stephsteaching

[stephsteaching]

My Technology Teaching Philosophy

My teaching philosophy in regards to integrating technology is simple. Technology should be used as a tool when necessary, but it shouldn’t be the end all be all for teaching. It can be a lot of work and sometimes a lot of money, so it’s important that technology be tested and tried to ensure its success before implementing it into a lesson plan. However, that’s not to say to be too cautious. Technology is something that should be implemented and experimented with, but it’s also important that you try it out first.

Technology should make things easier. Students should be able to accomplish their learning objectives with the help of technology, except with a deeper and sometimes quicker understanding. Technology also makes learning fun and enjoyable when done right. When students enjoy their learning, it makes them more likely to remember it and understand it. For example, growing up, my classrooms often included technological games like Jeopardy or Kahoot or even things like comic creators to capitalize on a specific objective or simply just to review. It made things more fun and some of it allowed us to use creativity. Even seven years later, I still remember these assignments and what subject they were for- that’s how easily they stuck with me.

Some of my favorite technological tools are ones that capitalize learning and make it easier to understand- or at the very least, less intimidating. One of these examples is Adobe Spark. Adobe Spark is a multimedia project creator- one can use it to create videos or slideshows, and it was one of my favorite applications to work with when I was a student. When I was in high school, we had to use this application to make videos relating to biology and other factors. This is a great way for students to exercise their creativity to create a video describing a topic, as well as for them to take initiative in their own learning.

Another helpful technological tool I would like to implement would definitely be any kind of VR- particularly the kind that lets students explore different places that are otherwise unavailable. I believe this sort of app makes technology and learning exciting- and is the perfect kind of technological tool. It allows students to experience things they normally wouldn’t- however, it can be expensive and hard to attain (although with time the price will drop.)

Kahoot is one of my favorite technological tools. Students are also a big fan of this one. It is a review tool that allows students to compete against one another for bragging rights or even extra credit. The bright colors and the ability to make your own questions make this tool worth using for any subject area.

The Chrome Music Lab is another great technological tool. Although it has the word “music” in the name, students can use it for more than music. One of the applications included in it is for soundwaves, so students can learn about different pitches and the way soundwaves look at different points. They also have collaboration applications included so students can work together and experiment together.

However, it’s important to note that not all technology is accessible or available to everyone. Some students may not have access to technology or have the same access to certain applications. It’s important that the teacher provides other opportunities for students who don’t have access to the same materials- or provides the materials themselves.

There are plenty of pedagogical teaching methods that support this, namely, UDL. UDL, or Universal Design for Learning, maximizes accessibility and assumes that barriers to learning are in the design of the environment. UDL emphasizes the importance to stay flexible and to take different approaches with different students. Sometimes that can look like using assistive technology or different applications depending on each student’s need.

Game-based learning is also a great way to include technology in teaching. According to Prensky, the attitude towards games “is the very attitude we would all like our learners to have: interested, competitive, cooperative, results-oriented, actively seeking information and solutions” (Prensky 2003). By including game elements into lessons, it becomes clear that students will apply this attitude to learning as well.

Online learning is something that most teachers will have to contend with in today’s day and age, and it’s important to become fluent in apps like Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet for class, as well as following the ISTE standards for educators- analyst, learner, leader, citizen, collaborator, designer, and facilitator.

Overall, I think it’s highly important that students come away from education feeling proud and knowing that they’ve accomplished something difficult- and that they had fun while doing it! Whether that’s through expressing creativity or through integrating technology- or both -learning and education should be something that feels natural, and while definitely challenging, should ultimately be something good.

[stephsteaching]

I absolutely love this! Although my subject area interest might be English, I think the same process applies here. While learning the content is important, it's also important to note that you're also learning how to think a specific way! Back when I was in high school, I had to annotate almost every single book/story/article/passage I had to read- something that irritated me at the time. Now, years later, I still critically analyze pretty much anything- books, song lyrics, movies -it's a force of habit that has led me to think deeper and gain a better understanding of the world around me.

It’s sad how much of what is taught in school is useless to over 99% of the population.

There are literally math concepts taught in high school and middle school that are only used in extremely specialized fields or that are even so outdated they aren’t used anymore!

[stephsteaching]

Cheers! I’m hanging out in a Starbucks, staying hydrated, masked, and vaxxed as I start this exciting new blog 🤓

[stephsteaching]

Welcome to my blog!

Hello! My name is Stephanie! I am currently a college student who has an interest in teaching. This is my last year and I am learning a lot about teaching methods, technology, and most importantly, getting certified and getting a job.

This blog is so I can document some of my wacky adventures and some funky thoughts about education in general so that I might be able to see where I can grow and learn and keep myself accountable in this long, exciting journey.

Stick around! Hope you enjoy <3