Roblyer, M.D., & Doering, A.H. (2010). Theory and practice: foundations for effective technology integration. In (5th ed.) Integrating educational technology into teaching (pp.31-70). Boston: Allyn and Bacon/Pearson.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Final Blog - Technology Integration Plan (TIP)
The Technology Integration Plan (TIP) Model had a great impact on me and how I will operate my classes in the future. I was unaware of this plan before I took this class, and I immediately saw its usefulness when I read about it. Teachers are asked to integrate technology more and more these days because this integration is becoming a necessity in education. Administrators are getting pressure from the districts to use technology because it is a sign of a progressive system. This is exactly the image most districts want to portray. Administrators are the n pressuring the teachers to use the technology in the classrooms because the districts have spent the money on these resources. The teachers, in turn, begin utilizing the technology provided to them. The main problem in this sequence of event is the lack of direction for the implementation. The TIP model provides this direction by serving as a general approach to address challenges involved in integrating technology into teaching (p.50). The six phases of the TIP model help ensure that technology use will be meaningful, efficient, and successful in meeting needs (p.50). This is an invaluable tool for new and veteran teachers alike. As I move forward with my career, I will most definitely use this model when deciding which technologies to use and how. This is important in my current career due to budget constraints when requesting funds for new resources. There is no reason for me to go through the arduous process if I will not end up using what I have asked for to its potential.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Apple Apps for Education and the iPad
I have decided to write about the use of Apple Educational Apps for the iPad in this blog. I have used this in my present setting as a Hospital School Teacher at Arkansas Children's Hospital. This is something that I have used mainly to encourage the students to get involved in the idea of going to school in the hospital. Generally, I meet my students after they have been in the hospital for about a week. If they are in the hospital for this long of a time, the reason they are in is usually somewhat serious. I say this in order to illustrate the point that I am usually the last person they want to see in their doorway. This has been an issue that I have had to accept. It is extremely difficult to get the kids interested in going to school or doing classwork while they are hooked up to an IV pole. The iPad is great in this capacity.
I usually walk into a room for the first time carrying a clipboard explaining why I am there and getting information from the patient. Typically, I am met with rolling eyes and shock. It is for these kids that the iPad usually makes an appearance. As soon as I enter the same room with the iPad under my arm, I see more interest from the patient, and I am able to get through to them a little more by letting them use it for a little while. These patients usually end up being more receptive the education services as time goes by.
The apps are helpful when I am unable to get schoolwork from the patient's school. The plethora of apps that are available that span countless subject areas are especially useful in this scenario. I can ask what they are studying and find content that is applicable. The fact that thy get to use the iPad for this increases the engagement factor substantially. There are many great drill and practice programs available as well.
The main way that I have found the most use for the iPads and their education apps has been in the area of Traumatic Brain Injury patients. The iPad format provides the stimulation that is needed for these patients. Typically, it is unknown where these patients are functioning cognitively, and the many levels of educational material available is perfect for this. The visual aspect of the apps is advantageous for gaining and sustaining the attention of such patients. The touch-based format of the iPad allows these patients to practice fine motor skills and tracking, which are two areas that are necessary in the rehabilitation process.
The Apple website provides ample information on the thousands of apps available for educational purposes. Many of these apps are free of charge, or at the least a minimal charge is necessary. This is a small investment to make due to the profound effect they have on the learning process.
Each of the apps is very easy to use for both teacher and student. However, it is imperative to make sure the app that is being used is appropriate for the cognitive level of the student. The speed of the processor and the user-friendliness are impressive qualities.
The fact that there are so many apps available for so many different levels of learners makes the iPad invaluable. It can literally connect with learners of any academic level. I have allowed my daughter to use it when she comes up to see me at work, and she is three years-old. She also uses it with very little trouble. I have also seen a senior in high school use it for Trig and Calculus. The possibilities are infinite.
Working with the iPad in education is incredible. It is great for motivating the students, encouraging involvement, and in my field, providing needed distraction. We are looking to be able to communicate with the patients' schools using them in the upcoming school year. The only drawback that I can see so far is that I can't take it home with me. I can see this technology becoming a very powerful force in education. In fact, there are many schools with pilot iPad programs around the country gaining ground each day. Kudos to Apple for providing such a great educational resource.
