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Transcript
Roblyer and Hughes (2019) posit that educators may not be able to predict the future of educational technology, but they must recognize that it will be different than it is today and be committed to adapting and continually investing their time to discover new technological tools. In other words, when it comes to technology, educators need to be lifelong learners. There will always be a new platform or tool that can enhance learning experiences. Being a curious teacher that is willing to explore and adapt will show students that it’s important to be a learner that is always looking to grow and improve, no matter your age.
Technology is the language of today’s students and by learning and using their language, we can better motivate and support learners to connect to their instructional experiences. Additionally, adaptive and assistive technologies can be unique problem-solvers for differentiated instruction and provide the insight needed to personalize learning.
There will always be more to learn in educational technology but these take-aways are inspiring me to be a curious explorer in this new frontier for learning.
Source
Roblyer, M.D. and Hughes, J.E. (2019). Integrating educational technology into teaching (8th ed.). Pearson.
Educational Technology Infographic
Transcript
Assistive technology is used to improve and enhance the learning experiences of students with special needs (Roblyer & Hughes, 2019). There are many tools that can be used in conjunction with or in place of other technology to meet the needs of all students.
I am not currently teaching in a classroom so I do not have specific examples of using assistive technology, but I believe there are two essential steps to creating a classroom that meets the unique needs of all students.
The first is to have a method of assessment of individual students’ needs. This includes specific questions for an educator to personally consider for diverse students related to her planned learning experiences and careful consideration of a student’s IEP along with connection to the assistive technology team at the beginning of the school year in order to plan ahead and get started on the right foot.
And second is to have a toolbox of familiar and proven assistive technology tools to use as needed. These can include no-tech, low-tech, and high-tech solutions which Roblyer and Hughes (2019) outline in chapter nine.
Source
Roblyer, M.D. and Hughes, J.E. (2019). Integrating educational technology into teaching (8th ed.). Pearson.
Transcript
There are many benefits and challenges to using electronic games in learning experiences. As Roblyer and Hughes (2019) explain, the use of gaming in the classroom can increase student motivation and engagement, provide structure for achievement that students relate to, as well as adding playfulness to lessons. But gaming in the classroom also brings challenges such as students focusing on having fun versus learning, the teacher’s need to ensure effective transfer of learning, as well as the educator’s responsibility to connect game goals to learning objectives.
Despite these challenges, many educational leaders encourage teachers to include game-based learning because it highlights playful learning, encourages problem-solving, and teaches cooperative skills. If educators are aware of the benefits and challenges of gaming, they can effectively incorporate educational games into their learning experiences. As with many new methods of teaching, balancing tried and true pedagogical approaches with new and innovative methods will keep lessons relevant and engaging.
To make this integration more effective, I work to ensure that the games offer clear educational benefits and a direct link to learning outcomes. One way to strike the balance I mentioned earlier is to use games as follow-up or practice after direct instruction and to limit the amount of time spent on these supplemental tools.
Gaming becomes inappropriate in an instructional environment when gameplay overshadows a lesson or desired learning outcome. Gaming also becomes ineffective when students are more focused on the actual play than how the activity can enhance their learning.
Today’s learners are immersed in environments of digital play outside of the classroom. To keep learning and gaming segregated would be a great disservice to our students. Kids need to see that they can learn inside and outside of the classroom; onscreen and offscreen. Balancing classic and innovative approaches will empower students to be lifelong learners.
Source
Roblyer, M.D. and Hughes, J.E. (2019). Integrating educational technology into teaching (8th ed.).
Pearson.
Technology Integration Checklist
Transcript
As technology progresses, the use of data collection and analysis continues to revolutionize education. Data can be collected in the classroom for planning, learning about students, and performing formative assessments. Additionally, data collection can be performed by students to enhance learning experiences and provide practice for skills they will surely need for the remainder of their education and later in the careers they will explore. It is important for today’s teachers to not assume that their student “digital natives” are adept at using technology. Robyler and Hughes (2019) share that research indicates K-12 students are not as proficient in technology as one might think. Research also indicates that recently certified educators have much to learn about technology.
While my classroom experience is limited, I use data collection and analysis daily in my work in children’s media. We collect data through our media platform on behavior and engagement as well as surveys to assess the needs of kids and families in order to best meet those needs with timely and effective resources. We use tools such as Survey Gizmo and Google Forms to collect feedback as well as Chart Mogul to process platform data and Tableau to present the data in an easy to understand format to the team.
