Over the past few months, I have had the opportunity to learn and experience various strategies and technology tools that I can incorporate in my classroom. Not only did I experience various technology sources and tools, but I also learned new applications for technology in the classroom and more specifically, in my content area.
The first valuable aspect of this class is the recognition I gained regarding the need to continually develop my skills in technology and staying current on the latest technology resources available. Students today rely heavily on technology and as educators we must adapt to our changing students. This means that I must seek innovative ways of incorporating technology in the classroom. I realized the importance for teachers to be fluent in technology and the tools available because technology is such an integral aspect of our students’ lives.
My second big takeaway from EDM 510 is that technology is not meant to replace teacher instruction, but rather it is meant to enhance lessons and help build a more engaging and interactive classroom. Technology has many applications in the classroom from assessment tools, instructional videos, and even educational games. Technology can also bring the outside world into the classroom and provide students with opportunities to experience instruction on a larger scale by using virtual labs and virtual field trips.
The third aspect of EDM 510 that I feel was most valuable was learning how to build technology into a lesson. I realized that incorporating technology into the classroom doesn’t mean more work for the teacher. The great thing about technology is that it can simplify processes and activities in the classroom. Technology can be used to engage students, encourage practice, communicate to students outside of the classroom, and work as assessment tools. I had the impression going into this class that technology can be a distraction or create more work to maintain for the teacher, but this class taught me that technology does quite the opposite. I was able to experience novel resources and practice using these tools prior to entering the classroom. I also enjoyed being able to see how my peers used the same resources and how they chose to incorporate them in their content areas. I think this aspect of collaborating and sharing ideas gave us all the opportunity to experience more resources than we would individually.
When I reflect on the past few months and the assignments that we completed, it is hard to pick just one because I really enjoyed a majority of the assignments we completed. I feel that I was able to experience so many great resources by being guided through the instruction of the EDM 510 class. I find that my favorite assignment was the assessment tools assignment. In this assignment we researched and chose a tool that we could incorporate in our classroom that would allow us to assess our students before, during, or after a lesson. I used Quizlet and FlipQuiz. I liked this assignment because we were able to develop creative and engaging ways to assess our students. There are so many options and resources available and even more applications in the classroom for the tools. I enjoyed the challenge and task of creating assessments for students that are delivered in a way that students don’t feel like they are being evaluated in the traditional format.
I also really enjoyed creating a Nearpod lesson. This was a separate assignment, but can also function as an assessment tool too. Nearpod’s versatility and opportunities to engage students makes this one tool I will definitely incorporate in my classroom in the future. Nearpod allows you to create a lesson that can have slides, quizzes, free response, drawings, and more. This tool is also accessible to students outside of the classroom for independent study. Nearpod will also allow me to assess my students and track student progress with the ability to print reports for the class or individual. Using Nearpod regularly will save me time and engage my students by having them involved. In the past I may have defaulted to using a traditional Powerpoint, but Nearpod requires the students to be involved and stay engaged throughout the lesson.
Prior to taking this class, I was skeptical on the ease and accessibility of being able to do labs and hands on activities in the classroom. These are two crucial aspects in a science content area that are necessary supplements to providing a meaningful lesson. I was worried that time constraints and supplies would limit my ability to provide my students with the opportunity to participate in the types if activities. Using technology to perform virtual labs or a virtual tour of the cell for example, makes incorporating these activities into my lessons more feasible. It will not require additional resources that an actual lab would require.
Overall I feel that I have greatly benefited from the instruction and activities in EDM 510. I feel that I became more fluent with technology and ways I can use it in my classroom in the future. I plan to continue to explore various ways of incorporating technology into my lessons and staying up to date on new tools that will promote student engagement and create more meaningful lessons.
J. Williams 