Sometimes I go overboard on technology.
Sometimes I don't give enough choice in technology.
Sometimes I don't think of ways to integrate technology into my lessons.
Sometimes I use technology as the end product and don't integrate it throughout.
I have felt every statement this year several times. Every year I continue to shift my thinking and continue to make purposeful choices when to embed technology. I remind myself often to focus on the learner and the lesson objective prior to choosing the tech tool. Too often when I first started integrating technology, I always thought it would be the culminating activity.
One of the areas that I have made the largest change this year was with choice. Allowing my students to brainstorm with me and have conversations as a whole group. We are working on our third mini research project, and last week during workshop we discussed way to organize notes. The class chose three ways: Google document, pocket folders or writer's notebook. Interesting note: 15 of 23 students chose pocket folders not what I would have guessed but reassures me that everyone needs a voice in organizing their writing.
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| Decorated cover for research topics |
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| Example of questions on pockets with new research on index cards. |
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| Example of notes answering inquiry questions |
Maria,
ReplyDeleteOne of my objectives this year was to use technology and I struggle the same way you do. So brave of you to put this out there and offer choice to students. It is interesting to see what students really feel comfortable with. In the defense of the technology- I think we need to expose ourselves and our students to the possibilities to figure out what might work; what we might want. They may be more comfortable with pocket folders for now, but you have opened up possibilities for them so they DO have choice. Great work!
Julieanne thank you for your comment one huge difference for me this year I is that I constantly think and want to learn about technology. I am integrating in most lessons even if it is students searching for information. My goal continues to be "a pencil and tech. are tools for our classroom."
DeleteUltimately, it's whatever works and leads to the most meaningful learning outcome. Love the examples you shared, Maria!
ReplyDeleteI agree Tara and the conversations through your blog as well as twitter have helped me grow this year. It is exciting when students realize they will always have a choice.
DeleteI agree it's hard to know how much and when to use technology. I've been struggling with wanting to teach keyboarding so that the students will have quicker access to their technology.
ReplyDeleteKeyboarding in isolation has never worked for me, but keyboarding embedded into workshop even if producing a sentence or two for Social Studies is more powerful. Connected keyboarding is always my goal. Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment.
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