5 Tips to Help Teachers Who Struggle with Technology | Edutopia

5 Tips to Help Teachers Who Struggle with Technology | Edutopia

6.3 Reflection: Technology and Assessment

     In my discussions with other teachers regarding assessment and technology, the ominous spectre that seems to always intrude into the conversation is, "How are you going to prevent the students from cheating?" There are many tools on the internet that assist teachers with creating online assessments with various answer options (including multiple choice, fill in the blank, matching, etc...). Quizlet, Infuse Learning, and Haiku LMS are just a few of the numerous online tools that allow teachers to create online formative and even summative assessments. The convenience these tools afford teachers and students alike go without saying. Who wouldn't go for having all your grading done in a matter of seconds? 
     But back to the elephant in the room. Mr. 'Smith' retorts, "If my students are using their Chromebooks to take my midterm benchmark, what's to stop them from going on Google and looking up the answer? Or worse yet, opening up a chat to give each other the answers?" He's got a point. What is to stop them? There is computer monitoring software like Lanschool, that allow teachers to electronically 'spy' on and commandeer wayward users. Then of course, there's the good old fashioned standing at the back and scanning the room with your own two eyes.
     Here's an idea: what if we just change the paradigm? Does a multiple choice assessment really stand up as a thorough accounting of one's knowledge and their ability to apply it to novel situations? Of course not! This form of assessment was lazy instructional practice from the beginning, and I'm willing to bet, has never produced one shred of authentic, meaningful learning. What is needed is a committed shift to project-based assessment. When a student is applying his knowledge to solving a real-world problem and is creating a meaningful and worthwhile product, real learning is taking place. In a project based assessment, use of the internet is encouraged. Collaboration and chat between students are encouraged. This is the way it should be. This is the way it must be. 

4.3 Reflection: Social & Professional Networks

Here is a screenshot of a post I did using Google+

Prior to my use of Google+, I had been using Facebook as my one and only social networking site. For some reason, I've never warmed up to Twitter or any other social networking since Facebook seemed to have satiated my networking needs up to that point. When I began my position as Technology Coach for Perris High School, I realized that social networking must be used for more than just catching up with friends. This medium can serve a vital need in the realm of professional networking. Now, I am following a number of people on Twitter to keep up on the latest buzz in educational technology, and I am using Google + as a professional forum to post tutorials and keep in touch with coworkers. I am cautious to separate my personal Facebook activity from my professional activity on Google+. In this way, I can have my cake and eat it too!

Since gearing up on Twitter, social networking has exponentially boosted my understanding of educational technology. Following a good tweeter will snowball into following more quality tweeters, and before you know it, the amount of information you can glean is extraordinary. There are, of course, many distractions when it comes to the internet and technology in general. Don't even get me started on Candy Crush! But like everything in life, you have to find balance and set parameters for yourself. It's like having dessert. You have to finish your dinner first before you can have dessert!

My students are no different. Just like everyone else, there is a wealth of information out there, along with a wealth of filth, a wealth of entertainment, and a wealth of nonsense. I think well-adjusted adults have the tools to sift through this information soup to maximize their productivity and enrich their lives. We need to teach our students this skill. We can't just expect that every student will have the discipline and strategies one would need to make the internet a productive and enriching tool. This would take practice and a lot of guidance. Teachers would be wise to set up highly structured procedures for using the internet and incorporate a daily work schedule to help students stay on track. Something like Gantter could help students manage their online workloads and organize their use of time.

3.3 Reflection: Using Web 2.0 Tools

Project: Creating an Online School Newspaper

Learning Objectives:

In this project students will:

• Analyze various elements of a newspaper by researching other online newspapers and blogs.
• Evaluate various elements of a newspaper and use Google Forms to decide upon the elements that should be included in their online newspaper.
• Create a basic outline of their online school newspaper using mural.ly.
• Form student teams using Gantter that will be in charge of a specific section of the online newspaper.
• Design the basic layout of the online newspaper using Wiki Projects in Haiku LMS.
• Collect information regarding their specific portion of the newspaper and write articles.
• Publish their articles in the online newspaper and embed multimedia.

This project, as outlined above, would be a complex, multi-week activity that would involve many layers. For the purposes of this reflection, I have chosen to describe the third learning outcome: Create a basic outline of their online school newspaper using mural.ly. Before my students would even begin creating the outline, I would need to introduce them to mural.ly and provide direct instruction on how to use this web 2.0 tool. After the direct instruction, I would assist students with setting up mural.ly accounts and provide a short activity, having them create a quick mural so they can familiarize themselves with the tool. The next day, we would begin the task in earnest. I would set up the mural.ly project with starter blocks at the top (page 1, page 2, etc), and invite the students as collaborators on the project. Students would use comment and chat features to negotiate where they would place the various elements of the newspaper. 

