Technology Reflection: Instructional Use the iPad

Technology Reflection Assignment

Description/Experience

In the last seminar, we had a guest speaker talk to us about the use and benefits of iPads.  We learned about how they can be used in school and what applications we can use for students in the classroom.  These devices are very engaging and students can have fun while learning about or practicing information.  The guest speaker talked about how iPads can help students practice certain skills.  Because this technology connects to the internet there are many different applications that can be downloaded and used to reinforce skills or teach information.  Many teachers use these devices to help students who are having trouble or falling behind.  These can also be used as a reward because students find them fun to play with but they will still be learning and practicing information.  She showed examples of use with the iPad for math, science, and english. 

Application

For my PDS I am in a Kindergarten classroom.  For students this young, I think the best thing to use the iPad for would be the alphabet.  There are many applications on the iPad that students could use to help their letter recognition, as well as their letter sounds.  An advantage to the iPad is that it has a large touch screen so it is fairly easy for children to use.  The students in my PDS can independently get on the computer and locate the game the want to play.  After they find the game, they are able to pull it up on the screen and play it with no assistance.  Because of this, I don’t think the students would have any problem locating the application they wanted to play on the iPad and pulling it up. The students could have turns playing with these applications on the iPad when their group is participating in computer time.

Learners:

This activity is targeted toward a classroom of  Kindergarten students.  These children are around five and six years old.  There are some advanced students in my classroom and there is a group of students who are slightly behind in their achievement level. 
Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this activity, learners will be able to recognize the letters of the alphabet better. Also, the students will know the sounds of the letters better which will help them when they begin reading.

Assessment:

There are several ways that I could determine if students have acquired the learning outcomes.  For this activity, I would probably test the students afterwards or play a letter recognition game with them to see if they have gained knowledge on the letters.  If the students have learned different sounds or if they recognize more letters than they did prior, I would know that they gained knowledge from the activity.

• The lesson would begin with me providing an introduction about the iPads to the students.  I would show them how to turn the screen on and off and how to click on the applications they want to use.  I would show them each application they had to choose from and I would go over how to play the games on the applications.  Also, I would go over the rules of using this technology and make sure the students know them.  This would probably take about 3-5 minutes because the students are so young and they would need to go over all the directions and rules a few times.
• Next, when the students went to the computers, I would have two students at a time come over and play with whatever application they could decide on.  They would only have options to the applications that involve letter recognition and letter sound.  Each pair would have 2-3 minutes with the device.  Hopefully the classroom would have two or three iPads, if so, the activity would take about 10 minutes to get through the whole class.  While the students were using the iPads, I would have an aid or one of the instructors watch over them to make sure they were doing everything correctly.
• Following this exercise, we would have a class discussion about the device and the games the students played.  We would talk about what they learned and what they liked about the iPads.  
• I would continue this lesson everyday while the students had computer time until I felt the class had mastered the sounds and letters of the alphabet. 

Reflection

Pedagogy-Content:

I would represent my content through the iPad by giving directions, using demonstrations, and showing examples.  I would do this on the overhead light so the students could see the iPad on the smart board.  I would go through the directions of how to use the iPad and how to access the learning activities.  I would show students all of their options and show them a demonstration of turning the iPad on, finding the application, and starting the game.  I think this would be pretty comprehensive to the students, plus an instructor will be there to help them during their time using the iPad.

I think using this technology in a classroom this young will bring many conceptions and pre-conceptions.  Many of the students, I assume, have never seen or handled an iPad so it may take them some time to get the hang of the device.  Although I do not think all of the students will know how to use an iPad, I think some of them will be somewhat familiar with what an iPhone is.  Because so many adults have iPhones and many children play with their parents phones, they many be aware of some features on the device.  Many of these features are the same as the iPad so some students may be familiar with how to locate applications or turn the iPad on or off.  I think all of the students will be motivated to use the new technology whether or not they have seen the device before.  Students always love new devices and students this young love playing “games” on technology. 

Technology-Pedagogy:

The technology would be used in my activity by providing the students with different applications to engage in.  The applications would help the students with letter recognition and in the long run will help them learn the entire alphabet.  These applications will also help the students learn letter sounds and will eventually help them when reading words.  Some of the applications focus on matching upper case letters with lower case, pictures with the correct beginning letters.  The main instructional purpose of these activities is to get the students to know what each letter in the entire alphabet, lower case and upper case, looks like.  Also, what each letter sounds like.

Using the technology would support my teaching in this activity because it would provide a fun, interesting way for the students to review and learn the alphabet.  While the class is playing games and doing activities on the computer, only a few students will be working with the iPads at a time. I believe, this way the students will be able to focus on the iPad individually and still have a peer to help them figure out all of the features.  Because the students are very young and would be excited to use this, having the other students at the computer would be helpful. 

Technology-Content:

Using this technology would enhance the way the content is represented.  I can give demonstrations and examples for the whole class to see so they have a better time accessing the information in the content.  Through the applications, students will be able to visually see illustrations and information about the letters of the alphabet.  They will also be able to hear the sounds of the letters through the device and use the screen to go over the letters and match them with the correct matches.

I think students would understand the content of my activity by using this technology because it provides engaging ways for the students to learn letters.  Instead of an instructor going over the letters or writing the letters on the board, the students can see the letters up close and go over them on the screen of the iPad.  

Technology-Pedagogy-Content:

 I think the content can be taught effectively through the use of this technology.  I would teach the letters of the alphabet before the students were every introduced to the iPads, so my teaching strategy would basically stay the same.  This lesson would be directed more towards students going over the information and practicing themselves.  This technology would keep the students interested in learning the alphabet.  This would be good for those students who have given up on a few letters they could not get before the technology.  

