Article: A Look at Recent Findings on Technology in the Classroom

I have always felt that public education is the most important service our country offers.
The article, A Look at Recent Findings on Technology in the Classroom, begins by discussing the importance and accessibility of a good education for all learners. However the article states, "while we have such reverence for education, schools struggle. Test scores drop, teachers are laid off, programs are cut, and the quality of education varies greatly from school to school". The article asks: "what could be done to improve education in the areas where low performance is occurring?" One answer is the use of technology to improve a student's learning experience.

It is hard to individualize instruction because of class sizes and different levels of student proficiency, but technology can help a teacher do just that. Technological tools are a great way to improve learning, and help track growth, for each student. Technology is good in the classroom because it moves at an individual student's unique education level. The article also discusses that, "technology has proven to accelerate struggling students close the learning gap between those at the back of the class and the A-students". This is a very interesting finding, and not only does using technology improve student learning, it also helps prepare them for the current technological world.

Final Project

Two Perspectives of the American Revolution

            Through out this semester we have been learning ways to integrate technology in our lesson planning. However, one of the most important things that we have learned is that technology should not replace education and teaching styles, but supplement and enhance it. Over the course of the semester we have absorbed information from this course in relation to the other course we have taken, especially in our Curriculum and Teaching classes. For this assignment, I have chosen a lesson plan I worked on from CURR 310- Inclusion. With the goal of integrating technology into this existing lesson plan, I have used resources from other courses including our class, and readings from Domine’s book. The goal of my lesson plan is to increase student understanding of different perspectives, specifically during the American Revolution. The students will also be acquired to create an authentic diary entry, from either perspective of a British or Continental soldier. Meant for 8^th graders, this not only focuses on my concentration Social Studies but Language Arts elements as well.

            The first thing the students will do is reading, in pairs, two diary entries from the American Revolution. One entry is from the perspective of a Continental soldier, and the other is from a British soldier’s experience. The Social Studies standard I felt which is aligned with this task of examining these two experiences and determine the impact the Revolution had on them. Students will use methods mostly including student-centered work. Some of these strategies include reading aloud and small-group work. I felt I could also allow students to use Internet access and a computer to supplement their task. A good NETS strategy I aligned with this task focuses on communication and collaboration with students. By working together, in pairs, these students will reflect the standards I believed would enhance this first objective. For homework, students will have to do Internet research of the different experiences of both the British and Continental army troops during the Revolution.  This homework assignment asks students to “employ data-collection technology” to gather and evaluate information found on the Internet. The students must then bring their findings to the class, where their findings will be discussed as a group (which is both student and teacher centered).

The Social Studies standard that I feel replicates this assignment, the most, is using these findings to compare and contrast different interpretation of historical events.  Group discussion is both student and teacher centered and students will work together to brainstorm and create a Venn diagram. The teacher will begin the lesson by modeling an example for the class for the graphic organizer. Students will be able to gather information and create a visual presentation with teacher involvement. The technologies the students will utilize include their Internet research, graphic organizers and computer access. The NETS standards I felt could be the most relevant for this task include using technology productively, for their homework assignment, and proper communication.

            For the next assignment part of this lesson, students will be required to research particular events that occurred during the American Revolution. Students will be advised that they will incorporate this information for their final assessment, and that they must chose a perspective to work with. I felt the standards that represent this part of the assignment are both NETS standards. Students will have to use technology effectively and productively; this is crucial for student success. The strategies students will utilize are individual work, which will be assessed, and information and research gathering. The technologies students will need to use are both Internet research and a computer.

            The final assessment, and end product, incorporates cross-curricular standards related to, not only Social Studies skills, but writing skills, NETS standards, and technology. The Language Arts standard I referenced for this part requires students to use a computer and word processing software, like Microsoft Word, to compose a creative piece. This standard is perfect for the end product of a creative writing, journal entry, as if the student was in the American Revolution for either perspective of the American or British military member.  Through their Internet research, students must incorporate at least three verifiable facts they have found, and reference a particular event during the Revolution. The NETS standards I felt went along well with this task, wants students to use creativity and innovation in this final assessment, and to demonstrate creativity.  This final row focuses on student-centered strategies like individual and creative writing, as well as student participation. The only technologies I felt were needed is Internet research, a computer and printer.  

Hopefully, the students will meet the goals and learning topics of this lesson, through the use of technological resources and prior knowledge/abilities.