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Instructional use of smart boards

Description/Experience

• The technology that we learned about was interactive whiteboards (smart boards).  These are an interactive tool that allows the entire class to view the screen, come up and touch it, and engage in different activities on it.  You can find different websites on the internet to use on it, or you can use the original software that comes with it.  It is a very good tool for classrooms because all of the students are able to see what’s going on, and they can interact with it themselves.  Also, they can go to the same websites by themselves on their own computers after the teacher explains what to do on the smart boards.  We also learned about portaportal.com which is a free service which allows you to create your own collection of links that you like to use on your smart board, and have them all together in one place.  This is a very good tool because it allows teachers to categorize their different sites by subject or time, and it makes it easier to access them.  This is also a good thing because the teacher doesn’t have to be on random websites and search engines to find the site that they want, they can just click the link and it will take them right there.
  Application

My learners are first graders.  There are not really any students who need differentiated instruction, but some might like the opportunity to do something more creative.

Through this activity the students should gain knowledge on geometry and math skills.  The will use virtual manipulative’s to practice adding and subtracting.  They will also use the geometry website which allows them to turn and twist different shapes to figure out how to get a new shape.  This will help them to later understand what the names of shapes are, how they are made, and how to add up similar shapes.

After presenting the websites on the smart board, I will have several students come up and try it out.  After that I will have the students work on the same websites independently at the computers.  For an assessment, we will have groups of about 5 go up to the smart board and show us what they have learned.  They can make any shape they want and add or subtract how every many of that shape they want using the virtual manipulatives.  This will be a good assessment because they get to work on a shape that they enjoy, and I will be able to assess their math skills.  It is also good because they will be presenting it to the rest of the classroom which lets them teach to everyone else, so they will gain the knowledge of that shape also.

The lesson will begin with introducing the students to the smart board and the website that we will be using.  After going to my portaportal and clicking the link, I will demonstrate what to do on the websites.

I will then have volunteers come up to the smart board to try it out for about 15 minutes.

After that, I will have students go to the computers and work on the sites individually.

Once they feel comfortable with what they have done, they will show me one on one what they did on their website. (What they added and what shape they made.)

After that, I will have small groups come up to the front and demonstrate what they did to the rest of the class as a presentation, and will grade them on how well they used the websites, correctness of their answers, and on how they explained it to the class.

Reflection

The use of this technology will be very helpful to the students.  It allows them to see things in a different way and lets them have a different perspective.  They are also very good with technology and love getting to use it in the classroom.  I think this will be a good tool for math especially because they can have the virtual counters which are a good change of pace from regular counters that they see all the time.  It is also positive because they get to turn the different shapes into the new shape, which requires them to understand the mouse and how to fit the different pieces onto the new shape.  They get to use different colors and make it their own.

--Pedagogical-Content:

My strategies for teaching this lesson are to first demonstrate it to the class.   By demonstrating it, they will get to see what to do and how to achieve it for themselves.  I
 will also have volunteers come up and try it out in front of everyone, but if they aren’t comfortable doing that, they can just wait and do it by themselves on the regular computers.  My other strategy is to have them present it to the class.  By presenting, they are teaching the other students about what they know.  This allows them to have some freedom and to maybe discover different things that other students didn’t think of.  This could be a difficult task for some students that aren’t as familiar with computers, but I think that they will pick up on it rather quickly.  Not all of them can reach the smart board, but they have little hand held points that work on the smart boards so that they can reach the different buttons and areas.  My strategy for the students who maybe are not doing as well with the technology could be to work with them and allow them to use regular manipulative until they really grasp the concept, then they can incorporate that to the technology to really have a good basis of understanding.

--Technological-Pedagogical:

The main teaching strategies that this technology would support in this case would be math.  They get to use the different counters to add and subtract, and it also tells them immediately if their answer was correct or not.  If it was incorrect they know that they did something wrong and can go back to fix it.  It is also good because it had a timer.  For the students who are ahead of the game and are doing very well, they can time themselves and try to beat their best score, which makes it more of a game then just doing the math.  I think the classroom management will be pretty good because a few students will be up at the smart board, while the others will be at the computers and I will be walking around checking on both groups of students and helping them along.

--Technological Pedagogical Content:

This technology will enhance the content of my activity by allowing the students some freedom and some fun.  They always have to do math problems and use manipulative’s and write down their answer.  With this technology they get to do it in a different way that seems like more of a game, which still teaching them the same content.  The geometry part is also beneficial because they always have to just draw out the different shapes and match them to the other shape that’s the same.  This website allows them to not only make the shapes, but put different shapes together to see how each one is made, and why it works that way.  By drawing they can’t get the full concept of the shapes going together.  With this technology they can really see and understand the different angles.  Other then the content area, students could also use this technology for review and practice.  Even on the main screen of the white board, they can write on their, or highlight different areas, or pull down the shade to cover up the answer until they are ready for it.  I think smart boards are a very good idea for students and it gives them another way to learning different skills.  It lets them do things differently and use technology and hands on skills together.

