Technology Reflection: Instructional Use of iPads

Description/Experience

In this past week’s technology integration presentation we were introduced to the idea of using iPads as teaching tools in a classroom setting. Through the use of applications on iPads, teachers can expand the presentation and rehearsal of material.  Mrs. Galindo's presentation also touched on the idea of using iPads as a reward for good behavior, in order to reinforce desired behaviors.

            One thing that I took away from Mrs. Galindo’s presentation was that, no matter what grade, all students can gain from the use of technology. While some technology may be more difficult for younger students to quickly grasp, they can still benefit from its use in the classroom. Additionally, even though handing students such expensive technology, such as iPads, can be daunting, it shouldn’t hold you back from integrating them into your lessons.

Application

I admit that I would be extremely nervous to hand a first grader an iPad. I just keep seeing the iPad smashed to pieces or the screen with a large crack down the center with tiny fissures branching out and covering the entire surface. However, despite my fears, there is no doubt that the iPad could be beneficial in the first grade classroom. My class is currently working on counting change and I think that the iPad could be useful in reinforcing what the students are learning. Students could be allotted time on the iPad to practice counting change using an application (such as MakeChange and Count Money) during station rotation. After practicing counting money on the iPad in pairs, students will quiz each other using plastic money with teacher supervision. At the end of the activity, the students will, hopefully, show an increased understanding for the concept.

Lesson Timeline:

• The lesson would take place during stations so that smaller groups would be using the technology at each time. Also, this would allow the teacher to provide more direct interaction and assistance to each student.
• It would be helpful to already have the application open in advance so as to cut down on chaos and introduction time. Furthermore, the first few times an extensive explanation of how to work the iPad and the application will probably be required.
• The station group would be broken into pairs (assuming that the group has six children in it and three iPads are available for classroom use) and each child would spend five minutes practicing counting change on the application. After both partners have gone, this will total 10 minutes, with the teacher directing the partners to switch at the halfway mark.
• After each student at the station has spent five minutes on the iPad, the iPads will be closed and moved to a secure/easily accessible location. The students will then spend 10 minutes quizzing each other using plastic coins while the teacher supervises and makes note of student progress.

Reflection

Pedagogy-Content

When introducing this technology into the classroom, I would be concerned about how familiar the students are with the iPads. Some of their parents may have iPads of their own but, chances are, most of the students will have never had any experience with an iPad. I would be concerned about how much class time I would have to carve out in order to thoroughly explain how to use both the iPad and the applications.

Technology-Pedagogy:

In this activity, the iPads would be used to reinforce material already learned in the class. I think that by using applications that offer multiple ways to practice counting coins, the teacher would be able to reach students with various learning styles. Since the application may present the information in a different way than the teacher has, students would be offered different ways to view the material which, in turn, may help them to better understand.

Since this technology would be used during class time, appropriate classroom management strategies would need to be adapted. For one, the teacher would need to strictly express that the iPads are not toys, but learning tools. Rules would need to be put in place and possibly posted in the classroom, pertaining to the use of the iPads (i.e. the iPads should not be taken off of the table, no food or drink near the iPads). Also, the teacher may need to ensure that students understand that the only thing they are to be doing on the iPad is the application that the teacher has selected—they should not be playing with other applications or attempting to surf the internet.

Technology-Content:

            By using iPads in the classroom to rehearse material covered in class, the ways that students practice material (in this case counting coins) is altered. Instead of completing worksheets and practicing with plastic coins, students are allowed to experience the material in a variety of games and activities. These games, coupled with the excitement of using something like an iPad, can be more appealing to children and, therefore, they become more excited to practice material than they would be if they were bound to more traditional forms of practice.

Technology-Pedagogy-Content:

            By using iPads to rehearse material, students are introduced to new ways to experience the material presented. In this way, students can form a better understanding of the material by practicing it in various situations and contexts. Using the iPad as a learning tool in the classroom, would enhance the material by making the rehearsal of the information more interesting. Since using technology in the classroom can be exciting to students, they will be more excited to practice the material they’ve learned. Additionally, using the iPad would enhance how a teacher actually teaches by providing multiple outlets for practicing content. With more rehearsal options, the teacher can more effectively reach students of varying learning styles.  

