WOW, my time as a Digital Learner and Leader has definitely gone by in the blink of an eye. As I stand on my combined summit of EDLD 5317 and EDLD 5320, I look out over the vast terrain covering the last 18 months and I feel nothing but pride and accomplishment. Although my technology landscape definitely had its peaks and valleys, COVA gave me the confidence to navigate even the toughest of grounds. Week 1 of 5317 started off without hesitation by asking us to consider the impact of current and future trends on educational technology. In evaluating this impact, I instantly turn to the use of social media in the classroom. As technology advances in the real world, teachers are all but forced to use technology to bring in and keep up with the real world inside the classroom. Incorporating blogs, podcasts, presentations with voice overs, eBinders and even ePortfolios are becoming standard applications to enhance traditional curriculum. Students are entering classrooms as digital natives with more experience than most teachers when it comes to technology use. Today's students expect the teacher to meet their learning needs through the use of various technology platforms, but are teacher's just using technology for technology's sake? If there is one thing I have learned from the DLL program, it is to always connect the technology to the learning. When this behavior is modeled by the teacher than the student has more opportunities for an authentic learning experience. For me, collaboration is the key to providing quality, authentic social learning. Dr. Richard J. Light (Harvard School of Education) conducted a study that found student participants who work in groups, even once a week, were more engaged in their studies, were better prepared for class, and learned significantly more than students who worked on their own (Tomaszewski, 2012). Dr. Light's findings promote the benefits of using social media tools for collaboration both inside and out of the classroom setting. Simply using a common hashtag can connect students to global social learning perspectives anytime and anywhere. Imagine participating in a virtual study group via Twitter. The possibilities of social learning are endless. However, everyone involved in social collaboration activities must be mindful of acceptable use policies and good digital citizenship practices. I support learning in my classroom by using several technology platforms to make authentic connections. In the AVID college readiness elective, we have transitioned from a traditional 3 ring binder to an eBinder through the use of Microsoft OneNote. OneNote provides several opportunities for collaboration. Namely, OneNote has a Collaboration Space section that serves as a built-in back channel for teacher and student communication purposes. We also use PlayPosit, a tool to integrate inquiry to any Youtube video. Schoology has also positively impacted the blending of our AVID curriculum with technology. I have experimented with my students using PowToon. We definitely need more play time to produce our best PowToon work. I have successfully moved my students away from the standard PowerPoint presentations and more towards Prezi with voiceovers. We love Remind as a form of class collaboration along with the coolest app ever...QUIK. QUIK is a video production app that allows you to create short video productions simply from the pictures and video on your phone. I document our activities and field trips, produce these videos and promote a college going culture within a matter of minutes. Note of caution: I always make sure my students sign a district media release before I include them in any photos or videos. All in all, I definitely believe social learning is becoming the new norm for teachers and students everywhere. In surveying my technology landscape, I realize how conquering the various digital resources has empowered me and inspired me to empower others. The following emaze presentation serves as a reflection on the past, present and future impact of technology on my life. As you can see, the positive impact of technology on my life is immeasurable. It is funny to feel this way after learning a long time ago in another EDLD course that you can measure ANYTHING. At least one thing I know for sure, when it comes to measurement...what gets measured gets done. Along with "What Gets Measured Gets Done", I have come across many mantras on my DLL journey. Some of my favorites include: Less Prescriptive, Always Connect the Technology to the Learning and The Head Won't Go Where the Heart Hasn't Been. As an instructional coach, The Head Won't Go Where the Heart Hasn't Been resonates louder than any other when I set out to lead organizational change. Trying to get technology apathetic resisters on board is one of the hardest parts of my job. However, armed with the knowledge from the DLL program, I know to first appeal to a person's emotions before their brain follows with the logic. While this leg of my DLL journey is only one week old, I am excited to see where the final four will take me as I attempt to publish my first article in a scholarly journal. Sticking with what my heart knows best, I plan to address how using Microsoft OneNote to transition traditional AVID college readiness 3-ring binders to eBinders helps to promote more opportunities for authentic learning. My heart is definitely in the right place. So, stay tuned for how my head will follow. Tomaszewski, J. (n.d.). Study Suggests Benefits of Social Media in the Classroom. Retrieved April 12, 2017, from http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/study-suggests-social-media-has-place-in-classrooms.shtml
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorMadeline Brandi Collins is a Louisiana girl through and through. Raised by her beloved Maw Maw and namesake, she moved to Texas 13 years ago to pursue a career in education which proved to be one of the best decisions EVER!
Archives
May 2017
|