Final Thread Discussion

My first take away from this course is that even with age restrictions on the amount of technology my preschool students should be using, there are ways I can add technology into my classroom that will enhance my student engagement and learning! By just adding a simple technology station to my rotations, I can enhance learning in many ways in my classroom. One thing I look forward to implementing is a PLS (personalized learning systems) at my station which would allow me to assess individual needs and customize instruction to match their needs (Roblyer & Hughes, 2019, p. 188-192).

Another takeaway from this course is that nothing is too hard to figure out. If it's out there, I can figure it out. Technology can take a few minutes to figure out, but then is usually much more efficient and will make things easier. 

I was challenged by figuring out how to use some new technology myself, like using iMovie. I was tempted to just kick out a powerpoint because that sounded easier because I'm already familiar with powerpoint, but I pushed myself into spending a little more time and trying something new. There's still a lot I can learn with it, but I got my toes wet, and it gave me some quality time with my teenage son. 

My entire mindset on technology in the classroom has changed. I see it as necessary to prepare students for their future. It is exciting to think of all the opportunities with technology that can both increase learning and make teaching easier! Technology is moving quickly, and I realize I need to continue to work to stay current. One of my favorite quotes from this class is, "This is not the future of learning. This is learning for the future" (How Can We Use Technology to Enhance Learning? (LEARNING FUTURES - NITA’S STORY), 2014).

The biggest change I would like to change in myself it to keep this desire and excitement alive. I would like to continue to educate myself in this area through YouTube videos and podcasts. I know that when I start teaching in a public school next year, there will be challenges with this. I know that many teachers and administration don't feel strongly about the importance of technology in the classroom, and it will be easy to fall back. I want to be a leader in this area, and bring new ideas to implement in my school. 

References:

How can we use technology to enhance learning? (LEARNING FUTURES - NITA’S STORY). (2014, October 4). Www.youtube.com. https://youtu.be/Bv02p3i2YP0

Roblyer, M. D., & Hughes, J. E. (2019). Integrating educational technology into teaching : transforming learning across disciplines. Ny, Ny Pearon.

 

Technology Infused Education

 

References:

14 Ways Students Can Use Pinterest in the Classroom. (2016, February 4). @USCTeacher. https://rossieronline.usc.edu/blog/pinterest-for-students/

‌ AL-DHELEAI, Y. M., & TASIR, Z. (2017). Using Facebook for the Purpose of Students’ Interaction and its Correlation with Students’ Academic Performance. TOJET: The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 16(4).

Malik, A., Heyman-Schrum, C., & Johri, A. (2019). Use of Twitter across educational settings: a review of the literature. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-019-0166-x

Roodt, S., & Peier, D. (2013). Using Youtube© in the Classroom for the Net Generation of Students. Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology, 10, 473–488. https://doi.org/10.28945/1823

‌ School of Education. (2019, December 16). Virtual Reality in Education: Benefits, Tools, and Resources. Soeonline.american.edu. https://soeonline.american.edu/blog/benefits-of-virtual-reality-in-education

‌ staff, E. (n.d.). The Future of AI in the Classroom. Edpuzzle Blog. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from https://blog.edpuzzle.com/teaching-today/future-artificial-intelligence-classroom/

‌ The Positive and Negative Impact of Social Media on Students. (2021, October 7). Netsweeper. https://www.netsweeper.com/filter/education-web-filtering/the-positive-and-negative-impact-of-social-media-on-students/35845

Assistive Technology

 Assistive Technology

Teachers should be careful in selecting the websites they use in their classrooms, making sure that they provide equitable access to all students, especially those with disabilities. Educators should beware of inappropriate designs. Some examples of inappropriate designs are text that is inside an image, making it impossible to enlarge, colors that cannot be adjusted to improve text-to-background contrast, alternatives to mouse controls, and text descriptions that don't accompany visual images (Roblyer & Hughes, 2019, p. 295). 

As I have mentioned before, because the American Psychological Association recommends no more than one hour of screen for preschoolers per day (Pappas, 2020), I have very limited use of screens in my classroom. One way that I have found that works well to integrate some technology and also meet the diverse needs of my students is by offering a technology station or center in my station rotations. At this station, I offer games with adaptive software, online books and videos to enhance our classroom learning ( Roblyer & Hughes, 2019, p. 273).

References:

Pappas, S. (2020, April 1). What do we really know about kids and screens? Https://Www.apa.org. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/cover-kids-screens

Roblyer, M. D., & Hughes, J. E. (2019). Integrating educational technology into teaching : transforming learning across disciplines. Ny, Ny Pearon.

 "How To" Video Project 

(Kindergarteners sequencing formative assessment activity)

https://youtu.be/iq7DCjrnTe8