How did you use the knowledge, skills, and dispositions developed within the MS in Educational Technology program to support and advance student learning, creativity, and reflection and curriculum innovation, assessment, and revision?
I have gained invaluable knowledge, skills, and confidence while working my way through Eastern's Educational Technology Program. I have implemented many engaging and innovative NGSS assignments following the new standards. I have come to realize the importance of administering formatives often and using the feedback to inform my teaching practices. I have also begun to personalize instruction for my students and look forward to reaching the learning needs of all of my students by using technology to individualize each student's education.
My school just finished our pilot year of implementing the new Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). I felt confident and prepared to take on the challenge of rewriting my curriculum and designing lessons that followed the new standards because I took two courses last summer, EDU 656 Tech Applications in Math and EDU 662 Inquiry, Problem Solving, and Modeling which had us design lesson plans based on the Next Generation Science Standards. In these two classes I developed many NGSS lessons that I had my students complete this year. In EDU 656 I created a Spreadsheet Project in which my lesson has students import data from NASA onto a spreadsheet to graph and interpret Global Temperatures and Sea Level Trends. This lesson fits in perfect with the NGSS requirements of covering human impact and was easy to implement into my new curriculum this year. In the article Developing the Computational Thinker the author suggests that spreadsheets should be used in the science classroom to import large sets of data as well as to "make calculations, graph and chart data, conduct analyses, and solve problems" (Smith and Madar, 2017, p.10). I also created a Calculator Project in which I had my students use the new Desmos Calculator app they all have installed on their iPads to solve density problems and I had them explore the Desmos graphing calculator to compare the densities of different metals. I also developed A Virtual Manipulative/Online Software Project in which I used the awesome simulation site called PhET to allow my students to explore atoms and molecules, as well as earthquakes, all topics that are hard to replicate in a lab setting without technology. Virtual manipulatives allow students "to manipulate the visual representation" which gives them "the opportunity to make meaning and see relationships as well" (Moyer, Bolyard, & Spikell, 2002, p. 373). I was able to directly implement lessons I created in Eastern's Educational Technology program right into my classroom.
In EDU 662 Inquiry, Probelm Solving, and Modeling I was introduced to Honey and Kanter's Design Make Play Growing the Next Generation of STEM Innovators which had a great influence on my teaching this year. I have successfully implemented 4 engineering tasks to my students in part because of the importance of "making" that this book details. Honey and Kanter state the design process "engages students as critical thinkers and problem solvers" and the making process allows students to have "deep engagement with content, explorations, problem-solving, collaboration, and learning to learn" (Honey and Kanter, 2013, p.4). Engineering engages students while also teaching valuable skills such as collaboration and teamwork that employers seek out in their workers. In a survey given to manufacturing companies in Connecticut, 44% reported employees lacked interpersonal and teamwork skills (CBIA, 2017). These engineering lessons I have implemented are focused around teamwork and are instilling valuable skills in my students that employers look for. Engineering tasks also require a great deal of creativity. Students must design their own prototype from scratch in the design process. Teaching my students to be innovative is another important life skill that will benefit them in the future.
Through my studies I have come to realize the importance of formative assessments and using the results to inform my teaching. I often do not test my students in the traditional way, but use gaming to assess my student's progress. A study done by Connolly, Boyle, MacArthur, Hainey, & Boyle found that "mobile gaming apps possess appealing designs which are attractive to learners and thus heighten their replay value, translating into better learning outcomes (Seow & Wong, 2016). I often have my students play a closure game on either Quizizz or Kahoot to see if they learned the days lesson. These game also give immediate feedback to the students and give them their score to inform them if they need more practice. According to the White Papers on Personalized Learning it is essential that "the students and the teacher regularly discuss feedback, progress, and the next steps as both demonstrate commitment to learning and growth"(Zmuda & Ullman, n.d.). I then always post the games on Google Classroom so if my students received a low score they can practice as many times as they need to in order to understand the content. I also use the scores to adjust my teaching, if many students get a question wrong I know I need to reteach that topic to the whole class.
The other area that I have learned so much about and have begun to implement in my teaching is personalized learning. Personalized learning is when "instruction is paced to the learning needs, tailored to the learning preferences, and the specific interests of different learners"(Zmuda & Ullman, n.d., p.5). One way I personalize learning is through the use of online gaming apps. I immediately get the scores and can pinpoint which students need extra help and I intervene before they fall behind. I also personalize learning through the use of Google Classroom. If a student is absent or needs supplemental instructional materials I can provide them to that student on their Google Classroom. I also have used the iPad for the assistive technology tools they contain to assist my students with reading disabilities. Researches have found that iPads "are easily adapted to differentiate instruction" and "are less stigmatizing compared to other forms of technology"(Rivera, Hudson, Weiss, & Zambone, 2017). I have my students turn on the text to speech function I learned about in EDU 612 Assistive Technology and included in my Assistive Technology Presentation so they can get their assignments or assessments read to them. In the future I would like to personalize even further and supply my students with a "playlist" of classwork activities that they could choose from to appeal to all the different types of learners in my classroom like I read about in Patricia Daddona's article Blended 2.0 Shifts Learning. I know that the more I personalize my students learning experience the more engaged and successful my students will be.
References
Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA). (2017). 2017 Survey of Connecticut Manufacturing Workforce Needs. Retrieved from https://www.cbia.com/resources/workforce-development/workforce-reports- surveys/2017-survey-connecticut-manufacturing-workforce-needs/
Daddona, P. (2016). Blended 2.0 Shifts Learning. Retrieved from https://districtadministration.com/blended-2-0-shifts-learning-in-schools/
Honey, M., & Kanter, D.E. (2013). Design, make, play: Growing the next generation of STEM innovators. New York: Routledge.
Kahoot. (2019). Retrived from https://kahoot.com/
Moyer, P.S., Bolyard, J.J., & Spikell, M.A. (2002). What are virtual manipulatives? Teaching Children Mathematics, 8(6), 372-377.
Next Generation Science Standards (2013). Next Generation Science Standards: For states by states. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from http://www.nextgenscience.org
Quizizz. (N.D.). Retrieved from https://quizizz.com/admin
Rivera, C.J., Hudson, M.E., Weiss, S.L., & Zambone, A.,(2017). Using a Multicomponent Multimedia Shared Story Intervention with an iPad to Teach Content Picture Vocabulary to Students with Developmental Disabilities. Education and Treatment of Children, 40(3), 327-352.
Sanderson, H. (2018). Assistive Technology Presentation. Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/view/heatherseducationaltechnologys/coursework/edu-612-assistive-technology/assistive-technology-presentation
Sanderson, H. (2018). The Calculator Project. Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/view/heatherseducationaltechnologys/coursework/edu-656-tech-applications-in-math/calculator-project
Sanderson, H. (2018). The Spreadsheet Project. Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/view/heatherseducationaltechnologys/coursework/edu-656-tech-applications-in-math/spreadsheet-project
Seow P.S. & Wong, S. P.(2016) Using a mobile gaming app to enhance accounting education. Journal of Education for Business, 91, (8), 434-439.
Smith, B., & Mader, J. (2017). Developing the Computational Thinker. The Science Teacher, 84(2), 10. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.ecsu.idm.oclc.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=27&sid= 8788eaf7-745f-485b-ab74-d54ad5379565%40sessionmgr4009
Zmuda, A. & Ullman, D. (N.D.) A Look to the Future: Personalized Learning in Connecticut. Retrieved from https://www.capss.org/uploaded/2014_Redesign/Educational_Transformation/CAPSS_Whitepaper_FINAL_12-23-14_copy_2.pdf