EDLD+5364+Teaching+with+Technology+Week+5

Teaching with Technology Week 5

Group Reflection Podcast: media type="youtube" key="K58658Y6-sc" height="390" width="480" Script: The Budget Center lesson is based on project based learning. Project based learning enables the student, “To use inquiry-based methods to engage with issues and questions that are rich, real, and relevant to their lives” (Solomon & Schrum, 2007, p. 77).The technology components of this lesson include using a spreadsheet program like Excel or Google Docs and Spreadsheets, and the use of a wiki. The wiki, “Forms a continually evolving body of knowledge” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007, p. 54). Students will use the wiki to reflect on their learning experience, as well as, continually resolve problems with their budget. This center was chosen for the students to realize the importance of proper planning, financial responsibilities, and to promote a positive learning experience dealing with money. This lesson could be extended to provide students with more experience, to allow for more collaboration between the students, and continually resolve problems that may occur. I feel that this would be most beneficial as a semester long project. It also provides numerous opportunities for differentiation for all learning abilities. Professional Development will be campus and district based with the teacher having access to sessions that address the use of spreadsheet software and wikis. Also, the teacher will be able to collaborate with the campus technology applications teacher and the district technology specialist. These sessions will allow the teacher to become comfortable with using spreadsheets and wikis to be used with this lesson. Bibliography Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). //Using technology with classroom instruction that works.// Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2007). //Web 2.0 new tools, new schools.// Eugene: International Society for Technology in Education.

PERSONAL REFLECTION: This week’s assignment was to create a group reflection as well as a personal reflection. I posted my group reflection above on my budget lesson. Our group decided that each one of us would present our reflection in a different technology format. I chose to do a podcast. The podcast itself was easy to complete using the Audacity software. Unfortunately, I encountered problems when I tried to upload the audio to the Google team site. I attempted to upload to my wiki and then provide a link. Again, this was not possible. My podcast was too large. Then, I decided that I would use You Tube to complete the task. Again, I ran in to a road block. After searching various help sights, I came to the conclusion to create a Movie Maker file with a title slide that would be displayed during the entire audio. At the end, I added a created by slide. Once the Movie Maker was complete, I uploaded to You Tube and was able to add it to the team site. Although, it was a challenge, I am very proud that I was able to work through the many problems that I encountered. I found this quote from the readings to express the trials and tribulations I experienced. “We have to change our mindset and learn how to deal with the technical issues. When enough people are brave enough to use it, it will become the norm” (Solomon & Schrum, 2007, p.24). The videos provided an eye opening view on education and technology. I especially enjoyed James Paul Gee and his perspective on grading and gaming. I think that he has many valid points on assessments and gaming that I had not thought about. I agree that games today provide ongoing assessment and then the final assessment usually to gain access to the next level. I think that this concept would be interesting to bring in to the classroom. “Unfortunately, teachers may frequently fall back to the traditional ways of figuring out how well students have learned” (Solomon & Schrum, 2007 p.168). Technology brings with it a wide variety of means to assess a students learning. As teachers, we must be open to change and embrace the new ways that technology brings. “Perhaps the most obvious use of Web 2.0 tools for assessment would be for students to be able to show what they learn in a wide variety of media” (Solomon & Schrum, 2007, p. 168).

=   Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2007). //Web 2.0 new tools, new schools.// Eugene: International Society for Technology in Education. =