Reflection upon EDUC 6711

                This course has caused me

                This course has however, given me many technology resources to use in the classroom that allow for students to have memorable hands-on experiences. I have learned of many technology tools that align with my learning theory and also with effective instructional strategies. I have also learned the importance of ensuring that technology used in the classroom is used as learning tools, thus making sure that the classroom remains student-centered (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).  Keeping the students at the center of the lesson will help keep them actively engaged and focused on the content.

                One adjustment that I plan to make to my instruction due to this course is my use of the interactive whiteboard in the classroom. In the past I have used an interactive whiteboard very frequently in my classroom to help with instruction. This type of use is keeping myself at the center of the lesson and is a lecture style of instruction. This type of use does not coincide with my personal learning theory and does not allow the students to be actively engaged (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). Future use of the interactive whiteboard in the classroom will be by the students. Allowing the students to use the technology will make the students the center of the lesson and keep them actively engaged (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).

                Two technology tools that I would like to use in my classroom are VoiceThread and Microsoft Excel. I would like to use VoiceThread in my classroom to help my students with their homework and problem solving skills. Programs such as VoiceThread allow me to post problems on the internet for students to work collaboratively on outside of the classroom, thus promoting cooperative learning. It also allows me to give quick feedback to questions students may be having about their assignments. Microsoft Excel will allow my students to create formulas and calculate quickly. I like this more than the use of a simple calculator because students must demonstrate a knowledge of a formula and how it works in order to use Excel. Excel will also allow students to quickly and easily create graphs. The ability to create and interpret graphs are major math skills that my students need to possess. Graphs may also serve as nonlinguistic representations for the students to use to help in their learning.

                The greatest thing this course has done for myself is that it has allowed me to match instructional strategies with appropriate technology tools. I have in the past used homework as a main instructional strategy for my math class. This course has helped me adapt my method of using homework. I now have a better understanding that students need early feedback during homework completion, feedback should come in different forms, and students should chart their speed and accuracy for completion of work (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). Technology tools such as Excel and VoiceThread help to accomplish these things.

                Two long – term goal changes I would like to make to my instructional practice regarding technology integration are first to integrate technology on a more frequent basis and second is to make sure the technology tools I use in my classroom are student-centered and used as learning tools. To achieve the first goal I am going to make sure I integrate at least one technology tool for every lesson. In order to achieve my second goal I will need to choose technology tools that keep my students actively engaged (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). These two goals will have to go hand in hand. By integrating more technology I will need to pay close attention that I am not just using technology to use it. I will need to be careful in my choices of technology tools and ensure that the tools chosen are aiding the students learning and allowing them to construct their own knowledge.

                This course has allowed me to find some of the technology pitfalls that I was beginning to fall into and the changes I needed to avoid them. I am now able to make the valuable connections between how my students learn, what instructional strategies will help them, and the technology tools that will make implementing these strategies more effective.

References:

H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction

                that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010). Program thirteen. Technology: Instructional tool vs. learning tool [Webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Lever-Duffy, J., & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical foundations (Laureate Education, Inc.,

                custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

to reevaluate my theory on how students learn and my integration of technology in my classroom. My personal learning theory at the beginning of this course was that students learn best by building knowledge through memorable hands-on experiences. It was my belief that each individual student brings their own cognitive ability to a learning experience and then constructs their own knowledge based on that learning experience. My theory was closest to a cognitive-constructivist view such as that of Robert Gagne’s (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008). Presently, at the conclusion of this course, I would not make any modifications to my personal learning theory. I still believe strongly that students learn best when they build their own knowledge through memorable hands-on experiences.