Standard 1

Ava Long

Technology in the Classroom

Taskstream Signature Assignment

December 3, 2013

• Standard 1: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
• Meaning: Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments (http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/nets-t-standards.pdf).

1. How your understandings of the standards changed based on your experiences:
• Designing Lessons: From the beginning of this course, I was weary and very insecure about implementing technology into the classroom. This was largely due in part to my inexperience and comfort level with technology as a whole. When I first began to design lessons for this course that specifically needed to revolve around technology I was very timid, but after continuous and very technology-driven class discussions, I came to understand that classrooms nowadays are almost never without some sort of technological resources used to teach students. I had to get my head wrapped around this idea because I am so old fashioned and love the idea of pencil, paper, and books. The idea of computers and tablets in the hands of children was something I had not seen myself using in my own classroom. My college instructor saw me as a challenge, of course. J My understanding of the standards in regards to implementing technology into the classroom changed over the course of this class in many ways. Specifically, in regards to facilitating and inspiring student learning and creativity, I have to say that I did not realize how large the impact of a student’s understanding of educational content can be, just by being able to pull up a picture of a polar bear, for example. Everything that can open a child’s eyes to the world around them, that they are trying to learn about, is literally available at the click of the mouse. That’s amazing! As I grew more knowledgeable about what is available to assist in helping students learn, the design of my lessons changed greatly. I ended up making countless bullet points and bookmarks on my computer for technology resources and web links and sites for future use in designing lesson plans for my classroom.
• Teaching Lessons: When I presented my lessons (worked through a classroom discussion while going over how I would teach my lesson), I noticed there was still so much more I could do to improve on what I had designed and I think that is where the importance of reflection comes in. During the “teaching” of my lesson, I realized that my understandings of this specific standard (facilitate, inspire student learning and creativity) is the basis of learning overall, because if the teacher does not have this foundation in place, then then anything that comes after will not be as strong in the engagement and motivation for or of the students in what they are doing. One of the most important keys to teaching is students’ engagement in their learning. My understanding of how to do this in lessons came clear to me while I was imagining how I was going to teach the lesson I was presenting. It is so important for the students to be inspired to learn and to be allowed to be creative in their learning. While teaching in a technology based classroom (based on availability) or a technology-driven based lesson, it is important to use technological resources that will directly benefit the students and support what they are learning. The resources should create an environment their world is open to virtual exploration and helps them go beyond the walls of the classroom.
• Assessing Student (Peer) Artifacts: I think it is clear that assessing my peers’ artifacts is a brilliant way to add to my own academic toolbox of strategies and techniques I can utilize in my own classroom. My peers built lessons that were so detail-oriented and had so much depth in creativity and imagination that I could barely keep up with writing my notes as they presented their lessons. My peers’ usage of activities, technology resources, and assessments made it clear to me that there was so much I had not personally tapped into as far as building my own lesson plans. I think this taught me how to look at other teachers and “thieve” their great ideas and use their strategies in a way that will benefit the students I have in my classroom. It is no surprise that one idea that works so well for one person will do the same for the next, but if the idea is of quality enough and is able to be redesigned to fit a different set of students then why not go for it and try. I have to say that is one of the biggest lessons I learned during this class; even if it is scary to me (which all technology is, it does not fit into my comfort zone whatsoever), the students I have will have grown-up in a technological-driven world  and will respond better to something THEY are comfortable with, so I must give it a shot.  
2. What you learned about preparation and teaching from your peers:
• Lessons: I am known for procrastinating and over-developing my lesson plans and although I have good, logical justifications for doing so, my peers have taught me so much that will benefit how I design and teach my lessons from now on. Specifically in regards to this standard, my peers have taught me how to think outside the box and view the classroom from the students’ perspective. They need to be learning within their comfort level, not mine, and with the world the way it is today, exploding with technology all around, even for children as young as two years old with Ipods and Iphones in hand, my classroom should reflect how they are engaging in learning and education today. I also learned from my peers that being prepared beforehand is absolutely key to the success of both the teacher and students in the classroom environment. As I sat and listened to my future education colleagues present and teach their lessons I took notes because I was once told that teachers are thieves and it is okay. So…I stole their great ideas. I think everyone can learn something from the people they are around and as a teacher there is no exception to this idea. I have become a better future educator thanks to the knowledge I have gained from my peers over the years. I will be a better person for having the experience of collaborating, agreeing, and even arguing at times, with these same people I will be teaching alongside.
• Feedback: I am sure it is obvious how much I value my peers opinions and feedback on the lessons I have taught. It is no secret that teachers do not always know what they are doing and those, despite what students believe or think, teachers are imperfect human beings and can make mistakes. I think I have taken pride in the mistakes I have made and that I have come to depend on my colleagues and peers to bring me back and put me on track when I need to be put on track. Their feedback is vital to my growth as a teacher and human being. This standard is such a large part of the foundation the teacher needs to develop in students that I have really taken heed what my peers have to say. After all, they are the ones, along with veteran teachers and mentors that I will be working with in the education realm.
3. How your experiences might impact your future teaching experiences. In regards to facilitating and inspiring student learning and creativity, I have learned so much. The first night I sat in class I could not stop writing notes on the intriguing technology that our teacher was showing us how he uses in his classroom. I was astonished at my own personal interest in buying all the gadgets to mirror the classroom he had set-up in my own because of how resourceful I learned using technology was for students. If I was inspired to learn and create at 28 years old, I can only sit here and imagine how inspired and engaged my own students will be if I utilize what I learned from my teacher when I become one. It was wonderful to become a challenge for Mr. Weilke because he worked harder at opening my eyes and expanding my comfort level beyond what I ever thought it could be. Technology scares me, but it became so obvious that my own comfort level is not what is at the forefront of engaging students and inspiring true learning, it is the students’ comfort zones and interest levels that must be at the forefront of my mind. I also learned that if the students are inspired and engaged to learn and be creative that it will make my job easier to let them learn and for me to facilitate their learning journey in the classroom. The moment I caught myself engaged and inspired to build lesson plans that revolved around the use of technology in the classroom, I knew I was hooked. I understood what my teacher had been trying to do the whole time and I am thankful for that.