I have not yet taught students to collect data but when I do, I will start with simple tools such as surveys, spreadsheets, and visual graphing and begin by gathering data around their interests to enhance their learning. I would also focus on engaging students to report their own progress through data collection, which would motivate them through self-awareness and insight. The Resilient Educator (n.d.) posits, “By creating fun projects for students to report their own progress, teachers can gain more insight into how the student perceives their own accomplishments and ability.” They say information is power and I believe data collection gives both teachers and students the understanding they need to be empowered educators and learners.
Sources
Collecting data in the classroom: A teacher’s guide (n.d.). The Resilient Educator.
https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-resources/collecting-data-in-the-classroom-a-teachers-guide/
Roblyer, M.D. and Hughes, J.E. (2019). Integrating educational technology into teaching (8th ed.). Pearson.
EdTech Personal Philosophy
Personal Philosophy of Technology in Education
Jessica Wolstenholm
School of Education, Liberty University
EDUC 630: Technology Practices for Instructional Improvement
Dr. Amanda Roberts
January 31, 2021
Author Note
Jessica Wolstenholm
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Jessica Wolstenholm
Email: jwolstenholm@liberty.edu
The Purpose of Technology in Education
Technology serves several purposes in education but first and foremost, it provides students with up-to-date, relevant methods of learning while preparing them for success in a tech-driven world. The use of technology in education motivates students by gaining their attention, connecting concepts to real life, and providing a hands-on, creative approach to learning (Roblyer & Hughes, 2019). Yet these benefits cannot work on their own. Roblyer and Hughes (2019) posit, “When these contributions are combined to tackle learning needs and interests for individual students, technology seems to make the greatest difference” (p. 92). A prime purpose and benefit of technology in education is to provide ways to make learning environments adaptive to the needs of individual learners.
Spector, Merrill, Merrienboer, and Driscoll (2008) explain, “The goal of an adaptive system . . . is to create an instructionally sound and flexible environment that supports learning for students with a range of abilities, disabilities, interests, backgrounds, and other characteristics” (p. 278). For instance, the ability to include real-time, formative assessments within learning experiences is a game-changer for educators, especially when teaching students with diverse needs. Additionally, the wide range of technology tools available to teachers allows them to create a flexible environment in which students can connect to the curricula in a variety of ways.
Biblical Support for Technology in Education
Christian educators have a responsibility to lead well just like any other educator but perhaps even more so. Psalm 78:72 (New Living Translation, 1996/2015) says, “He cared for them with a true heart and led them with skillful hands.” In this verse, the Psalmist points out two imperative characteristics of a leader or caregiver: purity of heart and excellence. In today’s world, it is not possible to lead with excellence in education without technology.
Acts 20:28 (English Standard Version Bible, 2001) says, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” An educator is, in essence, an “overseer” of their students or “flock” as this word picture explains. Teachers must use careful attention when stewarding the position they’ve been given, and that includes using technology wisely to serve their students.
One of the most important ways teachers can lead with excellence in technology is by being an example of good digital citizenship. Titus 2:7 (New Living Translation, 1996/2015) says, “And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.” The level of integrity and responsibility teachers operate with while using technology in learning experiences will speak volumes to learners and directly impact how those students handle technology on their own.
Technology in Practice
With all of the tech-driven tools available to educators today, it would be easy to get lost in the latest trends and methods and forget the true focus of our practice: the students. Roblyer and Hughes (2019) said, “In an increasingly technological society, we need more teachers who are both technology savvy and child centered” (p. 15). This is the balance that I seek as an educator—to stay up to date or savvy with the tools that will best serve my practice while keeping learners and their individual needs at the center of everything I do.
Technology has the power to streamline and transform teaching methods to free us up to focus more on the individual needs of each unique learner in our care. Through a flexible
environment, equipped with a variety of interesting and relevant technological tools, I hope to inspire students and empower them to engage in each lesson as they connect their interests and ideas to what we are learning.
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References
English Standard Version Bible. (2001). Crossway Bibles.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation. (2015). New Living Translation. (Original work published 1996)
Roblyer, M.D. and Hughes, J.E. (2019) Integrating educational technology into teaching (8th ed.). Pearson.
