EDTECH 541, Integrating Technology into the Classroom Curriculum, has been one of the most useful classes for me through this journey so far…and I’m not just saying that! It truly focused solely on actually integrating technology. Often times, I get in my own way in how to actually integrate technology. I know that I want to, but that’s where I get lost. This course has helped me dive straight in to actually creating meaningful lessons and activities centered around a content area that I teach. I got to incorporate the basic suite, videos, the Internet, social networking, and more to a content area I’ve always taught. I think the best thing about doing all of this work, is that it got me going…It got me going and discovering HOW to incorporate all of those things into one content area, enabling me to take that now into all the other content areas that I teach.
All of the assignments in this class were very purposeful and many met more than one AECT (Association for Educational Communications and Technology) Standard. Below is a list of each assignment from this class, followed by the Standard or Standards that it met.
Vision-Mission Statement
AECT Standard 4 (Professional Knowledge & Skills): 4.3 Reflection on Practice
Relative Advantage Chart
AECT Standard 1 (Content Knowledge): 1.2 Using, 1.3 Assessing/Evaluating
AECT Standard 2 (Content Pedagogy): 2.1 Creating, 2.2 Using
AECT Standard 4 (Professional Knowledge & Skills): 4.3 Reflection on Practice
AECT Standard 5 (Research): 5.1 Theoretical Foundations
Instructional Software Lesson Plan
AECT Standard 1 (Content Knowledge): 1.2 Using, 1.3 Assessing/Evaluating
AECT Standard 2 (Content Pedagogy): 2.1 Creating, 2.2 Using
AECT Standard 5 (Research): 5.1 Theoretical Foundations
Software Support Tools
AECT Standard 1 (Content Knowledge): 1.2 Using, 1.3 Assessing/Evaluating
AECT Standard 2 (Content Pedagogy): 2.1 Creating, 2.2 Using
AECT Standard 5 (Research): 5.1 Theoretical Foundations
Interactive Presentation
AECT Standard 1 (Content Knowledge): 1.2 Using, 1.3 Assessing/Evaluating
AECT Standard 2 (Content Pedagogy): 2.1 Creating, 2.2 Using
AECT Standard 5 (Research): 5.1 Theoretical Foundations
Spreadsheet & Docs Lesson Plans
AECT Standard 1 (Content Knowledge): 1.2 Using, 1.3 Assessing/Evaluating
AECT Standard 2 (Content Pedagogy): 2.1 Creating, 2.2 Using
AECT Standard 5 (Research): 5.1 Theoretical Foundations
Video Integration Project
AECT Standard 1 (Content Knowledge): 1.2 Using, 1.3 Assessing/Evaluating
AECT Standard 2 (Content Pedagogy): 2.1 Creating, 2.2 Using
AECT Standard 5 (Research): 5.1 Theoretical Foundations
Internet Lesson
AECT Standard 1 (Content Knowledge): 1.2 Using, 1.3 Assessing/Evaluating
AECT Standard 2 (Content Pedagogy): 2.1 Creating, 2.2 Using
AECT Standard 5 (Research): 5.1 Theoretical Foundations
Social Networking Learning Activities
AECT Standard 1 (Content Knowledge): 1.2 Using, 1.3 Assessing/Evaluating
AECT Standard 2 (Content Pedagogy): 2.1 Creating, 2.2 Using
AECT Standard 5 (Research): 5.1 Theoretical Foundations
Game-Based Learning
AECT Standard 1 (Content Knowledge): 1.2 Using, 1.3 Assessing/Evaluating
AECT Standard 2 (Content Pedagogy): 2.1 Creating, 2.2 Using
AECT Standard 5 (Research): 5.1 Theoretical Foundations
Content Area Projects 1, 2, and 3
AECT Standard 1 (Content Knowledge): 1.2 Using, 1.3 Assessing/Evaluating
AECT Standard 2 (Content Pedagogy): 2.1 Creating, 2.2 Using
AECT Standard 5 (Research): 5.1 Theoretical Foundations
Assistive Technology Project
AECT Standard 1 (Content Knowledge): 1.2 Using, 1.3 Assessing/Evaluating
AECT Standard 2 (Content Pedagogy): 2.1 Creating, 2.2 Using
AECT Standard 5 (Research): 5.1 Theoretical Foundations
Resource Page
AECT Standard 5 (Research): 5.1 Theoretical Foundations, 5.2 Method, 5.3 Assessing/Evaluating
Blog Entries
AECT Standard 4 (Professional Knowledge & Skills): 4.3 Reflection on Practice
I feel like I have grown professionally, in that I now feel more comfortable going out and finding useful resources to help when integrating technology into my classroom. Before, I would only use technology sporadically in the classroom. It was more of an event than an actual part of my classroom. That has changed now. I truly feel comfortable and capable of integrating technology in more than one way into the curriculum. Looking above at the assignments and what each standard was met, I am a little shocked that one of the assignments that was the most meaningful to me, only met one standard. That assignment was the Resource Page. Throughout the entire semester, I added resources to that page that went along with the module of that week. I know have an extensive list of resources on so many different aspects of technology that I can refer back to.
One of my personal teaching philosophies was also able to shift throughout one particular module. I have always been against using social networking in my classroom, thinking that it is just too much for fourth graders. Although I am not fully on the band wagon for it, my thinking has definitely shifted. I now feel that it is most definitely something that can be incorporated in a controlled and limited manner. If I taught older students, I think I would be even more open-minded.
I feel as though I have always believed in the Constructivism model, which is strong in technology. However, just because I believed in it, does not mean it was what I was using in my classroom unfortunately. I feel with my newly gained confidence in how to go about integrating technology, that my beliefs will become more visible through my teaching. Many of the activities and lessons I created throughout this course were created with this hope.
Self Assessment
Content – I would rate myself as Outstanding in this area (70 points). I truly feel that my posts were very thoughtful and I was constantly trying to make connections between the content and real life situations.
Reading and Resources – I would rate myself as Proficient in this area (15 points). I know that I often referenced reading in my posts, but I sometimes found it difficult to, as I was trying to personalize it maybe too much. I did always use APA style when citing resources.
Timeliness – I would rate myself as Outstanding in this area (20 points). I would usually have my posts written by Monday or Tuesday of the week, and rarely had them written after that, unless there was an unforeseen circumstance, which I unfortunately had a couple this semester.
Responses to Other Students – I would rate myself as Proficient in this area (25 points). I was sure to always respond to at least two other classmates posts, but they were not always as meaningful as they should have been. There were times when I was really moved or interested in something someone had to say, and was able to give meaningful comments, thoughts, or even questions, but unfortunately I know this was not every week.
Meagan Dye: EDTECH Learning Log 