Personalize support for educators by planning and modeling the effective use of technology to improve student learning.
Examples of Modeling and Communicating Using Technology
LLT 505
Personal Examples
Rather than talk about one specific activity I have done that connects to this standard, I will give several different examples. I am in the process of working out how to share with other educators the "art of" using technology to improve student learning. If done properly, it should look like an infusion of technology to aid in learning and communication in the classroom. It might be a little different for everyone. I am fairly passionate about using technology in teaching and believe that everyone should strive to achieve what "best practices" look like in their own classroom. The effective use of technology is not simply choosing the latest web 2.0 technology to present a lesson or finding new ways to have students fill out forms to annotate what used to be paper copies but are now digital files.
I believe one way to use technology effectively has to start with communication. By communication, I mean finding different ways to present content to your students to meet different needs. I included a copy of a reflective piece I had written in LLT 505 that talks about different classroom communication forms. It was written at the beginning of my coursework in the Technology program at Kutztown, so I was still teaching out of Google Classroom. The main theme of the reflection is that I try to use different communication forms with my students. I offer written directions and video directions and then work one-on-one with students to teach my curriculum. I have become very adept at communicating in multiple ways out of necessity. I have eight sections of digital design each year. Repeating the same things repeatedly becomes extremely redundant, so the use of videos and written directions has been beneficial. Students who can, and desire to, can work ahead or work on their own. At the beginning of the school year, the school district transitioned to Canvas Learning Management System. Between that and starting the year virtually, I had to become even more intentional on how I wanted to communicate with students. I have moved to a fully flipped classroom, and it has worked out great.
Another way to effectively use technology is to be intentional about how you plan your coursework within your LMS. The biggest complaint I have heard in Personal Learning Networks and within my own school district is that educators have difficulty getting students to turn in work. Sometimes, this results from an error on the teacher's part for not effectively communicating in the first place. A teacher might ask for something to be turned in when the teacher might not have the technical skill to accomplish the task they ask the students to complete.
LLT 505
Personal Examples
Rather than talk about one specific activity I have done that connects to this standard, I will give several different examples. I am in the process of working out how to share with other educators the "art of" using technology to improve student learning. If done properly, it should look like an infusion of technology to aid in learning and communication in the classroom. It might be a little different for everyone. I am fairly passionate about using technology in teaching and believe that everyone should strive to achieve what "best practices" look like in their own classroom. The effective use of technology is not simply choosing the latest web 2.0 technology to present a lesson or finding new ways to have students fill out forms to annotate what used to be paper copies but are now digital files.
I believe one way to use technology effectively has to start with communication. By communication, I mean finding different ways to present content to your students to meet different needs. I included a copy of a reflective piece I had written in LLT 505 that talks about different classroom communication forms. It was written at the beginning of my coursework in the Technology program at Kutztown, so I was still teaching out of Google Classroom. The main theme of the reflection is that I try to use different communication forms with my students. I offer written directions and video directions and then work one-on-one with students to teach my curriculum. I have become very adept at communicating in multiple ways out of necessity. I have eight sections of digital design each year. Repeating the same things repeatedly becomes extremely redundant, so the use of videos and written directions has been beneficial. Students who can, and desire to, can work ahead or work on their own. At the beginning of the school year, the school district transitioned to Canvas Learning Management System. Between that and starting the year virtually, I had to become even more intentional on how I wanted to communicate with students. I have moved to a fully flipped classroom, and it has worked out great.
Another way to effectively use technology is to be intentional about how you plan your coursework within your LMS. The biggest complaint I have heard in Personal Learning Networks and within my own school district is that educators have difficulty getting students to turn in work. Sometimes, this results from an error on the teacher's part for not effectively communicating in the first place. A teacher might ask for something to be turned in when the teacher might not have the technical skill to accomplish the task they ask the students to complete.
Earlier in the school year, I had taught professional development. One of the things I tried to stress was not asking students to turn something in if an educator couldn't demonstrate how to turn it in themselves. For instance, don't ask students to submit a photograph if you don't know how to submit a photograph yourself. Educators aren't just teaching their curriculum anymore. They are teaching their curriculum and navigating within an LMS or Web 2.0 technology.
I hope to be able to run more professional learning opportunities within my school district in the future. A few of the things I wanted to be able to model is creating a homepage with a playlist of activities so students can work from links that navigate right to the assignments. I would also like to show educators how to visually differentiate content in modules so students can navigate and find content easier. I would call it "Creating a No Excuse Classroom." I have included visual examples of these ideas.
I hope to be able to run more professional learning opportunities within my school district in the future. A few of the things I wanted to be able to model is creating a homepage with a playlist of activities so students can work from links that navigate right to the assignments. I would also like to show educators how to visually differentiate content in modules so students can navigate and find content easier. I would call it "Creating a No Excuse Classroom." I have included visual examples of these ideas.