Spector, J.M., Merrill, M.D., Van Merrienboer, J., and Driscoll, M.P. (2008). Handbook of research on educational communications and technology (3rd ed.). Routledge.
Transcript
Hi, I'm Jess Wolstenholm and this is my very first discussion board blog post or a video post so this is kind of new for me, but this is fun to do this in a different way. I am answering our first differentiation through technology discussion thread. And the questions: How does the effective teacher balance the demand of a standards-based curriculum catered to the individual needs of each student? What tools do we have at our disposal to help us comply with both demands? What best practices regarding technology in your instruction do you incorporate into your lessons?
This is such an interesting discussion because I think teachers are so overwhelmed these days with all of the standards-based instruction and curriculum that they have to address. And it can often take away from their ability to differentiate or to personalize instruction. But I think the more that teachers work together in collaborative learning environments and help each other kind of find those ways and those lesson plans or those methods of instruction that work best for a variety of students, I think that really helps them kind of work together as a team to do both, to meet those standards and also to do it in a way that creates an effective learning environment for their students.
This week in our reading, in the Spector, Merrill, Merrienboer, and Driscoll (2008), they say, “the goal of an adaptive system in the context of this chapter is to create an instructionally sound and flexible environment (I think that's key) that supports learning for students with a range of abilities, disabilities, interests, backgrounds, and other characteristics” (p. 278). I think that says it right there, just that adaptive environment, that flexible environment, I love that word, and I think technology allows us to be a lot more flexible in our instruction. There are so many tools out there that can meet the different needs of different learners. It's important for teachers to do the research and to be familiar with those and have a toolbox that they can pull from based on the needs of their individual learners.
Also in our reading this week, Roblyer and Hughes (2019) talked about adaptive learning technologies and then also the personalized learning. And I love what they said. “Optimally characteristics of personalized instruction include an academic learner profile, learner controlled learning paths with goals, frequent formative assessment and progression determined by learner competency, and robust teacher and school-based support” (p. 13). And I think that those four things right there are just so important. I think technology allows us to be a lot more personalized so that learners can have their own personalized learning path with goals. The formative assessments that can be done a lot more flexibly and a lot more on-demand for learners, I think really can help with that.
And then, of course, going back to what I was saying in the beginning, that robust teacher and school-based support, and that's the collaborative environment where teachers can work together. I know in our elementary schools, we have teams of teachers and the fourth-grade team will work together and they'll come up with their best practices and they cheer each other on, they learn together, they fail together and they help each other kind of get better every single year. And that includes a lot of instruction that is very personalized to each individual learner.It can seem like that's impossible because of the standards and because of how different every learner is but I think when we're working together and we have different flexible, adaptive tools in our toolkit, that helps us. I think technology is what gets us there because there are just so many different ways to learn about our students and to create learning environments and lesson plans that are what they need for where they are.
In that last question, let's see . . . was, what best practices regarding technology in your instruction do you incorporate into your lessons? I think again, just having a toolkit of a variety of things, and I think not every piece of technology is going to meet every student where they are, but making sure that you are available to support when they're not getting it or when they're not connecting to it. I think also creating a collaborative learning environment, not only among teachers but among the students so that they can help each other.
In the TED Talk, we watched this week, the teacher was talking about how she has one child learn the technology and then teach the others. Kids connect over technology. They love to play games together. This is their language in this generation that they're growing up in so I think when they are working together towards a goal, especially when it's over a device, they kind of come alive because they're used to it. This is what life is like for them. And so I think as we encourage them to be more collaborative and to work together and to support each other, that creates that learning environment that they need. And even though they may be on different levels or have different needs, they can support each other to reach their individual goals.
Sources
Delzer, K. (2015, October). Reimagining classrooms: Teachers as learners and students as leaders [Video]. TED x https://youtu.be/w6vVXmwYvgs
Roblyer, M.D. and Hughes, J.E. (2019) Integrating educational technology into teaching (8th ed.). Pearson.
Spector, J.M., Merrill, M.D., Van Merrienboer, J., and Driscoll, M.P. (2008). Handbook of research on educational communications and technology (3rd ed.). Routledge.
