Vision
P-12 has changed dramatically over the last 30 years, between the amount of time I was in kindergarten and now when I am in my ninth year of teaching. In my experience, classrooms used to be uninformed all over the school. I remember in many instances where my teacher was absent and the class was broken up into other classes. The class I went to looked the same. The desk arrangement, type of posters on the wall, and the type of teaching was direct instruction. Students sat and received information via voice and an overhead projector. Only the relationship with my teacher was missing.
Educators should use technology to engage students, expand educational opportunities, and create a culturally inclusive environment. Tarbutton (2018) stated that "technology has been a bridge between engaged students and a positive classroom environment" (p. 5). Teachers who use technology to access available resources and materials online can ensure materials meet each students background and motivate them to be engaged. In my classroom, I use technology to enhance my material and gamify activities. Jaiswal (2020) stated “gamification of learning is an educational approach to motivate students to learn by using game elements in learning environments” (p. 148). Two applications I use are Blooket and Nearpod. Blooket is a game-based review where students can play games while answering questions. By having games students have fun and are engaged while answering questions they would typically do on a study guide. Nearpod allows educators to include activities like Virtual Reality, Collaboration, Drag and Drop, and more into a presentation. Nearpod uses fun activities to engage students but also allows me to gain critical formative data that I use to drive my lessons, and students use to know where they are toward mastery. The change that all teachers must all embrace is technology!
References
Jaiswal, P. (2020). Integrating educational technologies to augment learners’ academic achievements. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 15 (2), 145-159. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v15i02.11809
Tarbutton, T. (2018). Leveraging 21st Century learning and technology to create caring diverse classroom cultures. Multicultural Education. 25 (2), 4-6.
https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=EJ1181567
Educators should use technology to engage students, expand educational opportunities, and create a culturally inclusive environment. Tarbutton (2018) stated that "technology has been a bridge between engaged students and a positive classroom environment" (p. 5). Teachers who use technology to access available resources and materials online can ensure materials meet each students background and motivate them to be engaged. In my classroom, I use technology to enhance my material and gamify activities. Jaiswal (2020) stated “gamification of learning is an educational approach to motivate students to learn by using game elements in learning environments” (p. 148). Two applications I use are Blooket and Nearpod. Blooket is a game-based review where students can play games while answering questions. By having games students have fun and are engaged while answering questions they would typically do on a study guide. Nearpod allows educators to include activities like Virtual Reality, Collaboration, Drag and Drop, and more into a presentation. Nearpod uses fun activities to engage students but also allows me to gain critical formative data that I use to drive my lessons, and students use to know where they are toward mastery. The change that all teachers must all embrace is technology!
References
Jaiswal, P. (2020). Integrating educational technologies to augment learners’ academic achievements. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 15 (2), 145-159. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v15i02.11809
Tarbutton, T. (2018). Leveraging 21st Century learning and technology to create caring diverse classroom cultures. Multicultural Education. 25 (2), 4-6.
https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=EJ1181567