Innovation and Technology

This educational technology book, as long as it is, provided many useful resources for teachers looking to pump up their classrooms with new and innovative strategies for fun in conjunction with learning. From an extensive list of classroom friendly games and the research to back up the benefits of their use to how to use the many available resources of podcasts, screen casts, and videos. I appreciate the table of contents of this book to be able to zone in on the topics that I was interested in reading more about.

 I am so glad that someone has put together a list of all the resources that we as teachers as well as our students can benefit from.  See my outline of interesting topics here. I think my favorite part of this book was the research provided on the benefits of a gaming curriculum and how children function with interactive play. Gone are the days of constant lecture and pen to paper assignments, and here are the days of innovation, technology and learning through experience. I cannot wait to be a part of this developing front to education.

We are joing this front whether we like it or not, our students are more savy than ever, what will we as asprining educators have to contribute to this future of technology?

Using Blogs in the Classroom

            Starting out this course, I wasn't sold on the idea of using blogs in the classroom. Throughout my time as an education student, I’ve come across many blogs created by teachers who post their lesson ideas and unit plans, etc. I have used quite a few of them as resources but always wondered “really, how does one use a blog in the classroom?” Obviously I could go the above mentioned route and have all my ideas that I snag from Pinterest for further reference and to help out other teachers or use it as a resource for parents to have a place to keep up with what is going on in their student’s lives, but then as I dug into the Wartlick site and found the Video a Day site, not only did I get distracted (so fascinated with "how do you" in space videos), I became inspired.

         What if I created a blog that contained videos and activities pertinent to the content we review in class? I could use it as resource during class but also leave it for students to access during free time or at home as added practice and enjoyment.

         What if students created their own blog to keep all their favorite videos or websites(all learning-related of course) all in one place for easy access? Doing this, organization and categorization could be a skill taught to keep their blog in order.

         During projects like the one I want to do in my Unit Plan, I could provide students with available links to get them started on their discovery journey of community based organizations that promote change. 

 

I suppose what really was lacking in my understanding of a blog was, that it isn't just an assignment to have my students do; it's a resource. As teachers, we are some of the most resourceful people out there, constantly digging up new things to use. I had my qualms mostly because I will be in special education classrooms where I am focusing on ensuring that my students can read and write or do basic functional skills. Who has time to teach kids how to blog? But in reality, I have seen many of my students who are so far behind other students, navigate through the internet better than many adults I know. This tool, although a bit tedious to teach how to create, takes almost nothing to teach how to use, and my students could benefit from something "cool" and alternative to using pen and paper.

Changes All Around Us Unit Plan

All the hype in educational research are two forms of learning inquiry-based learning and project based-learning. Both are vital learning strategies to use in a classroom to promote student involvement. Inquiry-based learning is seeking information by asking questions. It is in an involvement of the students in their own learning.quiry-based learning is seeking information by asking questions. It is in an involvement of the students in their own learning. Inquiry-based learning is being used in the classroom to tie activities and knowledge from specific subject areas in the classroom to the outside world and giving students a sense of the “bigger picture.” The components are also aiding in developing useful problem-solving skills that can be applied to future "need to know" situations that students will encounter both at school and at work. In the classroom, inquiry-based learning develops habits of mind that guide learning and creative thinking. Inquiry-based learning is being used in the classroom to tie activities and knowledge from specific subject areas in the classroom to the outside world and giving students a sense of the “bigger picture.” The components are also aiding in developing useful problem-solving skills that can be applied to future "need to know" situations that students will encounter both at school and at work. In the classroom, inquiry-based learning develops habits of mind that guide learning and creative thinking.
In my Unit Plan, these two learning bases are important. Students will have to question what they see around them and apply new knowledge to what they already know. Students know that the world around them changes but it is important to discover it on a new level. Project-based learning will also come to play a part in this unit plan when students explore ways to change their communities and schools.
Essential Question: Why does the world around us change?
Unit Questions: How does the world change? How do we change? How can we change the world around us?