Reflection

As I reflect on my instructional practice I chose in the beginning of this class I can still say that most of what I do goes along with the constructivist theory. I enjoy using group activities to teach information, however I would like to incorporate more technology into the cooperative learning. I truly believe that students can learn a lot through working with one another and with the use of technology. This course has presented so many different forms of technology that I can use in my classroom. The VoiceThread program is definitely something I will be using in my classroom this coming year. It is a great chance to students to share what they know through pictures, websites and other information. Virtual field trips are also a great way for students to learn a lot about a topic without leaving the comfort of the classroom.

Concept mapping with Inspiration and Kidspiration are also a great teaching tool for my classroom. The concept maps get to the main ideas and do not include information that is not necessary; they are more to the point! My students struggle with processing too much information at one time, so to break it down into a concept map is a great way to help students gain the knowledge they need instead of over kill of information.

My long term goals for this coming year will be to use MORE technology as well as use DIFFERENT tools to present information. My days of PowerPoint are over! I love the program, but with so many other options it would be crazy to not at least use them once and a while. I have a SMART board in my classroom and I can do a lot with it. It really is important for students to learn how to use the different technology tools that are available to them. Teachers can increase the use of technology and in turn increase student engagement.

Students have different learning styles and all of the tools we were presented with during this class can touch on so many different ones. They can help the visual and auditory learners. Dr. Orey explains that using pictures instead of words can help increase student understanding. Photostory or VoiceThread can incorporate pictures with talking, which can appeal to the auditory learner. I am very excited to use the programs in class!!

Overall I have gained a lot from this class and have gained a lot of perspective on making my lessons more appealing to all my students. I want to make learning fun for my students and technology gives me a chance to let them get more hands on and active in the classroom. After taking this course I am very excited to start this coming school year so that I can use what I have learned to get my students excited about learning!

Orey, M.(Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology.

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