Sources
I usually walk into a room for the first time carrying a clipboard explaining why I am there and getting information from the patient. Typically, I am met with rolling eyes and shock. It is for these kids that the iPad usually makes an appearance. As soon as I enter the same room with the iPad under my arm, I see more interest from the patient, and I am able to get through to them a little more by letting them use it for a little while. These patients usually end up being more receptive the education services as time goes by.
The apps are helpful when I am unable to get schoolwork from the patient's school. The plethora of apps that are available that span countless subject areas are especially useful in this scenario. I can ask what they are studying and find content that is applicable. The fact that thy get to use the iPad for this increases the engagement factor substantially. There are many great drill and practice programs available as well.
The main way that I have found the most use for the iPads and their education apps has been in the area of Traumatic Brain Injury patients. The iPad format provides the stimulation that is needed for these patients. Typically, it is unknown where these patients are functioning cognitively, and the many levels of educational material available is perfect for this. The visual aspect of the apps is advantageous for gaining and sustaining the attention of such patients. The touch-based format of the iPad allows these patients to practice fine motor skills and tracking, which are two areas that are necessary in the rehabilitation process.
The Apple website provides ample information on the thousands of apps available for educational purposes. Many of these apps are free of charge, or at the least a minimal charge is necessary. This is a small investment to make due to the profound effect they have on the learning process.
Each of the apps is very easy to use for both teacher and student. However, it is imperative to make sure the app that is being used is appropriate for the cognitive level of the student. The speed of the processor and the user-friendliness are impressive qualities.
The fact that there are so many apps available for so many different levels of learners makes the iPad invaluable. It can literally connect with learners of any academic level. I have allowed my daughter to use it when she comes up to see me at work, and she is three years-old. She also uses it with very little trouble. I have also seen a senior in high school use it for Trig and Calculus. The possibilities are infinite.
 | ||
| The Language Arts Apps range from diagramming sentences to entire books/texts available. |
 |
| This section of apps is especially useful with my TBI patients as I mentioned above. It is also helpful when working with Special Education students or other patients that have needs that exceed what is available in the hospital. These are often the patients that need the most one-on-one instruction. |
 |
| I never thought that these apps would be very useful in the classroom. We usually concentrate our efforts on the four core subjects, because these are the most important as far as the schools are concerned. However, I have used these apps to tap into what interests the patient in order to gain trust and get them more involved in our program. It also works great as a rewards system with iMovie and Garage Band. |
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| This is a great source for supplemental information when textbooks are not available. There have been times when a patient must refer to a map in the textbook to answer a question and we do not have the textbook in the hospital. There are apps in this category that can access almost any map so the patient is able to get the information they need.There are also many virtual apps that are useful when studying different periods of time. |
 |
| This is another group of apps that serves a great use in working with TBI patients. Some of these patients have actually lost the ability to communicate verbally. These apps enable us to help teach the patients the skills needed to speak coherently once again. |
 |
| The wide range of topics covered in these apps is immeasurable. I have seen these apps being used in simple addition and subtraction exercises as well as Statistics and Calculus. The MathBoard app is one of the favorites of the patients that I have encountered. |
 |
| Apps in this category are great for the students that have to work on research projects while they are in the hospital. Yes, there are many resources online that the patients can access from their rooms, but this is highly unlikely to happen unless there is someone present prodding the patient along. As I spoke about earlier, just being able to use the iPad motivates the patient to do the assignment and it makes the "boring research" a little more interesting. |
 |
| Science apps are most helpful when patients are asked to answer questions regarding an experiment. Experiments are hard to carry out in a hospital setting. There are many virtual lab experiments such as dissections and astronomy that are able to be completed thanks to the Science apps. These are usually the most interesting to the patients because of the great visuals that are involved. |
Working with the iPad in education is incredible. It is great for motivating the students, encouraging involvement, and in my field, providing needed distraction. We are looking to be able to communicate with the patients' schools using them in the upcoming school year. The only drawback that I can see so far is that I can't take it home with me. I can see this technology becoming a very powerful force in education. In fact, there are many schools with pilot iPad programs around the country gaining ground each day. Kudos to Apple for providing such a great educational resource.
