Curriculum Integration Progress Report
Curriculum Issue Identification Proposal: Engaging Middle School Learners with Technology
As part of Acadia University's Introduction to Educational Technology course, I have explored an issue of the curriculum that I find useful and relevant to myself as a teacher of junior high ELA students.
I have included some different sections. Immediately below, please see my rationale for choosing this topic, and the questions I considered while doing my research. Underneath that information, I have included the details of my report. Please click on the images to be taken to the appropriate section of my report.
Rationale
The curriculum issue that I would like to explore is that of student engagement in the middle school classroom, how technology affects engagement, and how it can be used to support and encourage increased engagement in the classroom.
We live in a time where students have almost constant access to the internet and all of the benefits it offers. As a result, students seem to have a shorter attention span (caused by the instant gratification they often get in a tech-laden society), and lack patience or ‘staying power’ to do the type of ‘traditional’ school work most current teachers grew up doing; not to mention, traditional school work is not very relevant to the 21st century society that students are growing up in. Middle school students in particular are known for their apathy - this, combined with an increasingly shorter attention span, makes it difficult for teachers to create successful lesson plans, assignments, and activities that engage and interest middle school students. As a middle school ELA teacher, I would like to learn more about how technology can improve this issue both in the classroom, and in an online learning environment.
Questions to Consider
Some questions I'd like to consider while looking into this topic:
in an era where students grow up immersed in technology, is technology the only way to really capture their interest? Is building more digital learning opportunities into the classroom a way to combat middle-school apathy?
what types of digital activities do teachers commonly use with middle school students, and are they 'successful'?
What are some valuable software programs, apps, and/or websites to use with students, in particular in ELA?
what digital platforms work well (ease of use for teachers and students, interactivity, relevance, skill building, etc.). Are these platforms good for both an in-class and online environment? (eg. Google Classroom, Showbie, etc).
how can we utilize technology to get middle school students to think and respond critically to content?
how do you integrate technology into a middle school classroom when you don't have 1:1 access?
Report Details:
Please click on any image below to be taken to a detailed description of my report findings.
Middle School Student Classroom Engagement: What is the Problem?
How Technology Has Changed Learners Over Time
Technological Development: What teachers can do
Report on Professional Dialogue
Summary of Findings
