Explanation of Technology Integration
411 On The 1:1- Tools For Using Personalized Learning Devices In a Student Centered Environment
Goals and Objectives:
ISTE Standards for Educators: 6a- Foster a culture where students take ownership of their learning goals and outcomes in both independent and group settings. 5b-Design authentic learning activities that align with content area standards and use digital tools and resources to maximize active, deep learning. South Carolina ADEPT Performance Standards: ADEPT Performance Standard 4.C: The teacher helps students assume responsibility for their own participation and learning. ADEPT Performance Standard 5.B: The teacher uses a variety of instructional strategies ADEPT Performance Standard 5.C: The teacher uses instructional strategies effectively. |
|
Learner Goals and Outcomes:
-Engage in collaborative learning and discovery
-Explore and create technology tools that will maximize student engagement and learning
-Utilize technology as a way to differentiate instruction
-Discuss and develop ways to utilize technology platforms in the classroom
-Engage in collaborative learning and discovery
-Explore and create technology tools that will maximize student engagement and learning
-Utilize technology as a way to differentiate instruction
-Discuss and develop ways to utilize technology platforms in the classroom
Rationale:
This training served as a model for transforming the classroom from a teacher centered classroom to a student centered learning environment through the use of personal learning devices. The target school has had personalized learning devices for four years now and teachers have become complacent in using technology within their comfort zone. Blendspace was used as a means to have teachers explore Flipgrid, EdPuzzle, and Quizizz. The overall goal was to model a student centered learning environment that will ignite a passion and desire to incorporate the use of personal learning devices in new and innovative ways within the classroom.
Blendspace: Creating a student paced learning environment was essential. Blendspace was chosen because this platform easily allows an individual to combine videos, text, and other resources from several different venus into one place to deliver a lesson. Blendspace facilitates student learning and engagement. According to Engaging Digital Natives Through Social Learning By Sarkar, Ford and Manzo “[Blendspace] facilitates a self-paced learning environment where learning can occur unconstrained by time and place” (Sarkar, Ford, & Manzo, 2017, p. 2) This was extremely important when designing the training. I wanted to ensure that educators felt free to explore each platform at their own pace, in their own comfort zone. Sarkar, Ford and Manzo also say that Blendspace is a platform in which “Digital natives can customize their learning experience through self-directed knowledge acquisition. Faculty can efficiently and seamlessly manage their digital content and students can experience unfettered access to a montage of learning material that satisfies their personal and individualized learning needs.” (Sarkar, Ford, & Manzo, 2017, p. 2) It was an easy and effective platform for me as a facilitator to design and utilize.
FlipGrid: FlipGrid allows teachers to pose a question to students and then allows students to record their response in a one minute and thirty second video. Each student response is saved into a “grid” for other learners to view. FlipGrid is a great way to encourage students to vocally express the learning outcome for the lesson/topic presented. According to Iona in The School Librarian “It also seems that Flipgrid is potentially a good tool for helping students to develop their speaking and presentation skills, as well as to engage with their peers and share their learning.” (Iona, 2017) FlipGrid was chosen as a platform because it allows the learner to give feedback, at their own pace, in a video format to share with others.
EdPuzzle: Video has been a significant tool for modern instruction for quite some time. Instructional videos however, have often been used in a passive manner, where students are expected to watch but are not necessarily provided that opportunity to participate in active learning. EdPuzzle was selected for this learning module because it takes the common practice of using video as a learning tool and transforms it into interactive, student focused, active learning tool. Within this platform educators can quickly search a variety of video sites such as YouTube, Kahn Academy, TED Talks and more. Then select a video, trim it, and add in stopping points with opened or multiple choice questions for students to respond. It also collects and graphs all student data for the educator to use. Students work through videos at their own pace. The stopping points make students take responsibility for learning. As Krista Graham states in TechMatters: Let’s Get Interactive, (Videos That Is), with EdPuzzle and Vialogues “Adding interactivity to this content affords us the opportunity to further increase student engagement by stimulating attention, motivating discussion, and facilitating active learning.” (Graham, 2016).
Quizizz: Quizizz is an online assessment tool that teachers can use to assess standards in a fun, competitive, and effective manner. Quizizz allows students to take a quiz with their own device and at their own pace. Students are able to read and answer each question on their own. As students answer questions within the Quizizz they can earn points independently as well as contribute to the overall class percentage. After each question is answered students get immediate feedback from each question. This platform encourages active student participation and gives immediate feedback throughout. According to Mei, Ju, and Adams in European Journal of Social Sciences Education and Research, “games based learning is effective and innovative teaching strategy in education field, and can help students to enhance their performance of language studies, as well as enhance their collaboration and keep learning active.” (Mei, Ju, & Adams, 2018) I chose to incorporate Quizizz into the technology event with educators because of the active learning that students achieve from using platform. Quizizz keeps students engaged, while giving feedback to both the student and teacher.