Sources
Unknown. (2011). Learning with ipad. Retrieved from http://www.apple.com/education/ipad/.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
The History and Role of the Internet in Education
I find myself sitting down to a computer writing a blog about the history of the internet in education for a Master's level course that I am taking online. That in and of itself is testimony for the role of the internet in education. I am 32 years old and I find myself saying things like, "I remember when we didn't even have the internet to do our research". Pretty soon I will start rambling about how I had to walk to school in the snow uphill, both ways. All this is to say that the internet has had a drastic effect on the education system in a very short amount of time. Not only has this been true for the students, but it is just as true for the teachers and the parents.
I remember sitting in the UALR library as a high school student searching through anthologies of LIFE and Time magazines as well as rolling through reels of microfilm for a simple, freshman-level research paper. Now, thanks to the internet, I was able to research for this assignment without even leaving my desk. Oh, and it took a fraction of the time. I can also remember seeing my teachers writing down grades in the infamous green grade book every time an assignment was graded. Thanks to online grade books such as Edline, teachers today simply enter numbers and the program computes grades as well as other valuable information. The internet is education.
Learning is the act or process of developing skill or knowledge. Modern, web-based learning and computing provides the means for fundamentally changing the way in which instruction is delivered to students. Multimedia learning resources combined with CD-ROMs and workbooks attempt to explore the essential concepts of a course by using the full pedagogical power of multimedia. Many websites have nice features such as interactive examples, animation, video, narrative and written text. These websites are designed to provide students with a "self-help" learning resource to complement the traditional textbook (Arsham, 2002). Arsham, one of the pioneers of on-line learning, taught the first web-based course in the MBA program at the University of Baltimore. His statement can be summed up in that the internet has given the student a more active role in education than before. The student is an instrumental part in not only the learning process, but also in the process of instruction. Through online courses, more responsibility is placed on the student to remain current with assignments and materials. The internet lends itself to a more student-centered, constructivist approach.
A vast majority of classrooms today in the United States have at least one computer. In fact, the National Center for Education Statistics completed a survey entitled Internet Access in U.S. Public Schools and Classrooms: 1994-1999. In this survey, that long ago, 95% of public elementary and secondary schools had access to the Internet (www.originami.com). This survey was completed twelve years ago, and the numbers were that impressive; it only makes sense that the number is even greater today. Schools that I have been in have had laptop carts that provides every student in the classroom a laptop for use in the class. As technology advances, schools must advance as well. The Internet has made education more accessible than it has ever been in the past. Students can do research, teachers can provide instruction, and parents can monitor progress all more easily thanks to the Internet.
A timeline shows that the concept of the Internet was created with the education system at the forefront. The following is a collaboration of two different timelines. I have omitted some of the information in order to concentrate on the milestones that deal directly with education and the education system.
1969 - Defense Department commissions ARPANET to promote networking research. First hosts of the ARPANET installed connect Stanford Research Institute, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, and the University of Utah. CompuServe time-sharing service is founded.
1970 - 1973 The ARPANET is a success as scientists access remote computers, collaborate and share data. Email gains popularity fast.
1971 - ARPANET now connects 23 universities and government research center hosts in the United States.
1976 - The Apple I is brought into a school for the first time by Liza Loop at the LO*OP Center.
1985 - Apple launches ACOT - Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow.
1993 - The White House commits to connecting schools via the Internet in Technology for America's Economic Growth: A New Direction to Build Economic Strength. The symposium "Reinventing Schools: The Technology Is Now" discusses integrating technology and the Internet into new instructional models for the classroom.
1994 - The Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 calls for the creation of a national education technology plan. According to the National Center for Education Statistics 35% percent of public elementary and secondary schools, and 3% of instructional rooms, have access to the Internet.
1995 - U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Research and Improvement's Technology Innovation Challenge Grant program begins.
1996 - Telecommunications Act of 1996 signed into law, which among other things, established the "E-Rate" funding of Internet connectivity for schools and libraries. In February, the White House announced the Technology Literacy Challenge. To support the initiative, in June the Department of education released the nation’s first national educational technology plan, Getting America’s Students Ready for the 21st Century: Meeting the Technology Literacy Challenge.