2.3 Reflection: Methodologies of the Online Instructor

Reflecting on the information covered in this module so far, how might your instructional methodologies need to change in an online or blended learning environment?

          One of the greatest shifts a teacher must make when entering into the forays of blended/online instructional delivery is the relinquishing of control. Teachers who have spent their entire careers in the traditional model of classroom instruction may struggle in an environment where students work at their own pace and demonstrate their understanding in a variety of ways. In an online environment, I would have to work more as a facilitator and eliminate the old "sage on the stage" construct. The National Standards for Quality Online Courses (iNACOL) contend that students should take an active role in their learning with "reliance on digital content, resources and tools." In this way, the student has greater control over their own pacing within the course. (1) This shift of control may require some adjustment from a teacher's perspective, but it is critical in getting our students to "evolve beyond the mere acquisition of information (and) into the development of critical thinkers." (2)

What skills and strategies might you improve or expand upon in order to best support student learning in a blended or online environment?

 In addition to a change in the locus of control, teachers of online courses must constantly revise and update their online instructional materials. In the traditional model, teachers would be relegated to whatever textbook their district had adopted. Inevitably, this tome of wisdom would perpetuate "business as usual" for years, providing the teacher with static materials that would remain the same until the next textbook adoption. In contrast, teachers of online courses must constantly present relevant material that is engaging, dynamic, interactive, and current. Given the nature of the world wide web, I would constantly need to keep content updated to avoid broken links and to ensure maximum student engagement. iNOCOL advocates that If a student is unsuccessful with mastering a 
particular concept, the instructor should ensure that the course content provides "additional remediation activities or alternative assignments." (3) The same is true for students who may be more advanced. A variety of alternative assignments should also be available to challenge students and enrich their learning experience. It is essential that any online course I developed would need to be content rich with opportunities for  remedial and advanced learners to have access to appropriate activities and resources.

1. "National Standards for Quality Online Courses, Version 2." 2011. 19, Oct. 2013, p.6.  http://www.inacol.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/iNACOL_CourseStandards_2011.pdf
2. "Leading Edge Certification, Module 2" 19, Oct. 3013, p.4.  https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.haikulearning.com/data/ctap10/minisite_22226488/3812b2878a8/LEC_2_9_24_13/index.html
3. "National Standards for Quality Online Courses, Version 2." 2011. 19, Oct. 2013, p.11.  http://www.inacol.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/iNACOL_CourseStandards_2011.pdf

1.2 Reflection: Personal Learning Goal

I guess, according to the results of the online course readiness assessment, I am more than ready to be successful at taking an online course. I guess that's not surprising to me, considering I am really good at independent learning and I have a busy schedule that would make traveling to a classroom extremely difficult. 

What is your highest priority learning goal for this course? 

I guess my highest priority learning goal is discovery and broadening of my knowledge of educational technology. As a technology coach, I am charged with assisting the teachers at my school site with integrating technology into the classroom. I serve over 100 staff members, each with their unique sets of circumstances, curriculum, and personalities. Given all of the variables at play, a particular tool or website may work perfectly for one teacher, but for another, it could prove to be useless. This is why it is so important for me to broaden my knowledge as much as possible. Teachers will be looking at me to be the expert on a wide range of technology tools, and at times, I feel slightly ill equipped to fully serve every sector of our school. I am looking forward to exploring everything there is to know about educational technology!

What are some specific skills, strategies or tools you are hoping to learn more about?

One of the best aspects of this course, in my opinion, is its use of Haiku Learning Management System. This is especially helpful because our district has recently adopted the Haiku LMS and will be one of our primary tools for delivering instruction in the classroom. I think taking a course that is delivered via Haiku will help me immensely in broadening my understanding of Haiku LMS, and hopefully allow me to realize possibilities I haven't yet thought about. Besides Haiku, I am looking for a definitive roadmap of what a blended classroom looks like and how a teacher can pull it off. I believe the blended classroom is the future, and the faster we can innovate new and exciting ways to offer this mode of instruction, the further ahead of the curve we will be. It's exciting to be on the cutting edge, and I want to move closer to it!  Regardless of what we discover throughout this course, I will be eager to see where the journey leads!