The Philosophy of Technology in the Classroom

Technology continues to grow at such a rapid pace and its involvement in our world today has grown immensely.  The technological growth from when I was a kid, to what it is today, to what it will be in the future is hard for me to wrap my head around. The use of technology in a classroom can be very beneficial for all students and even the teacher if it is curriculum-based. “Integration of technology with curriculum and professional growth increases student achievement.” (http://caret.iste.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=evidence&answerID=1) Lastly, technology can brighten up the classroom to a more interactive; student involved style, rather than an old school teacher lecture base classroom.

I do think technology should be used in the classroom and can be very valuable if it is used wisely and safely. I think technology can be used most effectively to improve both mathematics and writing. The use of technology in a classroom affects student academic achievement, “Students whose teachers were high level users of technology in the classroom scored significantly better than did students whose teachers were low level users of technology in the classroom.” (http://caret.iste.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=evidence&answerID=4) This research was based on mathematic scores in the classroom. Teachers who allowed students to use technology in the classroom during math can help the students visually see how the problem is solved. Using both teacher- base instruction and computer software standard-base instruction can be a very effective teaching strategy for student learning. However, a downside to technology if it is not used properly it can be manipulated. For example, during math students might find a way to find the answer without having to actually conceptually solve the problem on their own.

There are many ways that technology can help assist student learning as well as assess. There are many different kinds of assistive technology devices that can help students at many different learning levels, disabilities, or impairments. Using assistive technology devices can help all students participate in lessons, such as for students who have a hard time speaking or ELL students can use iPad apps that help develop language. I think the iPad is a great device to have in the classroom because you can download or buy a wide range of apps that assist a variety of students, such as: language development, social development, reading and writing, mathematics, self-management, art and music, etc. The iPad is definitely a technology device I would use in the classroom if I have the opportunity. Receiving a classroom size amount of iPads would be very expensive, which then I would use computers in replace of the iPads.  An iPad and a computer are very similar; there are benefits and drawbacks to using both. I think computers are a better use for writing and reading programs. The screen is larger making it easier for the students to read as well as it comes with a keyboard making it easier for students to type. However, the iPads are very petite so they don’t take up much space, and there are thousands of great applications out there to download for students.

The disadvantages to technology would be the cost, accessibility, and unpredictability. Technology can be very expensive and some schools might not be able to afford it. This can create an achievement gap between schools who can afford technology programs versus schools that cannot. Another disadvantage is accessibility, not all students have access to technology outside of school. For example, if a classroom had a class blog and their homework was to write in their blog, some students might not be able to find access to a computer outside of school. This is something all teachers should keep in mind when assigning out of class work.  Last of all, the unpredictability to whether the technology will work that day or not. Technology can be unreliable sometimes. On some days, there can be glitches and it won’t work properly. As a teacher, you need to always remember to have a backup plan when you are using technology in a lesson.   

Overall, I do plan on using technology in my future classroom. I don’t plan on just solely using technology without any teacher instruction, but I do think it is beneficial for student learning to use a mixture of both. The only way technology can promote student learning is if it is used effectively and proficiently in the classroom. As a teacher you need to make sure the use of the technology relates to the curriculum that is being taught for it to be valuable. I will do my best to make sure I remember all of the advantages of technology as well as the disadvantages to provide the best learning environment for all of my future students.

New Technology Programs

In my IT class we went around and looked at our classmates Self Chosen Projects. As I walked around the classroom, there were many new and fascinating technology programs that I have never heard of or used before. There were many great aspects to each and every technology program I saw.


Some technology programs I would most likely use in my classroom:

SmartBoard: I really like how interactive this technology can be. Many students can work in groups on different projects, games, activities, etc. It is also great for teachers to use for instruction. The SmartBoard has many games that are interactive that can also accommodate to different learning styles. Even though, to purchase this program can be expensive, I think it is worth it.
 
Quizlet: I really like how with this program you can create flashcards and it provides various types of study modes to choose from for free! There can be study groups created online with the students which can provide the students with the opportunity to work together. This program also can be a helpful strategy for students who have a hard time studying or are looking for new strategies to help them study.

Polldaddy: This is a great technology for creating surveys or taking polls. You can also create quizzes for your students. This program can be used by both teachers and students. Another aspect I really like about this technology program is that it lets you use 200 surveys for free.

Some technology programs I would least likely use in my classroom:

Doink and Animoto: I really find these technologies interesting and I like the idea of making a video or slideshow of something the students are learning in class. However, there are many programs out there that have the same features as these programs that I could also use in my classroom. I think these are neat programs but I don’t see them being super beneficial in the classroom.

A technology program I found fascinating:

I found the IPad app Mathboard as a very fascinating technology program. I thought it had many effective features and inexpensive. I really like how helpful and useful this program is at such a low price. This program allows access to addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. There are a variety of features you can use; ranging from problem solving, to multiple choice questions, to practicing multiplication tables, and so on. The Mathboard also has a variety of math levels that can benefit the different student’s math levels. The only concern I have with this program is that you can only use in on the IPad which not all teachers will have access to.  