1997 -
1999 - Internet Access in U.S. Public Schools and Classrooms: 1994-1999 According to the National Center for Education Statistics 95% percent of public elementary and secondary schools, and 63% of instructional rooms, have access to the Internet. In the fall, the U.S. Department of Education begins a year-long review of the national educational technology plan, Getting America’s Students Ready for the 21st Century: Meeting the Technology Literacy Challenge from 1996. Several white papers are commissioned and the Forum on Technology in Education: Envisioning the Future is held in December.
(www.originami.com)
2002 - Technology, Education, and Copyright Harmonization Act (TEACH Act) becomes law. This broadens instructors' legal use of copyrighted materials in online instruction. Without this act, distance education in its current form would not exist. Instructors would be limited to what they could share with their students outside of a textbook.
2009 - Quest to Learn is the first school to teach through game-based learning. Texas Instruments debuts 3D projector technology designed for the classroom.
2011 - Immersive Education Initiative launches K-12 technology working group. Immersive Education is a learning platform that combines interactive 3D graphics, commercial game and simulation technology, virtual reality, voice chat, web cameras and rich digital media with collaborative online course environments and classrooms.
(www.timetoast.com)
As is made evident by this extensive timeline, the internet's effect on education is far-reaching and quite extraordinary. However, there have been critics along the way. In his book, High Tech Heretic: Why Computers Don't Belong in the Classroom and Other Reflections, Clifford Stoll argues that schools should use funding to improve real education rather than invest in computer technology and rely on telecommunications for education. Further more, he indicated that the computer was often a crutch that diverted time and resources from programs that taught students to think and evaluate information. According to Arsham, online learning education does for knowledge what just-in-time delivery does for manufacturing: It delivers the right tools and parts when you need them. The opinion of Stoll, while intriguing, has not proven to be widely accepted. This is evident by the survey previously mentioned that was conducted by the NCES. Computer technology and the Internet are very much a part of the education system, and rightfully so.
The rapid growth of information, coupled with the ability to exchange it more rapidly among more people than ever before, is creating a new environment for education (Arsham, 2002).
To illustrate this point further here is a graphic representation of How the Internet is Revolutionizing Education
References:
Arsham, H. (2002). Impact of the internet on learning and teaching. USDLA Journal. Vol.16. No.3. Retrieved from http://www.usdla.org/html/journal/MAR02_Issue/article01.html
Author Unknown. (1999). Milestones in the Development of the Internet and its Significance for Education. Retrieved from http://www.originami.com/sp/milestones.htm
Author Unknown. (2011). The Internet and Education from 1981-2011. Retrieved from http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/the-internet-and-education-from-1981-2011
Stoll, C. (1999). High Tech Heretic: Why Computers Don't Belong in the Classroom and Other Reflections by a Computer Contrarian. New York: Random House.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Graphics Tools
According to Roblyer & Doering, Graphics Tools is software that allows the manipulation of images to illustrate documents and web pages (p.141). This is a concept that is growing in necessity as time goes on, especially in the field of education. Students today are bombarded with graphic images in their everyday lives by way of advertising, video games, and the internet. Educators need to harness these images for good instead of evil. Students respond to this type of media moreso than that of the old-fashioned print media. Students would much rather have an image or series of images provide necessary information rather than actually have to read about something. I am not saying that we should not require our students to read anymore. Actually, what I am saying is far from that. What I am saying, is that we need to use graphics and images to get the attention of our students in order to motivate them to delve deeper into the content. This can be done if we educate ourselves on the usage of these graphics tools. I, for one, will be the first to admit, while I know my way around some graphic software, I am still very limited. I intend to remedy this, thus my reasoning for choosing this topic.
Draw/Paint Programs
Drawing and painting software tools help teachers and students create their own graphics to insert into documents or web pages (p.149). The best way to use this software in the classroom is to allow the students to illustrate their computer-generated work which in turn encourages them to become more creative with their work. These are some draw/paint programs that are available:
These are great resources to utilize in this capacity. Kid Pix is a program that can be used with younger students and the list above increases in complexity from there. Artweaver and Adobe Illustrator are programs that are more appropriate for secondary ed students. For the most part Microsoft Paint is an acceptable program to use in the classroom.