Tech Reflection 2

Description/Experience:

            The technology presented in the last seminar was about Ipads.  We learned a lot about iPads and how they can be used in the classroom.  The women presenting them said that she used them in her classroom with elementary school children.  She used it as a vocabulary builder where the students could use flashcards to work on words.  She also used it for math problems where they could write different answers on the iPad and it would tell them the different steps they needed to subtract.  Another use was an App. Where they got to hold it up in the air and see the different constellations, where they are and what they need.

Application:

            My PDS is a first grade classroom.  I think I could use the iPads in many ways with them to help them learn.  One way that I think I could incorporate them into the classroom would be by getting an App. Where they could practice rhyming words on flashcards.  Another way could be the math application where they could practice adding doubles and one digit numbers.  They could also use the application that allows them to tell a story while it records them, and then they are able to play it back for the class as a presentation.

Learners:

            This classroom is a first grade class so the students are around 6 years old.  All of the students in my class learn at around the same rate, but there are a few that are very advanced and a few that sometimes fall behind.

Learning outcomes:

            At the end of this activity, students will be able to use vocabulary words better and will better understand their meanings.  Another skill that they will have is memorization of double addition facts and of single different number addition problems.  They will also start becoming more comfortable with speaking and getting their thoughts in order by summarizing a book using only their thoughts.

Assessment:

            A way that I could figure out if the students acquired their learning outcomes is by testing them afterwards.  I could use a short quiz or even an oral quiz the tests them on their vocabulary and on their double addition problems.  I would know if the activities worked by giving them the same test before they started using the iPads, then seeing afterwards if they have improved.

-The lesson would begin with me introducing iPads to the classroom.  I will show them how to use them and what to do so that they start to feel comfortable with them.

-I will then introduce the different applications that I would be using (the vocabulary, math, and recorder). 

-After introducing them I will make sure they remember the steps and will have them start working on the applications in small groups of 3 with my guidance and help.

-Each student will get 10 minutes each to do one application.  They will all start with one application; stay on it for 2 weeks, then more forward to a different application so that they get a good range of the different lessons.

Reflection:

            I would represent the content to the students by demonstrating it on the overhead.  I will also write the directions on the board step by step so that they can reference back to it.  After going over it with the whole class, I will also go over it again in the small groups of three and have them practice doing it with me there to make sure they understand.  I think this technology will enhance the understanding of the content because it will be a fun way for them to practice, along with being a massed practice which usually helps with rote learning like vocabulary and addition.

Pedagogy Content:

            It would be presented by the overhead projector and in small groups so that the students can understand and see first hand what needs to be done.  I think a misconception could be the different backgrounds of the students.  I’m sure many of the students have never seen or used an iPad before so they could potentially have trouble at first.  On the other hand, I think that their motivation and confidence will be very high because they always hear about these new technologies and they are around computers, iPods, and cell phones very often.

Technology Content:

            The technology would be used in my activity because the applications are on the iPad.  They would use it to try out the different applications and would also be able to record themselves and also turn it into a podcast that they could share with the class.  Using the technology could help the way I teach this activity by giving me different options of ways to work on the same basic facts.  I think it would seem more exciting for them to practice flashcards on the iPad then to just have them practice regular flashcards.  I think the classroom management would have to change a little because of the iPads.  Since I will only be working in small groups of 3, they will have to be more focused and work together in the group.  The rest of the class will be working on other material with the main teacher so they will have to stay focused on that material, and not get fixated on what they other small groups are doing.

Technology content:

            The content will be enhanced by the technology by making it more exciting and new for the students.  I think it will help the way that the students practice content because it is a different type of learning of the same material.  I think they will like it and be more engaged because it will feel like they are playing a game instead of learning.

Technology Pedagogy Content:

            I think the content could be effectively taught using this technology because it is information that is used often.  It will also be good because it is a drill and practice type of lesson where the different words or math problems come up randomly so they won’t just keep practicing the same problems over and over.  It also gives them instant feedback on the outcome to notify them if they got it correct or not.  This will enhance the way that I teach because it will give more options to the students by having random words and numbers that are in their grade level.  My teaching strategies would be to use small groups, have a pretest and a post test, and to work on the other students with the same material when they are not using the iPad.