Instructional Strategies

After assessing all of the different technologies I found that there are so many different types of programs that a teacher can incorporate in his/her classroom. Technology provides many different opportunities for successful student learning. Since there is such a wide range of technology programs available, as a teacher you can produce different instructional options/strategies that benefits each individual student needs. For example, Quizlet is a great study habit program for students, Edistorm is a great brainstorming program, Mathboard is a great app for practicing math problems, Voki is a great program for students who are very shy and don’t feel comfortable speaking in class, also can be beneficial to use with students who are learning English as their second language, and the Smartboard is very visual and can be very interactive.  I found all of these different technology programs I learned about in class very appealing, as well as learning new helpful ways I can use some of them in my future classroom.

Assistive Technology

1. Name of the Technology
The name of my assistive technology is an electronic Merriam-Webster Speaking Dictionary and Thesaurus.

2. Category of AT
I would put my assistive technology under the categories; READING: Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary and WRITING: Spelling, Conventions, and Word Choice.

3. Description of how the technology works
The Speaking Dictionary and Thesaurus comes with many different features. This device provides you with built in dictionary, thesaurus, games, exercises, a grammar guide, and your own personal word list. It is fairly easy to use; there is a menu button that shows you all of the options I have listed above. If your sole purpose is to use it for a dictionary when you turn it on the main screen tells you to type a word in and it will find the definition of that word. A nice feature to this device is that it will say the word to you if you don't know how to pronounce it. The voice on this electronic device is clear and easy to understand.


4. The principles of the Universal Design for Learning:
  -Representation of information: The only ways I have seen the Speaking Dictionary and Thesaurus present information is orally and visually. 
  - Engagement in Learning: This device can be used in a group setting in the classroom. For example, if a group of students are working together and get stuck on a word, the students' can use the electronic dictionary to look up the word they are stuck on. This will provide them with the definition; it can pronounce the word for the students, as well as the thesaurus that will provide the students with synonyms and related concepts.
 -Expression of Knowledge: The assistive technology provides games that the student can play to practice and test their knowledge. I think it is very effective having games to play on this device because it is a fun way to practice what they learned. The Speaking Dictionary and Thesaurus comes with built in exercises that can demonstrate their knowledge as well.

5. What types or groups of students might benefit from the use of this technology? For what learning goals might it be most effective?
There can be a variety of students that can benefit from this technology. I think the students with lower vocabulary, students with learning disabilities, or students who are learning English for their second language would benefit the most from this technology. Learning goals where this device might be most effective are for students who need to build up their vocabulary and expand their writing vocabulary. Another learning goal could be used with students who are learning English. They might know what a word is, but they might not know how to pronounce it or know what it means. This can be very difficult to know when someone is learning a new language. A nice feature in this dictionary is the word list where students can add words to further study or practice to help meet certain learning goals.

 6. Any concerns or reservations about this technology?
A concern I might have for this technology is if you are working with younger students' it might be difficult figuring out how to use the device for the first time. When I tested it out for the first time some of the games were hard to figure out how to play. Another concern might be that the effects on the Speaking Dictionary and Thesaurus might be a little old fashioned compared to the newer technology we have today.

7. Other comments, suggestions, or recommendations you might make to a teacher contemplating the use of this assistive technology
This electronic dictionary is very light weight making it a lot easier to pack around compared to a written dictionary. I use it with students who have lower vocabulary to help them build upon that. It helps students learn new vocabulary while practicing how to use it as well as practicing how to pronounce it.

    Hi! My name is Anna West. I am a senior at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington. My typical day entails waking up to my loud and sometimes obnoxious alarm clock that I usually hit the snooze button to once or twice before actually getting up. I then move on to getting ready for the day. I rarely go through a day without having a cup of coffee while I am in school; however, I am not addicted to the caffeine I just like the taste of coffee. :) For breakfast I usually microwave a nice warm bowl of oatmeal. I usually add brown sugar and a little bit of peanut butter.
 I ride the public bus to school every day to save money on gas and it is also sometimes fun because you get to talk with your friends who are riding that same bus. This quarter in school I am taking two classes a day. The lengths of my classes are all two hours long.When I am finished with my classes for the day, I go to the university recreational center which is a building where there are workout machines, basketball courts, indoor pool and hot tub, and an indoor track. I definitely am grateful for all of the equipment and technology Western provides for the students here.

After I am done working out I usually go back home, eat some dinner and begin studying. I'm not the best cook so my dinner usually entails heating up some soup or cooking chicken to put on my salad. Three nights out of the week I play in intramural games. Intramurals is an athletic program where students from the university play sports. Students create teams and sign up for the sports they want to play in that are available. Each quarter there is a different list of sports available. For example, this quarter the sports available are; flag football, volleyball, dodgeball, soccer, and 3-on-3 basketball. For this quarter I am playing on a co-ed soccer, dodgeball, and flag football team, and a women's volleyball team. The games are all usually in the evening when the students are done with classes or working.

Once all that is finished I start to relax by watching television or play on my lap top. Some of my favorite shows to watch are: Friends, The Bachelor or Bachelorette, Biggest Loser, Modern Family, and the list can go on. Since I watch television for my downtime I end up getting hooked into different reality shows or sitcoms. I mainly use my lap top for studying or homework, but sometimes I like to check my Facebook account. If you haven't heard of what that is, it is a social networking website. This is where you can stay in touch with your friends. After I'm all relaxed I usually head of to bed and start the routine all over again the next day.


I am from Marysville, Washington...


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Here is a little description of what I love