theteacherinmestuff-blog

[theteacherinmestuff-blog]

Sometimes, I wonder if my job would get any simpler with the advancement in technology and pedagogy. This seems to be just a mere dream or fantasy 😊. The struggle is real. Twenty five students, twenty-five different personalities, twenty-five learning abilities. Some say it's easy, but only an educator knows the many emotions we go through daily and yearly.

Yet we press on because we know that we are needed and although not much value and praise is given to our profession, we are the world builders and changers.

[theteacherinmestuff-blog]

This is definitely what's happening in the classroom.

This is definitely what's happening in the classroom. I have a smart board and I download activities to interactive games etc. My students access their homework through Google classroom. There is no end to technology. The only set back is that students need constant guidance as they often times visit other sites. 

[theteacherinmestuff-blog]

Embracing the evolution of Education – From Papers to Apps!

By: Simone Stewart, February 2, 2018.

* Grade 3 students completing a Measure of Academic Progress MAP exams.

It is amazing how teaching and learning has transformed. There is no education in this 21st Century without the use of digital technology. I grew up experiencing this evolution of technology in education. I have no recollection of seeing or using a computer, and internet while I was at the primary level. I attended a small primary school in a rural community in Jamaica, where I was predominantly taught through books and the black board, the idea which is now referred to as; “teacher-led, teacher centered, and chalk and talk” to name a few. High school was very similar, although I was introduced to computers because Information Technology was one of the disciplines/subjects being taught. Ormiston (2011) wrote that “the days are long gone when technology was a class and students only used computers in the computer lab down the hall.” My greatest use of technology started when I entered teachers college.

Fast forward to more than ten years later, I am now at a place where I can’t operate or provide instruction to my students without the use of technology. I have had the privilege, to transition from the use of desktop computers and projectors to the use of iPads and smart boards. The most commonly use technology device in schools now are the iPads. There are a plethora of educational applications such as; Kahoot, Khan Academy, Edmodo, TimesTableRockstars, QR Code, Quizizz, and Google Docs that can be downloaded and retrieved on an iPod to meet and support the educational needs of our students. I agree with one author who wrote; “With technology, students’ roles in the classroom change. They become engaged as critical reviewers, technical support, and learning partners” (Hamilton, 2015).

I have also graduated from the era of paper and pencil assessments to assessments been taken on iPads. Just a few days ago the students at my school were being assessed. This assessment is called Measure of Academic Progress MAP exams, which is a computerized adaptive test. This is my first experience with this assessment and I was intrigued to learn that the test changes according the response provided by the students (difficulty level increases as the students’ answers correctly and decreases when answers are incorrect). I believe this is phenomenal; the assessments are adapted to individual students’ academic ability. I award this type assessment with an A+. No longer are students forced to complete an exam that is too difficult or easy for their academic ability. No more ‘one size fit all’ assessment. As I observed the students taking their exams on the iPads, I was in a reflective mode. There is no longer a need for teachers to collect papers, sit with our ‘red ink’ pens, read and try to decipher what our students wrote, calculate and assign grades and then finally input them in a grade book. Oh how things have changed!! Hamilton, (2015) posits that technological tools are designed to make participative learning easier to initiate and differentiate.

Let me introduce you to three amazing technological practices that my colleagues and I incorporate in our classroom. They are class dojo, Google docs, and QR code. We have found them very useful and efficient in our daily teaching and learning experience.

1)      Class-Dojo: This is an amazing classroom management application that can be used in a variety of ways. In my class, it is used as a reward/incentive system for behavior, class participation, independent learning, collaboration and more. There are numerous advantages to using class dojo which includes, timer for class activities, marking student’s attendance, direct communication with parents, sharing homework, school notifications, pictures, and videos of classroom activities. It also allows teachers to create individual student portfolios to share with parents personally rather than publicly. Hence, when used effectively, your students are carefully managed and parents are kept abreast of their child’s school’s activities.

2)      Google Docs: This has become so widely used in schools especially at the upper primary, middle school and beyond. Google docs give educators the opportunity to teach from anywhere in the world. Once everyone creates a Gmail account, information can be shared to all who is on the platform. It gives us the opportunity to communicate and collaborate with each other from across different disciplines.

3)      QR Code: This is an impressive application and as I learn more about it, I am in awe with its capabilities. It can be used across all disciplines. Teachers can differentiate activities by having some students using a QR code to retrieve information about a topic, while others are receiving direct instruction, or working collaboratively on a task. Our students have embraced this app, I have seen children just scanning codes from display boards around our school just to see what information there is about that particular picture or topic. When used effectively, it is a form of self-regulated learning as students are expected to provide feedback about what they read or saw which further leads to self-assessment.  

Twenty first century education has overthrown the preexisting teacher centered, chalk and talk and one size fit all instruction and evaluation. Today, all stakeholders in the educational revolution are on-board in the digital evolution. Students no longer can sit idle at home if there are ‘snow days’ or as for me ‘fog days’. As educators we can now watch our students in real time online when they are at home, communicate with their parents through emails, text messages, Class Dojo, and or Edmodo all at the same time. Technology now provides teachers, parents, and students to connect through virtual learning. Learning, life and work in the 21st Century clearly demand us to be digitally proficient. What a change!! I am positive; there is a mammoth of new changes to come as the world embraces other new form of technology. I can’t wait to be a part of this development. Are you ready?

Reference

Hamilton, B. (2015) Integrating technology in the classroom: Tools to meet the need of every student. Arlington, Virginia: International Society of Technology in Education.

Ormistan, M. (2011). Creating a digital-rich classroom: Teaching & learning in a web 2.0 world. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.

[theteacherinmestuff-blog]

One love, one heart, let’s get together and feel alright...Bob Marley. #happyBlackHistoryMonth

[theteacherinmestuff-blog]

Learning in the 21st Century. #teachtech

[theteacherinmestuff-blog]

One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world

Malala Yousafzai