EdTech Self-Assessment
Technology Education Self-Assessment
Jessica Wolstenholm
School of Education, Liberty University
EDUC 630: Technology Practices for Instructional Improvement
Dr. Amanda Roberts
January 24, 2021
Author Note
Jessica Wolstenholm
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Jessica Wolstenholm
Email: jwolstenholm@liberty.edu
Article: Matching Edtech Products With Neurological Learning Goals
I chose this article because although I have extended experience using technology through my work in children’s media, I desire to grow in understanding the connection between specific educational tools and their effectiveness as well as how to successfully integrate those tools into learning experiences. According to Willis (2016), this is largely based on the neuroscience behind how learners process information.
In the article, Willis (2016) focused on strategic learning goals such as closing gaps in students’ foundational knowledge, skill practice, enrichment beyond mastery, knowledge application and transfer opportunities, and strengthening executive function. Willis (2016) posits that recognizing these goals is the first step in identifying the best tools to support learning. Additionally, Willis (2016) highlighted engagement, motivation, and ongoing feedback as crucial factors in successful educational technology.
As I consider how to utilize technology to teach the Bible to kids, Willis’ (2016) insight can be a guide in setting specific learning goals and creating educational experiences that motivate children to engage in learning the Bible while providing feedback through the process. Assessment is one area that church curriculum and Bible teaching often fall short. Children come to church, learn about the Bible, and are (sometimes) sent home with a sheet that parents (hopefully) use to review the concepts. Applying Willis’ (2016) strategic learning goals to a technology-based Bible curriculum could lead to higher motivation and better long-term outcomes.
Article: 5 Fantastic, Fast Formative Assessment Tools
I chose this article because I believe that formative assessment is crucial for educators to create an effective learning experience and technology provides some of the best means of sharing ongoing feedback with learners. Davis’ (2017) real-life example of her use of formative assessment technology provided great insight into the process.
My biggest takeaway from this article was Davis’ (2017) thoughts around the various tools in her toolkit. Getting a glimpse into her experience and what’s worked for her gave me ideas on what might be effective in my own work. Although I don’t administer tests in my work with children’s media, what struck me most in the article was when Davis (2017) stated, “Test scores should never be a surprise” (p. 5). This statement sums up the whole point of formative assessment which can make all the difference in the world to a child’s learning experience.
Assessment is one, big missing piece in church curriculum and Bible teaching. Although this practice has revolutionized education, we continue to teach children about God in antiquated ways that may or may not produce long-term knowledge or life-application. Over the past few years, church curriculum has moved into the digital world, a transition that could provide great opportunities for integrating feedback and assessment tools. I hope to contribute to the development of such tools in order to encourage kids’ motivation in learning the Bible.
Article: Five Reasons Why the 2016 ISTE Standards for Students Matter
I chose this article because I wanted to dig into the ISTE Standards for Students and learn what leaders in educational technology are saying should be the focus for learners. When thinking about creating effective learning experiences for students, their goals should come first. It’s not enough to read or even memorize the standards. It’s important to know why the standards matter if we’re going to meet them.
My biggest takeaway from this article was the idea of student empowerment. Each of the ISTE Standards for Students was created to empower learners through engaging and effective experiences. In the article, Stoeckl (2016) quotes the U.S Department of Education 2016 National Education Technology Plan that, “. . .when carefully designed and thoughtfully applied, technology has the potential to accelerate, amplify, and expand the impact of powerful principles of learning” (p. 1). That statement, in and of itself, is empowering—to not only students, but to educators as well.
Roblyer and Hughes (2019) present a framework for integrating educational technology that overlays educational processes with technology resources in order to provide the most effective educational technology for learners. While I have extensive experience with various technology resources—both educational and commercial—I desire to develop a greater understanding of how to integrate them with educational best practices. Being reminded through this article that technology can multiply the impact of already powerful principles of education, empowers me to keep learning and growing in this field.
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References
Davis, V. (2017, May 8). 5 Fantastic, fast formative assessment tools. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/5-fast-formative-assessment-tools-vicki-davis
ISTE. (2016). ISTE standards for students. https://www.iste.org/standards/for-students
Roblyer, M.D., and Hughes, J.E. (2019). Integrating educational technology into teaching (8th ed.). Pearson.
Stoeckl, S. (2016, July 13). Five reasons why the 2016 ISTE standards for students matter. ISTE. https://www.iste.org/explore/ISTE-Standards-in-Action/Five-reasons-why-the-2016-ISTE-Standards-for-Students-matter?articleid=685
Willis, J. (2016, January 28). Matching edtech products with neurological learning goals. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/edtech-products-neurological-learning-goals-judy-willis