Image Editing Tools
These programs are used to modify or alter photographic images. This type of software is rarely used unless it is specific to the class. These are usually reserved for photography classes or classes dealing with graphic design. The most used software for this concept is Adobe Photoshop. This software is difficult to master and requires substantial practice. Take it from me, I speak from experience. For the novice, a simple photo manipulation can take over two hours. Not that I am saying that is the case for me, but...okay, that is exactly the case for me. But I am trying.
Charting/Graphing Tools
Charting/Graphing tools automatically draw and print desired charts from data entered by users (p.151). This type of work can be done in simple Word documents as well as Excel spreadsheets. As the text states, this gives the students more opportunity to work on other, more important things rather than plotting and drawing the perfect chart/graph. The more important aspects are that of the actual information being graphed or charted. It is more crucial for the students to be able to analyze the data than to draw the graph itself. This software permits this.
Clip Art, Photo, Animation, Sound, Video, and Font Collections
These collections are helpful to make the students' work look better and more complete. These collections offer valuable resources that help illustrate and decorate written products (p.153). Some teachers feel that students are more motivated to write their own stories and reports when they can also illustrate them (p.153). This can be true, but there is a very important caveat when it comes to using this type of software; more often than not the student gets more engrossed in the creation of the visuals/illustrations than in the writing itself. There needs to be limitations placed on this, preferably by way of a rubric. This keeps the student on the task at hand. This is also the case for sound and video files that may be used in PowerPoint presentations.
These tools can inspire the student to be more creative and inventive with work that is required to be completed using technology. The best way that it benefits learning is not in the product that is created, but the actual process that takes place to get to the end result. Most students are not familiar with this type of software, so exposure to such things is educating them in and of itself. I have always given my students some starting pints when it comes to resources for this type of work. I encourage them to use resources that I have not provided. This gets them thinking and searching to rise to this challenge. But, as I stated earlier, I monitor the work closely to make sure they do not get away from the assignment at hand, the writing. Allowing them to get creative with something as mundane as a paper on what they want to do when they grow up, can inspire them through autonomy to discover things of which they are unaware. Isn't this the basis of learning?
I would have to say that this type of instruction fits into both the directed and the constructivist approach, but it fits best into the constructivist. It allows the students to discover different methods, different approaches, create unique products, and learn through experience. The best way to learn how to use these types of tools is to just use them and discover what works best for you. Tutorials are helpful with some of the programs (i.e. Photoshop), but given enough time, it is best to learn these things by doing. This constructivist approach empowers the student to be truly creative.
Here are some miscellaneous resources on this topic of Graphics Tools in the classroom:
http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/
References
Draw/Paint Programs
Drawing and painting software tools help teachers and students create their own graphics to insert into documents or web pages (p.149). The best way to use this software in the classroom is to allow the students to illustrate their computer-generated work which in turn encourages them to become more creative with their work. These are some draw/paint programs that are available:
These are great resources to utilize in this capacity. Kid Pix is a program that can be used with younger students and the list above increases in complexity from there. Artweaver and Adobe Illustrator are programs that are more appropriate for secondary ed students. For the most part Microsoft Paint is an acceptable program to use in the classroom.
Image Editing Tools
These programs are used to modify or alter photographic images. This type of software is rarely used unless it is specific to the class. These are usually reserved for photography classes or classes dealing with graphic design. The most used software for this concept is Adobe Photoshop. This software is difficult to master and requires substantial practice. Take it from me, I speak from experience. For the novice, a simple photo manipulation can take over two hours. Not that I am saying that is the case for me, but...okay, that is exactly the case for me. But I am trying.
Charting/Graphing Tools
Charting/Graphing tools automatically draw and print desired charts from data entered by users (p.151). This type of work can be done in simple Word documents as well as Excel spreadsheets. As the text states, this gives the students more opportunity to work on other, more important things rather than plotting and drawing the perfect chart/graph. The more important aspects are that of the actual information being graphed or charted. It is more crucial for the students to be able to analyze the data than to draw the graph itself. This software permits this.
Clip Art, Photo, Animation, Sound, Video, and Font Collections
These collections are helpful to make the students' work look better and more complete. These collections offer valuable resources that help illustrate and decorate written products (p.153). Some teachers feel that students are more motivated to write their own stories and reports when they can also illustrate them (p.153). This can be true, but there is a very important caveat when it comes to using this type of software; more often than not the student gets more engrossed in the creation of the visuals/illustrations than in the writing itself. There needs to be limitations placed on this, preferably by way of a rubric. This keeps the student on the task at hand. This is also the case for sound and video files that may be used in PowerPoint presentations.