Technology Reflection Blog

Technology Reflection Assignment

Description/Experience

            In the last seminar we learned information about Edmodo.  This is a website that looks a great deal like Facebook and it allows teachers and students to stay connected online.  It is not blocked at schools and is safe for students to use.  It is also free.  This website seemed very useful because the teacher can post assignments and the students can go on, complete the assignment then submit it right there on Edmodo.  Another good thing is that if students have questions about it they can answer and ask each other on the wall post which is more useful sometimes then just getting a response from the teacher.  The student’s grades can also be put on the site and are private so the other students cannot see them.  This site allows the students to have their own picture and write some things about themselves which makes each one more personal.

Application   

My PDS is in a first grade class, so using this would be a little difficult because the students are so young.  I do think that it could possibly be incorporated though if the students were put in groups.  Children, even that young, are very good at picking up on technology.

            Learning outcomes:  With this activity, students will learn how to use the computer and the internet.  They will also get to have interaction with one another.  The lesson will be about rhyming words.  They would go onto Edmodo to find the link to another website which will have words and pictures.  The students will have to drag and drop the appropriate word to the rhyming picture.

            Learners:  This lesson will be for first grade which is about 6 years old.  All of the students will be working in groups to help one another and teachers will also be helping each group so that they understand how to navigate the website.

            Assessment:  After the lesson was completed the students or the helper teachers would save it and submit it onto Edmodo so that it could be graded to see if the students completed it correctly.  If the student chose the correct rhyming word with the right picture they would have completed it correctly.

First 5 minutes:  Explain the Edmodo website and have it already up for the students to see.  Have teachers go around and click on the link for the Activity.

5-10 minutes:  Have the students complete the activity on the computer in groups, with help from the teacher if it is needed.

Last 5 minutes:  Have the teachers go around and save the answers to the computer and submit it onto the Edmodo website.  Later grading it to see who completed it correctly.

Reflection

Pedagogy-Content:

I would try to represent the content by doing it first on an overhead projector so they could see exactly what I was doing and where I was clicking.  I would also have on the board the step by step directions, while also going around and helping them to get it set up properly.  Students of different ages and background could be helpful with the lesson.  If there were older students or even students with older siblings at home they might better understand the computer and how to use it.  Some problems that could occur from a cultural stand point could be that not all of the students have computers at home, thus they have had very little experience with them.

Technology:

Some functions of this technology are posting assignments, posting grades (that are private), and posting blogs to your students and vise versa.  I think these functions are very helpful because it allows the teacher to see who is asking questions, who is helping by answering them, and who is staying on task.  There is a start and stop time for assignments to be in so it is easy to tell and remember if anyone turned it in late.  It is also nice that there are the “badges” that the teacher can give.  If the students do something well, the teacher can go on and give them an electronic badge that shows up on their profile page, which makes them feel special.  The teacher can also have all of their classes separated by students and periods during the day.  That is helpful if different assignments are going to different classes, it can help to keep it all straight.  This website is also very accessible.  It is free and shows up at schools because it is a safe site.  You go onto www.edmodo.com and sign up.  Once the user name and password are figured out the teacher just needs to add the code so the whole class is together, and that’s it!

Technology-Pedagogy:

This technology would be used in my activity by going on Edmodo to find the link to the activity. This is helpful because the students aren’t required to have to find the correct link by searching the internet; it’s already there for them.  Technology changes the way this activity is used because it lets them get right on and brings them to the activity.  It then allows them to submit it on Edmodo which is helpful for the teacher to grade it right then and there.  Classroom management could get a little messy when using this with such young children, which is why I had the students put into groups so that they could help one another and the teacher, would be right there.  I think for older students this would actually help classroom management because they would be helping each other out if someone had a question and they would be seeing that everyone else submitted there assignment so they should probably do there’s before it closes.

Technology-Content:

Using this technology would change the representation of content in this activity because the students would be working with the rhyming words on the computer instead of with a pencil and paper.  I think this could be a good thing for them because they are likely to think of it as more of a game and have more fun with it.  I think it will also help them more with remembering the correct answers because it’s a different type of skill that they aren’t used to working with on a daily basis.

Technology-Pedagogy-Content:

The content would be taught effectively because the teacher would still be teaching the students the original way; they would just be practicing it differently with technology.  The students would have already learned and felt confident with the information so doing the lesson online would be more of a fun review where they get to do something new.  I think this technology will enhance what to teach by having different options and having the students see the same information from a different perspective.  I think it would still be taught the same way but the teacher could give different examples and would have to be very helpful with the use of the technology with the students.  I would choose my teaching strategies to suit this technology by using it with lessons that I think the students really understand.  I don’t think I would teach a brand new lesson to them with this technology at such a young age, but I would definitely use it for review.

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