Standard 1: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Teachers:
a. promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
I believe that this standard represents what it means when it comes to utilizing technology in my classroom. Technology itself is essential for learning, but this is because it helps aid in creative and innovative thinking. Technology bridges the gap between the content that is learned, and actually applying that knowledge.
An artifact that I believe represents this standard is a project that I have been working on in my own classroom. After taking the Media design course, I have been working with my own students to create videos for our school. Many of the videos are announcements about what is going on for the week, as well as “how to” for students who do not know the information. I am including one of those videos which my students have created that demonstrates their knowledge of both communication skills and technology.
An artifact that I believe represents this standard is a project that I have been working on in my own classroom. After taking the Media design course, I have been working with my own students to create videos for our school. Many of the videos are announcements about what is going on for the week, as well as “how to” for students who do not know the information. I am including one of those videos which my students have created that demonstrates their knowledge of both communication skills and technology.
One way that I learned how to support, model and promote innovative thinking was through my Introduction to Digital Media course. This course required me to create a variety of different media items utilizing different tools. In this course, I learned a variety of different tools including Photoshop, Audacity, and video modification. My artifact demonstrates how just learning information is helpful, but through innovative thinking, I was able to create a banner of images that made what I was learning come to life.
b. engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources
Student engagement and their understanding of real-world issues and problem solving are an essential part of learning. Teaching students the purpose behind the content they are learning, and also understanding how to solve problems are necessary when it comes to the learning process. Students should be challenged to learn from real-world experiences and understanding the challenges that go along with life. They are going to have to problem solve, and one way to use that is through the use of technology.
One artifact that I believe demonstrates how to allow students to gain an understanding of real-world issues and also utilize technology was a lesson I created in my Technology to Enhance Learning course. I created a lesson that was connected to the Newsy website. This website is a great resource for current events, and I was able to create a lesson that connected my students to their current learning as well as promoted their use of technology.
One artifact that I believe demonstrates how to allow students to gain an understanding of real-world issues and also utilize technology was a lesson I created in my Technology to Enhance Learning course. I created a lesson that was connected to the Newsy website. This website is a great resource for current events, and I was able to create a lesson that connected my students to their current learning as well as promoted their use of technology.
In my Technology and Assessment Course, I created a lesson for my Performance Assessment. The lesson had students work collaboratively as well as independently to learn about how people can affect environments and also to learn about Greenhouse gases. The students use a variety of virtual settings to work collaboratively, learn about the various topics, and also to present information to their peers.
Artifact: Performance Assessment
c. promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes
Through my research of best practices, collaboration and reflection are two of the most important means in which students can learn. I believe that this standard is one of the most important, because it truly combines two important aspects of learning: reflection and collaboration. With a variety of tools available online, both of these concepts can be made easier.
My first artifact demonstrates my understanding of the need for reflection. This artifact was created during my Action Research Course. For my Action Research Plan, I researched the use of classroom blogging for collaboration and also for reflection. Through my Action Research Plan I was able to determine how classroom blogging is one wonderful resource that can enable student learning, collaboration, and reflection.
My first artifact demonstrates my understanding of the need for reflection. This artifact was created during my Action Research Course. For my Action Research Plan, I researched the use of classroom blogging for collaboration and also for reflection. Through my Action Research Plan I was able to determine how classroom blogging is one wonderful resource that can enable student learning, collaboration, and reflection.
After my research, I have begun to use classroom blogging in my own classroom. Although it is a bit more difficult, I do not have access to computers daily, my class blogs weekly. We use EduBlogs.org to reflect on current learning, as exit tickets to ensure review of content objectives, and as quick checks on previous learned topics. The class is able to collaborate and communicate with one another. In my Teaching Online Courses course, I developed a lesson plan which included blogging for reflection and collaboration. Attached is my Lesson Plan and Reflection.
Artifact:
d. model collaborate knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments
Collaborative learning is essential to students’ progress. Students must learn to work together to truly demonstrate their understanding of concepts, as well as establish appropriate interpersonal skills.
During my Teaching Online Courses we had to create a “fix” for a lesson that was previously created for a virtual classroom. The classroom was structured around very little collaboration or interaction, and the classroom was based on summative assessments. The Instructional Interventions I created established collaboration between the students and the teacher as well as between a student and other students. The topic was integers (positive and negative numbers), and I used three different tools to ensure learning was taking place as well as collaboration.
During my Teaching Online Courses we had to create a “fix” for a lesson that was previously created for a virtual classroom. The classroom was structured around very little collaboration or interaction, and the classroom was based on summative assessments. The Instructional Interventions I created established collaboration between the students and the teacher as well as between a student and other students. The topic was integers (positive and negative numbers), and I used three different tools to ensure learning was taking place as well as collaboration.
In my Technology and Assessment Course we were required to create a Performance Assessment which was a lesson plan based on several days of instruction and learning. This assignment I created a lesson based on Ecology and how different systems work and live together in the same environment. Students were asked to work together on a PreZent It presentation on the concept.
Artifact:
Performance Assessment