Technology Reflection: Instructional Use of Edmodo

Description/Experience

            In the first technology demonstration of the semester, we were introduced to a teaching tool called Edmodo. Edmodo is a website fashioned quite like Facebook in its design, both aesthetically and conceptually.  The site allows teachers to set up a classroom outside of the school and bridges the gap between teacher and student outside of the classroom. On Edmodo, teachers can post homework for their students and provide instant feedback to questions asked by students about the class or work assigned. Edmodo truly takes education to the students by taking something that the students revolve their lives around (social networking sites) and transforming it into an educational experience.

One thing I noted about Edmodo is that, by using the site in an academically active manor by posting homework and assignments, you assume that all students have consistent access to a computer and the internet. Although technology seems to be invading our everyday lives at an alarming rate, there are still students that may not have access to the technology required to employ this resource.

 

Application

            I think that applying Edmodo to the first grade class that I’m tutoring in could present some difficulties in that the students are relatively unfamiliar with social networking sites and, possibly, the internet in general. However, I think that, after an extensive tutorial on the site to ensure that students fully understand how it works, Edmodo may be useful as an advanced organizer by introducing students to new material in preparation for the next lesson.

For instance, the teacher may post a short educational video explaining the proper usage of question marks. The students would be expected to view the video and then message the teacher two things they learned from the video. Through this early exploration of new information, students will start a new lesson having already acquired some basic understanding of the new material to be presented.

 

Reflection

Pedagogy-Content:

           First and foremost, it is vital that the students are provided with an extensive tutorial on how to properly operate the website. Perhaps it may even be beneficial to provide a tutorial of sorts for the parents by way of an instructional handout of sorts. In order for the content to be comprehensible, the students must first understand not only how to access the content but also how to respond to it. After you have ensured that the students are comfortable with the technology, the site can be used to share educational videos and the teacher could post helpful notes and reminders on the subject matter. For the question mark lesson, the teacher may remind students of words that typically signify that the sentence is a question (like who/what/where/why).

Technology:

The Edmodo site allows teachers and students to interact outside of a classroom setting and in a safe environment (parents can have access to their children’s’ class pages as well). Furthermore, teachers can connect with each other to share ideas and other resources that they have found helpful. After exploring the site and playing around with it during the technology integration seminar, I have found that it is relatively simple and easy to use. With the site designed for students and teachers of varying technological proficiencies, Edmodo is an excellent resource for classrooms throughout the globe.

Technology-Pedagogy:

In the activity, Edmodo would be employed as a sort of advanced organizer for the new material. By using Edmodo to introduce information ahead of time in preparation for the lesson, students will enter into the classroom with a pre-established base knowledge of the material to be covered. This means that the teacher can now spend less time on the basics of the material and, instead, work on teaching students how to apply the material. For the question mark activity, the teacher can now assume that the students have at least slightly familiarized themselves with the basics of what a question mark signifies and when they should use it. Now the teacher can briefly review the information already presented to the students in the video and then have them work on distinguishing between which sentences need a question mark and which need a period.

            If the students are allotted class time to work on their responses to the posed question or video, the teacher must consider how well the students work on the computer. Perhaps it may be helpful to have students work on the assignment in shifts so as to lessen the potential of distraction. Also, the teacher would have to ensure that students understood that the only thing they should be working on is their assignment on Edmodo since the computer itself offers many distractions that can be detrimental to the focus of a child.

Technology-Content:

By using Edmodo as an advanced organizer, the way a new concept is introduced and explained is modified. Instead of the regular in-class oratory explanation of new information, the student is exposed to a whole new dimension of the learning process. By explaining new material ahead of time, a student’s curiosity is peaked. They want to know what comes next and the excitement associated with using something like Edmodo that they have never used before, goads them into doing their assignments just to get the full experience.

Technology-Pedagogy-Content:

By using Edmodo in this activity, students are exposed to new material beforehand, thus allowing them to somewhat familiarize themselves with new subject matter before it is actually covered in class. In this way, Edmodo is not removing the actual teaching aspect but, instead, enhancing it. The material is covered in one way by the video (or other resource) posted to Edmodo and then reviewed and explained further by the teacher, therefore providing the student with a more well-rounded explanation of the material. Edmodo is a great supplement for classrooms in that it allows the information to be presented in multiple ways so that students with varying learning styles can be accommodated as efficiently as possible.