These tools can inspire the student to be more creative and inventive with work that is required to be completed using technology. The best way that it benefits learning is not in the product that is created, but the actual process that takes place to get to the end result. Most students are not familiar with this type of software, so exposure to such things is educating them in and of itself. I have always given my students some starting pints when it comes to resources for this type of work. I encourage them to use resources that I have not provided. This gets them thinking and searching to rise to this challenge. But, as I stated earlier, I monitor the work closely to make sure they do not get away from the assignment at hand, the writing. Allowing them to get creative with something as mundane as a paper on what they want to do when they grow up, can inspire them through autonomy to discover things of which they are unaware. Isn't this the basis of learning?
I would have to say that this type of instruction fits into both the directed and the constructivist approach, but it fits best into the constructivist. It allows the students to discover different methods, different approaches, create unique products, and learn through experience. The best way to learn how to use these types of tools is to just use them and discover what works best for you. Tutorials are helpful with some of the programs (i.e. Photoshop), but given enough time, it is best to learn these things by doing. This constructivist approach empowers the student to be truly creative.
Here are some miscellaneous resources on this topic of Graphics Tools in the classroom:
References
Roblyer, M.D., & Doering, A.H. (2010). Integrating educational technology into teaching. (5th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon/Pearson.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
TPACK/TIP
TPACK is the basis of effective teaching with technology and requires an understanding of the representation of concepts using technologies; pedagogical techniques that use technologies in constructive ways to teach content; knowledge of what makes concepts difficult or easy to learn and how technology can help redress some of the problems that students face; knowledge of students' prior knowledge and theories of epistemology; and knowledge of how technologies can be used to build on existing knowledge and to develop new epistemologies or strengthen old ones (p.50). All this is to say that TPACK is how well the educator knows the content being taught, the students being taught, the method of teaching, and how to connect these for the greatest benefit of all involved.
Phase 1: Reflect on Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (pp.51-52)
1.) What is my knowledge of technology (TK)? Do I need to improve on my technological skills?
2.) What is my knowledge of pedagogy (PK)? Will my teaching style lend itself to using technology?
3.) What is my knowledge of content (CK)? How familiar/knowledgeable am I about what I am teaching?
4.) Where do I see myself in the TPACK model?
Phase 2: Determine Relative Advantage (pp.52-54)
1.) What is the problem I am addressing? What am I wanting to accomplish?
2.) Do not focus on technologies. Focus on the skill being taught, not the use of technology.
3.) Look for evidence. Make sure there is a problem and proof that it exists.
4.) Do technology-based methods offer a solution with sufficient relative advantage? Is using technology in this scenario the right approach to take?
Phase 3: Decide on Objectives and Assessments (pp.55-57)
1.) What outcomes do I expect from using the new methods? What do I want to gain from using this technology solution that is observable and measurable?
2.) What are the best ways of assessing these outcomes? What is the optimum assessment for determining success of the result?
Phase 4: Design Integration Strategies (pp.57-58)
1.) What kinds of instructional methods are needed in light of content objectives and student characteristics? Which teaching style should I use for this lesson, direct or constructivist, based on the content and the students?
2.) How can technology best support these methods? What form of technology would be best for the type of instruction that was decided upon?
3.) How can I prepare students adequately to use technologies? I need to model the technologies being used so the students are comfortable utilizing them.
Phase 5: Prepare the Instructional Environment (pp.58-60)
1.) What equipment, software, media, and materials will I need to carry out the instructional strategies? What are the technology supplies necessary to implement the instructional methods to carry out the lesson?
2.) How should resources be arranged to support instruction and learning? Make sure that the students are able to access what they need while maintaining security.
3.) What planning is required to make sure technology resources work well? Am I able to correct most technology-based problems that I may encounter during the lesson?
Phase 6: Evaluate and Revise Integration Strategies (pp.60-61)
1.) How well has the technology integration strategy worked? Assess achievement, attitudes, and students' comments to determine the success of the integration.
2.) What could be improved to make the technology integration strategy work better? Review how the lesson went and determine what could be done differently in the future to make the use of technology more conducive to the lesson.
