3.1 Classroom Management & Collaborative Learning
Candidates model and facilitate effective classroom management and collaborative learning strategies to maximize teacher and student use of digital tools and resources.
Artifact: Emerging Technologies Project
Reflection:
I created an Emerging Technologies presentation that focused on a specific new technology that I thought would have the most impact within an educational setting. I chose the iPad because of the versatility and ease of use of the product in schools. I have witnessed how prevalent the iPad has become in the last two years and I believe it will replace textbooks in the near future. Apple has already started an initiative to help schools replace textbooks with iPads and studies have shown a relationship between iPad use in schools and engagement of students. I researched different ways that the iPad could be used in the classroom and I have found that purchasing one of these for every student could eliminate costly purchases such as graphing calculators and software by utilizing free resources already available on the Internet and iPad. If every student had an iPad, the time wasted to travel to the computer lab would be eliminated.
In my presentation about the iPad, I listed ways that the technology could be used in the math classroom to help students learn a topic while still managing the classroom to maximize student learning. One of the resources I highlighted was the Khan Academy and USATestprep websites that provide students with resources to learn a topic and practice. This allows the teacher to differentiate a lesson based on level and helps to eliminate classroom management issues that arise from students who need to be accelerated and students who need to be remediated on a particular topic. The iPad also lends itself to collaborative learning, not only with other students in the same classroom, but also with students globally using the Internet.
After completing this assignment, I found myself wanting this technology for my students. Many of them are unable to afford an iPad and their only exposure to this technology is through school. A one-to-one initiative could change their lives not only at school, but at home as well where they may not have this technology. Since I completed this artifact, my principal purchased a mobile cart of iPads for our school and I see this as a start towards making this technology available to every student at all times in our classrooms. If I were to complete this artifact again or update it, I would like to include newer technologies and websites that have become available for the iPad as well as updating research that has shown the benefits of students using iPads in the classroom.
I created an Emerging Technologies presentation that focused on a specific new technology that I thought would have the most impact within an educational setting. I chose the iPad because of the versatility and ease of use of the product in schools. I have witnessed how prevalent the iPad has become in the last two years and I believe it will replace textbooks in the near future. Apple has already started an initiative to help schools replace textbooks with iPads and studies have shown a relationship between iPad use in schools and engagement of students. I researched different ways that the iPad could be used in the classroom and I have found that purchasing one of these for every student could eliminate costly purchases such as graphing calculators and software by utilizing free resources already available on the Internet and iPad. If every student had an iPad, the time wasted to travel to the computer lab would be eliminated.
In my presentation about the iPad, I listed ways that the technology could be used in the math classroom to help students learn a topic while still managing the classroom to maximize student learning. One of the resources I highlighted was the Khan Academy and USATestprep websites that provide students with resources to learn a topic and practice. This allows the teacher to differentiate a lesson based on level and helps to eliminate classroom management issues that arise from students who need to be accelerated and students who need to be remediated on a particular topic. The iPad also lends itself to collaborative learning, not only with other students in the same classroom, but also with students globally using the Internet.
After completing this assignment, I found myself wanting this technology for my students. Many of them are unable to afford an iPad and their only exposure to this technology is through school. A one-to-one initiative could change their lives not only at school, but at home as well where they may not have this technology. Since I completed this artifact, my principal purchased a mobile cart of iPads for our school and I see this as a start towards making this technology available to every student at all times in our classrooms. If I were to complete this artifact again or update it, I would like to include newer technologies and websites that have become available for the iPad as well as updating research that has shown the benefits of students using iPads in the classroom.