I think this technology will enhance my teaching by giving the students the opportunity to independently figure out problems dealing with letters.  These matching activities and games will help students remember the letters and the way the sound.  I think this technology will be most helpful because it will keep students interested and it has them interact with the alphabet and the device.

I would have the students complete activities using this technology for a period of time or until they have completely mastered the content being taught.  After this time, I would see how the students have improved and what knowledge they have gained through other classroom activities. 

Technology Reflection: Instructional Use of Edmodo

Technology Reflection Assignment

Description/Experience

During the last seminar, the classed learned about a technology called Edmodo.  This website gives teachers and students the opportunity to communicate and interact in different ways.  Edmodo is a free, safe program for all students and teachers to use and it can be accessed anywhere, including schools.  There are many features on the website that could be very beneficial for students.  Edmodo allows teachers to post assignments and discussions for the whole class to see.  Because this website is very similar to Facebook, most students already know how to use the features and they can communicate with each other.  I think Edmodo is a very useful website because students can ask questions, receive information, be given assignments, and see their grades.  This website is also beneficial for those students who are shy or embarrassed to talk out loud during class.  This gives them a chance to communicate or ask questions to the teacher or other classmates.

Application

An instructional activity using Edmodo would be very difficult to come up with in my PDS because I am in a Kindergarten class.  The students in my classroom are so young that it would be hard for them to complete assignments or activities.  Because all of the students in the class know how to use a computer, I could do a short and easy activity with them through Edmodo. 

Learning outcomes: Through this activity, learners will gain knowledge and understanding about the use of the computer and of Edmodo.  The students will learn about the alphabet through the activity on the website and how to interact with their peers in groups.  

Learners: This activity will be designed for students that are in Kindergarten.  These children are around five or six years old and the lesson should be done in small groups.  Placing four or five students together may help the students reach their goal.  The children can gain information off each other and help each other learn.

Assessment: When a group finished their assignment an instructor would check and make sure they completed it all and help them save it. After saving the activities, the students would come together as a whole to have a discussion.  We would talk about the lesson and the alphabet and the students could tell what they learned or had questions about.  The students learning outcomes would be determined by their whole class discussion and their group work on Edmodo.  I could see how effective the lesson was by the student’s comments and questions during the discussion 

For this activity, I would start by already having the students placed in their groups and Edmodo would be up on their computers.  I would discuss Edmodo with them and explain how to click on the link to their activity.  Once I explained everything, I would have the groups open up their assignment and start playing the game.  After the group completed their activity, they would raise their hand for a helper to come assist them with saving it.  I would have all the students sit in a circle when they were finished so we could have a whole class discussion about the website and the activity. 

Reflection

Pedagogy-Content:

I would represent the content by first writing the directions for the activity on the chalk board and going over them with the students.  Next, I would bring up and showing them the website on the smart board.  I would show them exactly what they needed to click on and what to do.  Also, prior to starting the activity I would have the class go over the alphabet and the information they will have to know to complete their activity.  When using the smart board, the information becomes comprehensible to students through visually seeing what needs to be done and hearing the instructions out loud.  Some students may already know how to use a computer or the internet.  Although they all use them during class time at some point, some use them more than others and many students are taught at home.  Also, students who understood and knew the letters of the alphabet probably had a less difficult time completing the assignment.

Technology:

There are many major functions of this technology and these are what make it a beneficial and helpful website.  The discussion board on Edmodo provides students with the opportunity to ask questions to one another or to the teacher.  Also, students can get homework help from their peers or talk about a lesson that was done in class.  Teachers have the ability to post anything they want, including assignments, for the class to see or complete.  On this website, students are able to submit assignments right then and there, and the teacher is able to grade them immediately and give them instant feedback.  Teachers can also provide students with badges that serve as rewards.  The entire class can see the badges, so it gives students the opportunity to compete with their peers.  Edmodo is very accessible.  It is free for all students and has very self explanatory directions along with it.  Once students sign up and make a password, they can use their account and start right away.

Technology-Pedagogy: 

The technology would be used for my activity by exploring the website and finding the link to click on for the assignment.  This technology allows for the students to access the activity right off the webpage and start it immediately.  This benefits the teacher because they do not have to provide the website for them.  Using the technology would change the way the lesson was taught by engaging the students in an online game that will help them with their knowledge of the alphabet.  Certain classroom management strategies should be considered before doing this assignment.  Because the students are so young, I would place them in small groups at different computers to work together.

Technology-Content:

Content for my activity could be represented in different ways by using this technology.  The information and and the activity are very engaging for the students because they are on the computer and they are fun and exciting.  Because the students are learning the alphabet on the computer, they do not have to worry so much on writing the letters and they can focus on identifying them.  After the students played the game provided by the technology, they could practice the letters of the alphabet by playing that same game on their own or making their own type of game.

Technology-Pedagogy-Content:

The content would be effectively taught and the teacher would use appropriate pedagogies, as well as technology.  The instructor is still teaching the students the same material and in the same way.  The technology effectively helps the students learn and grasp concepts by providing them with engaging information.  The way the students are using the taught information is helping them learn effectively.  The selection of this technology could enhance the content and the pedagogy of the lesson.  It can provide the information to the students in fun and exciting ways that may be difficult for an instructor to do.  The content is given to the students and the technology allows the students to complete activities and receive grades and feedback.  For this technology,  a teaching strategy I would choose would be similar to the lesson given above.  Because the students are still so young, there are not many things that could be done with them using the technology because they will not understand it that well.  Through this technology I would provide the students with information, activities, pictures, or anything else that could help their understanding of what was being taught.