"The Final Countdown"

Educational Technology Blog-Online Learning

Final paper

There are two assignments I created through this course to help integrate more technology within my classroom.  One of these assignments was revised but put into a different forum: Google Classroom.  Another, was a newly designed Prezi presentation in order to incorporate more engaging lessons on the water cycle.     

I currently have my students collaborate using Google Docs and Google Slides.  In the past when students had to work on projects together, they had to find a common time outside of school to complete the work..  Now, students are able to complete the task simultaneously and offer feedback at the same time.  In addition, I am able to see their ongoing work and also offer feedback so they can make the necessary changes.  One project, in particular, focuses on the Midwest and Illinois.  What was once done on poster board, can now be done on Google Slides.  In addition to the students creating with technology, they are also able to learn from the technology.  For example, there is a video posted for students to watch about Illinois, as well as the list of topics which creates less paper.  While the pros certainly outweigh the cons, there are some challenges to consider when creating assignments such as this.  When students have access to each other’s work, we need to be more aware of how the tech is being used.  We, as teachers, need to discuss expectations of being digital citizen to set the framework. Next year as our students are 1-1, it will be necessary for us to introduce the expectations as well as follow through as the work using technology increases.  Our team’s plan is to start with tutorials about how to be a good digital citizen, having students create rules for computer use, and have students and parents sign a contract to open the lines of communication.  Technology is a great way to engage students in their learning environment, but it is also important to set a strong foundation in the beginning.

Another assignment that I really enjoyed making was the Prezi presentation on the water cycle.  In the past, students watched movies as a whole class, read books and created paper models of the water cycle.  This Prezi presentation, I feel is more flexible to each student’s learning and allows them to go through the learning process at their own pace and begin where their interest level is at.  This can be done with a partner as well.  The activities range in information as well as activities.  One activity that I particularly like requires the students to read a short article about the water cycle and then create a vocabulary matching game on either a Google Doc or Google Slide.  Rather than just taking a vocabulary quiz, students are not only identifying important vocabulary, but also creating a learning assignment together that their peers can use later.  Another activity provided a link to an online article about different clouds.  Later, students would incorporate this new knowledge into an art project.  I feel this reaches all of the multiple intelligences and I can remember doing a similar activity to this when I was in school.  Creating this project helped me remember the characteristics of the clouds and the associated weather.  Designing this Prezi presentation was engaging for me as a teacher and hope that students would find it engaging as well.  There are many positives to this educational experience that steps outside the traditional teaching model.  It helps students to become more self-directed in their learning and really create and construct their new knowledge.  With that said, I feel there could be two challenges teachers might face.  One is time, which is something we don’t have a lot of..  We need to allow our students to explore and become familiar with this new tool.  Students that are not as tech savvy as others, may become frustrated and disengaged, but if we give them the gift of time, I feel they could have a lot of success. Another obstacle would be for those students who may not have access to technology at home.  They may not finish the assignments as quickly as other students which could again lead to anxiety and frustrations.  I feel there would need to be time built into the class day to allow these students to complete their assignments.  Overall Prezi has allowed me to become more creative as a teacher and challenge myself to become less apprehensive about using technology.    

Link to Google Classroom:

https://classroom.google.com/u/0/c/NjkyOTE0Mzk5N1pa

Classroom code: 5ovs49k