- Jackie Stiles
- May 2, 2021
- 3 min read
Educational technology is a vital aspect of my classroom for supporting student learning. With the importance of technology in everyday life, is it important for learners to not only see important resources online but to also engage with them. Within my classroom, I value student individuality that comes with education. Not everyone learns the same way or at the same speed, and by using technology, I can integrate different strategies to engage, group, and differentiate instruction.
The first technology integration strategy I value in my classroom to support students is through blended learning. Blended learning is an instructional method of integrating online learning technology with traditional in-person instruction (TeachThought Staff, 2019). This method allows students to use class time in engagingly modern ways by using a hands-on approach with technology. While there are various types of blended learning, the method I use most in my classroom is project-based blended learning. Using this form, students can work towards individualized goals in the form of research projects that meet classroom and state standards. This method can be achieved individually, in pairs, or in small groups with teacher guidance. What I like most about this method is students can engage with the material in ways that fit their interests. For example, one student might develop and maintain a blog that demonstrates their ideas about what they are learning. On the other hand, another might create a podcast discussing research they found and how it ties together with what they are learning. Students can then display or share their projects with other students in the class to receive helpful feedback.
The second technology integration strategy I value in the classroom to support my teaching is through technology-driven feedback. As my classroom takes an individualized approach to student understanding, having a singular way of assessment is not effective. One way I check for understanding is through engaging, technology-based formative assessments such as class-wide Google polls, personalized Quizlet flashcards, and Kahoot! -style games. By using online tools to check for understanding and share feedback, students can assess their strengths and weaknesses and grow their understanding in an educational, entertaining way (Lynch, 2017). For example, by using Google polls I am able to ask questions related to the lesson in both multiple-choice and fill-in. Students would then answer and share their input on what they have learned. Using this information, I can then create additional game-style assessments such as through Quizlet of Kahoot! to focus on areas students need the most help.
ISTE standards for students are ways educators can trackways educational technologies. While all seven categories are important to achieve a well-rounded learning experience, I would like to discuss is Digital Citizen. This standard stands by the importance of students’ “rights, responsibilities, and opportunities,” while using technology (ISTE, n.d.). While using online resources is a valuable tool for both teachers and students, it is important to understand how to safely share and use technology by promoting digital citizenship. Digital citizenship is a term for being responsible for individual usage of technology and upholding positive and safe standards while engaging with others online (Zook, 2019).
I will uphold these standards within the classroom by first demonstrating how to be a responsible digital citizen by creating workshops and lessons. These lessons would detail sharing personal information, cyberbullying, and online etiquette. While technology is a powerful tool for students, they first must understand how to properly use it. Once they have completed the workshops; I would provide each student with a digital leader contract that promotes being proactive and safe when using online technology.
Educational technology holds important meaning inside and outside the classroom. As an educator, one of my goals to allow students have access to technology during class to prepare them for both present and future academic achievements.
References
ISTE. (n.d.). ISTE standards for students. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/for-students
Lynch, M. (2017, June 25). 17 online grading tools for busy educators. Retrieved from https://www.thetechedvocate.org/17-online-grading-tools-busy-educators/
TeachThought Staff. (2019, June 18). 12 of the most common types of blended learning. Retrieved from https://www.teachthought.com/learning/12-types-of-blended-learning/
Zook, C. (2019, December 10). What is digital citizenship & how do you teach it. Retrieved from https://www.aeseducation.com/blog/what-is-digital-citizenship#:~:text=Digital%20citizenship%20refers%20to%20the,topic%20to%20teach%20today's%20students.