904 - Advanced Tips & Tricks

Post date: Apr 24, 2016 11:27:11 PM

Round two for this session for me. The first time I did this session it was done by the tech chicks and focused on tips for mobile devices with a good bit of demonstration how to work different aspects of mobile devices. This time, it was taught by Julene Reed and she focused more on ways to use mobile devices in education. She gave us a brief introduction about SAMR.

The who and why! Love the above graphic to help keep your focus when looking at mobile apps. We need to be asking who is the for and why are we using technology in education. Technology for technology sake is not the answer. Students should be given choices. Let students demonstrate their understanding of knowledge in more than one fashion.

As a new TOSA I'm learning more and more about how teachers need support. Different types of support are needed for effective use of technology to happen in the classroom as well. Working with five school sites I can see a different from site to site with how administrative support plays a part. The sites were administration allows teachers to try and fail, which is part of learning, in a safe environment teachers are not afraid to use technology. Teachers are also becoming comfortable with the fact that students at times know more about how to the technology than they do. As educators when good pedagogy is in place even teachers uncomfortable with how to use the tech can show students how to succeed.

We are developing a future ready climate where student education is becoming more personalized. It is taking time but teachers are becoming comfortable with student choice to show they understand. It is exciting to see teachers and students become excited about learning together.

This is so true that bigger or more tech is not always better. We must go back to the why? Why are we using this to teach? I like to say big and flashy is not always better.

Stay focused on curricular goals. Add the technology that will enhance learning. Don't use technology just to say you are using it. The administration needs to remember this as well. Sometimes the best tech is no tech at all.

We did look at some different apps and web uses of technology and the why of using each. We ended with being tasked to create a presentation of some of our favorite apps to use with instruction.