This training served as a model for transforming the classroom from a teacher centered classroom to a student centered learning environment through the use of personal learning devices. The target school has had personalized learning devices for four years now and teachers have become complacent in using technology within their comfort zone. Blendspace was used as a means to have teachers explore Flipgrid, EdPuzzle, and Quizizz. The overall goal was to model a student centered learning environment that will ignite a passion and desire to incorporate the use of personal learning devices in new and innovative ways within the classroom.
Blendspace: Creating a student paced learning environment was essential. Blendspace was chosen because this platform easily allows an individual to combine videos, text, and other resources from several different venus into one place to deliver a lesson. Blendspace facilitates student learning and engagement. According to Engaging Digital Natives Through Social Learning By Sarkar, Ford and Manzo “[Blendspace] facilitates a self-paced learning environment where learning can occur unconstrained by time and place” (Sarkar, Ford, & Manzo, 2017, p. 2) This was extremely important when designing the training. I wanted to ensure that educators felt free to explore each platform at their own pace, in their own comfort zone. Sarkar, Ford and Manzo also say that Blendspace is a platform in which “Digital natives can customize their learning experience through self-directed knowledge acquisition. Faculty can efficiently and seamlessly manage their digital content and students can experience unfettered access to a montage of learning material that satisfies their personal and individualized learning needs.” (Sarkar, Ford, & Manzo, 2017, p. 2) It was an easy and effective platform for me as a facilitator to design and utilize.
FlipGrid: FlipGrid allows teachers to pose a question to students and then allows students to record their response in a one minute and thirty second video. Each student response is saved into a “grid” for other learners to view. FlipGrid is a great way to encourage students to vocally express the learning outcome for the lesson/topic presented. According to Iona in The School Librarian “It also seems that Flipgrid is potentially a good tool for helping students to develop their speaking and presentation skills, as well as to engage with their peers and share their learning.” (Iona, 2017) FlipGrid was chosen as a platform because it allows the learner to give feedback, at their own pace, in a video format to share with others.
EdPuzzle: Video has been a significant tool for modern instruction for quite some time. Instructional videos however, have often been used in a passive manner, where students are expected to watch but are not necessarily provided that opportunity to participate in active learning. EdPuzzle was selected for this learning module because it takes the common practice of using video as a learning tool and transforms it into interactive, student focused, active learning tool. Within this platform educators can quickly search a variety of video sites such as YouTube, Kahn Academy, TED Talks and more. Then select a video, trim it, and add in stopping points with opened or multiple choice questions for students to respond. It also collects and graphs all student data for the educator to use. Students work through videos at their own pace. The stopping points make students take responsibility for learning. As Krista Graham states in TechMatters: Let’s Get Interactive, (Videos That Is), with EdPuzzle and Vialogues “Adding interactivity to this content affords us the opportunity to further increase student engagement by stimulating attention, motivating discussion, and facilitating active learning.” (Graham, 2016).
Quizizz: Quizizz is an online assessment tool that teachers can use to assess standards in a fun, competitive, and effective manner. Quizizz allows students to take a quiz with their own device and at their own pace. Students are able to read and answer each question on their own. As students answer questions within the Quizizz they can earn points independently as well as contribute to the overall class percentage. After each question is answered students get immediate feedback from each question. This platform encourages active student participation and gives immediate feedback throughout. According to Mei, Ju, and Adams in European Journal of Social Sciences Education and Research, “games based learning is effective and innovative teaching strategy in education field, and can help students to enhance their performance of language studies, as well as enhance their collaboration and keep learning active.” (Mei, Ju, & Adams, 2018) I chose to incorporate Quizizz into the technology event with educators because of the active learning that students achieve from using platform. Quizizz keeps students engaged, while giving feedback to both the student and teacher.
Works Cited:
Graham, K. (2016). TechMatters: Let’s Get Interactive, (Videos That Is), with EdPuzzle and Vialogues. LOEX Quarterly, 43(1), 4-6. Retrieved April 2, 2017, from http://commons.emich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1283&context=loexquarterly
Iona, John. The School Librarian; Wanborough Vol. 65, Iss. 4, (Winter 2017): 211.
Sarkar, N., Ford, W., & Manzo, C. (2017). Engaging Digital Natives Through Social Learning. SYSTEMICS, CYBERNETICS AND INFORMATICS, 15(2), 1-4. Retrieved April 2, 2018, from http://www.iiisci.org/Journal/CV$/sci/pdfs/EB015YQ17.pdf
Mei, S. Y., Ju, S. Y., & Adam, Z. (2018). Implementing Quizizz as Game Based Learning in the Arabic Classroom. European Journal of Social Sciences Education and Research, 12(1), 208. doi:10.26417/ejser.v12i1.p208-212
Graham, K. (2016). TechMatters: Let’s Get Interactive, (Videos That Is), with EdPuzzle and Vialogues. LOEX Quarterly, 43(1), 4-6. Retrieved April 2, 2017, from http://commons.emich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1283&context=loexquarterly
Iona, John. The School Librarian; Wanborough Vol. 65, Iss. 4, (Winter 2017): 211.
