End-of-Term Reflection

Technology integration in education is inevitable. I have always been a believer in this idea and through this class I know it's happening now. Perhaps initiating full technology integration might be a bit overwhelming for early elementary students. Remember slow and steady wins the race. I've learned that much this term. Thanks to Bloom and his taxonomy, I know to start off with the basics and use those as building blocks. Over these past 10 weeks my opinion hasn't changed, its become stronger.

This class has provided multiple resources that will help me integrate technology in my own classroom. I will most definitely be making newsletters. It is a great way to communicate with parents and keep them involved and accountable. Story Jumper is another great tech tool for students to use. The creative opportunities are endless for students to explore and they can also share it with others. This can be used in a variety of different lessons for many different subjects. I also think having a course blog is a great idea and a great tool. Students can check for assignments and any additional class information from outside the classroom.

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Students Using Technology

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Wordle What?

This Wordle is a mash up of words chosen specifically to represent the changes that must take

place in K-12 schools before educators can fully integrate and use technology in the classroom. After reading Myths and Realities about Technology in K-12 Schools, it is clear that educators have a ways to fully integrate technology in the classroom.

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Integrating Websites into the Classroom

The website I am exploring is Best Of History Websites. Easy to navigate, this website provides a plethora of information giving you a tour through time. This website allows you to explore periods in history starting with the stone age, continuing on to WWI, and leading you to American history. Links are provided with primary sources and informative video's. This website allows you to explore this histories of many countries, giving the audience more than one perspective. This site can be used in the classroom to explore the different time periods throughout history. Students can explore what life was like during the stone age, the middle ages, post war Europe, and colonial America. The opportunity to create a world history time line can be accomplished with the help of this website. The advantages of the internet allow students to continue learning outside the classroom. This website is easy to navigate so students can access it on their own. The content is user friendly an is appropriate for a middle school classroom. Also, this website provides a list of games and interactive activities that students can manage to complete outside the classroom. For teachers, this website provides a variety of different lesson plans that can be used in their own curriculum.

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Project Based Learning Website

Hiking the Appalachian Trail was my favorite PBL website. The objective was clear and focused on a main goal. As the instructions continue you find there are links that provide information directly related to the task at hand. The organization of this webdesign makes navigation a breeze. Students must analyze topographical maps of specific area's, thoroughly understand and analyze weather charts, and use creativity to present a final itinerary for their up-coming journey across the Appalachian terrain. According to Bloom's taxonomy this project utilizes the higher level thinking skills students need to become successful. One aspect of the project that could use improvement is instead of giving vague group guidelines, give specific roles for each group member to take on. By being specific it allows groups to be efficient and stay on task. Each member of the group is responsible for their role and creates a sense of responsibility. Print Page in IE

Reading Response #2

Telecollaborative projects can help develop students' critical thinking skills because it allows them to build off strong foundations of knowledge, comprehension, application, and analysis. Ultimately students will reach the highest level of Bloom’s Taxonomy, synthesis and evaluation (Bloom et al.'s Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain). Through working with peers, students can collaborate ideas making new and original products they might not have been able to do alone. The different categories of telecollaboration are useful not only to students but to teachers as well. Through teacher to teacher and class to class telecollaberation, individuals are able to share and construct new and genuine ideas. These ideas are then implemented into the classroom providing students with a completely unique learning experience designed to guide them to the highest levels of learning.


The skills acquired through telecollaborative projects allow students to become optimal learners and analysts. Bloom’s taxonomy provides a guideline for teachers to judge and scale student learning. Starting from the bottom and working your way up the pyramid, students build off of previously gained knowledge proving their ability to reach the top. They become organized, functional, and analytical students. Not only are students able to recognize their own ability they become aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses, only adding to individual internal resources (Enerson, 2). Through telecollaborative projects students are allowed the opportunity to develop a new set of critical skills that will guide them through their educational adventure. Print Page in IE

Reading Response #1

The amount of technology used in classrooms today, makes the amount of technology used in my elementary education seem like the stone age. I vaguely remember a computer room down the hall from my classroom where we would often play typing games, but I do not have any memory of using a computer in my classroom. The computer lab in my middle school functioned mainly to play Oregon Trail and Dinosaur Adventure while in our mandatory hour long computer class. However, I did manage to retain how to insert clip art in a word document and how to create my very own slide show, among other things. Computers were also made available during my high school years. Here we learned how to research on internet, determine quality websites, and how to surf the web safely. I experienced a well rounded computer education during my middle and high school years, creating the knowledge of computers I have today.

Technology is everywhere and is almost impossible to ignore. My philosophy on the presence of technology in the classroom is, if you can't beat them join them. It is vitally important to teach students the skills, if not just the basic skills, to navigate around a computer successfully. Information is now at the touch of our fingertips and children need to know how to safely navigate around the internet. I intend to teach my students these necessary skills. Classrooms today are equipped with projectors, smart boards, and televisions. These learning aids can help students learn in alternate ways. Through the use of PowerPoint I can teach students the basic skills to create a slide show, an important tool to have for the future. Using educational video's or DVD's the students are experiencing an interactive approach to learning. Technology is very prevalent in the daily life of a young child and by incorporating technology in my classroom I am able to provide them with a enjoyable learning experience. I hope to teach 2nd grade and through exposing my students to technology at an early age, they will adapt to technology use as it requires them to.

In an ideal world every classroom will have technology, however we live in reality and in reality, schools are underfunded and not equipped with proper classroom technology. I understand the limitations of technology in the classrooms today because of funding, and I am prepared to be able to teach without them. Another challenge threatening technology use in the classroom is the teacher's understanding of technology. Having the appropriate skills is vital to enhance student learning and help them build on strong foundations.

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Avatars In Education

Avatars can be used to support instruction and enhance communication because it allows the students to creatively interact with each other. Students have the opportunity to use their creativity while learning the fundamentals of technology. Using avatars teachers can engage the students in a fun activity while also teaching them the importance of virtual learning. Print Page in IE