and as media—are powerful agents of history, politics and society at large”(Domine, 46). I feel like this quote demonstrates the impact/importance of this type of technology particularly in the Social Studies content area.

           In Social Studies, teachers may show videos with propaganda, to give an idea of what people were subjected to at an earlier time. Videos from specific time periods, like World War II can be used to help students visualize the time period. Another idea for Social Studies could be the use of motion pictures to separate fact from fiction in a historical context. Such as watching the film Schindler's List, and having the students investigate what parts of the film were historically accurate, and what parts were complete fiction. However, in this form of media, students can be exposed to censorship through protectionism. Protectionism is, “a perspective based on the fear that technology can and does exert harmful influences upon users” (Domine, 53). Someone determines what is appropriate and inappropriate for students, can this be harmful to the education process?  I believe the answer can be subjective.

Instructional films and the move from individual to group learning.