Sarkar, N., Ford, W., & Manzo, C. (2017). Engaging Digital Natives Through Social Learning. SYSTEMICS, CYBERNETICS AND INFORMATICS, 15(2), 1-4. Retrieved April 2, 2018, from http://www.iiisci.org/Journal/CV$/sci/pdfs/EB015YQ17.pdf
Mei, S. Y., Ju, S. Y., & Adam, Z. (2018). Implementing Quizizz as Game Based Learning in the Arabic Classroom. European Journal of Social Sciences Education and Research, 12(1), 208. doi:10.26417/ejser.v12i1.p208-212
Analysis of implementation:
Educators were encouraged to use at least one of the platforms they explored throughout the technology training event in their personal classrooms in the upcoming weeks. At the end of the training educators completed a survey response where 20/24 classroom teachers left they were “likely” or “very likely” to use the tools presented.
Educators were encouraged to use at least one of the platforms they explored throughout the technology training event in their personal classrooms in the upcoming weeks. At the end of the training educators completed a survey response where 20/24 classroom teachers left they were “likely” or “very likely” to use the tools presented.
What worked well
The technologies utilized throughout the lesson were specifically designed, and intentional. Even though everyone registered and had access to the Blendspace, educators were asked to work in groups of 3 or 4 to reduce noise level as videos played.
Teachers were excited to use digital learning tools. Within training feedback educators stated several positive responses such as: “I can see me trying to use all of them in my class, but am most excited to play around with Quizizz,” “I am excited to use Quizizz.com, I would use this to assess students in ALL subject areas. It ROCKS!!,” “I like Blendspace to create self-paced lessons for students,” and “Flipgrid will be awesome to have students read their written responses!”
Teachers continued to show excitement in the following weeks and were eager to show how learning tools were being utilized in their classroom.
Presenting through Blendspace allowed educators in the training to have unlimited access to tutorial videos, which could be reviewed on their own time.
What didn't
There are two areas for improvement seen in this training event. The first, a couple of teachers noted the noise level in the actual training environment being cumbersome. “The noise level made it difficult to concentrate and hear videos but great information!” The second being there was not a specific expectation set for teachers upon leaving the training event.
What can be improved
To improve the use of technology integration within the training, I would encourage educators to either a- bring headphones to use when viewing tutorial videos or b- spread out among learning environment with their collaborative groups.
When planning the technology event, assuming the role of the facilitator, in order to ensure that all ‘students’ utilize the technologies being taught I will need to implement a challenge or expectation for educators to complete after the event. This expectation would be for educators to conduct in their own classrooms. The evidence could be documented through a simple Google Form.
Summary of significance:
This training module is deeply rooted in the understanding of technology and how it can enhance the learning environment. I modeled competence by pre-creating tutorial videos on each of the learning components that were viewed by educators in the training event. As a facilitator, I offered extensive insight or extra support as needed to learners. This ensured that all learning goals were met. In the weeks following the training event several educators created their own Quizizz, utilized Flipgrid and explored EdPuzzle. My Instructional Coach also created a Blendspace to conduct a “flipped” professional development for the staff. In the video below you can get a firsthand look at how educators were able to adequately incorporate the learning goals and objectives into their own classrooms.
The technologies utilized throughout the lesson were specifically designed, and intentional. Even though everyone registered and had access to the Blendspace, educators were asked to work in groups of 3 or 4 to reduce noise level as videos played.
Teachers were excited to use digital learning tools. Within training feedback educators stated several positive responses such as: “I can see me trying to use all of them in my class, but am most excited to play around with Quizizz,” “I am excited to use Quizizz.com, I would use this to assess students in ALL subject areas. It ROCKS!!,” “I like Blendspace to create self-paced lessons for students,” and “Flipgrid will be awesome to have students read their written responses!”
Teachers continued to show excitement in the following weeks and were eager to show how learning tools were being utilized in their classroom.
Presenting through Blendspace allowed educators in the training to have unlimited access to tutorial videos, which could be reviewed on their own time.
What didn't
There are two areas for improvement seen in this training event. The first, a couple of teachers noted the noise level in the actual training environment being cumbersome. “The noise level made it difficult to concentrate and hear videos but great information!” The second being there was not a specific expectation set for teachers upon leaving the training event.
What can be improved
To improve the use of technology integration within the training, I would encourage educators to either a- bring headphones to use when viewing tutorial videos or b- spread out among learning environment with their collaborative groups.
When planning the technology event, assuming the role of the facilitator, in order to ensure that all ‘students’ utilize the technologies being taught I will need to implement a challenge or expectation for educators to complete after the event. This expectation would be for educators to conduct in their own classrooms. The evidence could be documented through a simple Google Form.
Summary of significance:
This training module is deeply rooted in the understanding of technology and how it can enhance the learning environment. I modeled competence by pre-creating tutorial videos on each of the learning components that were viewed by educators in the training event. As a facilitator, I offered extensive insight or extra support as needed to learners. This ensured that all learning goals were met. In the weeks following the training event several educators created their own Quizizz, utilized Flipgrid and explored EdPuzzle. My Instructional Coach also created a Blendspace to conduct a “flipped” professional development for the staff. In the video below you can get a firsthand look at how educators were able to adequately incorporate the learning goals and objectives into their own classrooms.