Is the TPACK still relevant in education and why?
TPACK is especially useful in education today. As we move toward a more technology-rich educational system, it is imperative that teachers/instructors are self-aware in their skills in order to utilize these resources to the greatest capacities. Teachers have always needed to be cognizant of their students, their teaching style, and their content; now that technology is such a large part of the classroom, it only makes sense that this knowledge be addressed as well.
Which Phase is the most important in my opinion?
I feel that Phase 6 is the most important of the TIP Model. While all of the other phases have importance in their own right, it is Phase 6 that speaks to the true skills of a teacher. All too often teachers see themselves as being infallible. This is never the case. We can implement all of the strategies and pedagogies that we have ever learned as educators, but if we are not willing to review and revise what we did, then we are really doing the students a disservice, as well as ourselves. We need to look back at the methods we implemented, and search for errors, misjudgments, and other oversights, so that we might learn from them and become better teachers. A lesson can always be improved upon, so we owe it to our students to take that responsibility as their teacher.
Citations/References
Phase 1: Reflect on Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (pp.51-52)
1.) What is my knowledge of technology (TK)? Do I need to improve on my technological skills?
2.) What is my knowledge of pedagogy (PK)? Will my teaching style lend itself to using technology?
3.) What is my knowledge of content (CK)? How familiar/knowledgeable am I about what I am teaching?
4.) Where do I see myself in the TPACK model?
Phase 2: Determine Relative Advantage (pp.52-54)
1.) What is the problem I am addressing? What am I wanting to accomplish?
2.) Do not focus on technologies. Focus on the skill being taught, not the use of technology.
3.) Look for evidence. Make sure there is a problem and proof that it exists.
4.) Do technology-based methods offer a solution with sufficient relative advantage? Is using technology in this scenario the right approach to take?
Phase 3: Decide on Objectives and Assessments (pp.55-57)
1.) What outcomes do I expect from using the new methods? What do I want to gain from using this technology solution that is observable and measurable?
2.) What are the best ways of assessing these outcomes? What is the optimum assessment for determining success of the result?
Phase 4: Design Integration Strategies (pp.57-58)
1.) What kinds of instructional methods are needed in light of content objectives and student characteristics? Which teaching style should I use for this lesson, direct or constructivist, based on the content and the students?
2.) How can technology best support these methods? What form of technology would be best for the type of instruction that was decided upon?
3.) How can I prepare students adequately to use technologies? I need to model the technologies being used so the students are comfortable utilizing them.
Phase 5: Prepare the Instructional Environment (pp.58-60)
1.) What equipment, software, media, and materials will I need to carry out the instructional strategies? What are the technology supplies necessary to implement the instructional methods to carry out the lesson?
2.) How should resources be arranged to support instruction and learning? Make sure that the students are able to access what they need while maintaining security.
3.) What planning is required to make sure technology resources work well? Am I able to correct most technology-based problems that I may encounter during the lesson?
Phase 6: Evaluate and Revise Integration Strategies (pp.60-61)
1.) How well has the technology integration strategy worked? Assess achievement, attitudes, and students' comments to determine the success of the integration.
2.) What could be improved to make the technology integration strategy work better? Review how the lesson went and determine what could be done differently in the future to make the use of technology more conducive to the lesson.
Is the TPACK still relevant in education and why?
TPACK is especially useful in education today. As we move toward a more technology-rich educational system, it is imperative that teachers/instructors are self-aware in their skills in order to utilize these resources to the greatest capacities. Teachers have always needed to be cognizant of their students, their teaching style, and their content; now that technology is such a large part of the classroom, it only makes sense that this knowledge be addressed as well.
Which Phase is the most important in my opinion?
I feel that Phase 6 is the most important of the TIP Model. While all of the other phases have importance in their own right, it is Phase 6 that speaks to the true skills of a teacher. All too often teachers see themselves as being infallible. This is never the case. We can implement all of the strategies and pedagogies that we have ever learned as educators, but if we are not willing to review and revise what we did, then we are really doing the students a disservice, as well as ourselves. We need to look back at the methods we implemented, and search for errors, misjudgments, and other oversights, so that we might learn from them and become better teachers. A lesson can always be improved upon, so we owe it to our students to take that responsibility as their teacher.
Citations/References
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