End of the Semester Reflection

 What did you learn or “take-away” from this course and how has your perspective about integrating technology into K to 9 education changed/grown throughout the course?

I think the most prominent take away from this course was the importance of technology in the education system that acts as a support for student learning. As teachers, it is our job to ensure the next generation of learning students have the opportunities surrounding technology and are aware of technological advances in the real world. Therefore, by adapting technology in the classroom, a teacher can foster student learning through modernized 21st Century Learning.

Technology can also support differentiation strategies in the classroom. Through visual and audio supports, students can be met where they are at with the help of an iPad or computer. 

How did this course help you answer your “burning” question about the use of digital technologies in K to 9 education?

My big question at the beginning of the semester was "how do we ensure that the technology students are using everyday is safe?". I was able to discover the answer to this through my practicum as my Grade 1 students were learning how to use iPads. I saw that the iPads are linked directly to the school and the school provides a safety system on the iPads for student use. This consists of only having a select amount of applications to download, having special internet access and an in depth login method to protect each students privacy.

How did you contribute to the learning of others?

Through my practicum I was able to use technology on a daily

basis to contribute to my students learning. It was a routine that everyday for math we would start the class on the carpet doing a low floor, high ceiling activity on the smart board. This routine helped students visually that provided lots of individual thinking tasks. In this way I found technology as a great way of differentiation. We had a student with autism in our class that wouldn't want to participate or be in the classroom, however, with these daily smart board activities I would find he would sit in on them and participate regularly. I also had the opportunity to teach the students how to code on the iPads with Scratch Jr. This was their first time using iPads at school so it was a very fun and educational experience for everyone. 

What did you learn from others?

A key takeaway that I learned from my mentor teacher is how much technology can help you as a teacher and how much fun it is to incorporate it into the classroom. My mentor teacher found a way to incorporate technology in every way she could through every lesson. She is a big believer that even the Grade 1's can be successful using technology if they are taught how to use it. She had taught me so many ways to incorporate technology through science centers, recorded read alouds, movement breaks etc. These ideas are ones that I will take with me through my next practicum and the rest of my teaching career.

Digital Story- Siksika Nation

 

My Digital Story 

For my digital story I have chosen to discuss the Siksika (Blackfoot) First Nations that are located in Southern Alberta and are part of the Treaty 7 territory. I will be discussing their history, culture, schooling and my main takeaway from completing this digital story. 

My Digital Story Link 

Coding For Kids

 

Coding For Kids Lesson Plan (Link)

Scratch Jr is a great opportunity for students to learn computer technology in the early years from grades K - 3. This is an application that draws from Scratch in a simpler and more basic way for younger students to engage in which is modified to their abilities. The apps simple structure allows students to explore the world of coding through basic characters, backgrounds, movements etc. I will be teaching this lesson in my grade 1 practicum class as a part of the students science lesson on energy and technology. They will first learn human coding (hopscotch coding) where they will have to code their friends to follow a pathway and direction. They will then code a project where they are asked to create a racing game using 3 different characters. This will be an end of the unit project that allows students to demonstrate their learnings about movement, pathways and speed. 

Moose Math

 

Link to the Moose Math App

Moose Math is a fun and interactive game used for ages 0-5 to help them learn their foundational math skills. It includes many fun games that include making smoothies while practicing counting, addition and subtraction, matching pets by counting number of dots and learning and sorting shapes and colours. This is a super beneficial activity to conduct in the classroom using technology after a valuable lesson. The students will be able to explore math from a different viewpoint while developing knowledge on the use of technology. 

The mini lesson my partner and I carried out turned out to be extremely successful and enjoyable for our classmates. We chose to focus on the shapes and sorting game in the app. After we taught a brief introductory lesson/ activity on shapes and shapes around us, we showed our classmates how to use the app and allowed them to start playing the "Lost and Found" game. Overall, I find this game super educational but also very engaging for the younger audience. This is an app that I would recommend and will highly consider using in my future teaching career. 

Link to My Moose Math Lesson Plan

Teacher Twitter

 

Link to My X Account

As a teacher candidate, I believe I can integrate twitter into my future classroom by using it as a source of communication and presentation. I can use it to communicate with parents. It is a platform where I could display student work, activities, field trips we take part in etc. Through this parents can access this platform to see what their children are up to in school. Twitter is also a great platform for sharing resources, information and interesting content. Ultimately, it is a platform where ideas are spread and resources are shared with the public. That is why such a platform can be useful for aspiring teachers!

Beginning of Fall 2023 Semester

 Technology Pedagogy 

    As a future educator, it is required to stay up to date with the latest technological advances in the classroom. In today's day, we use technology on a daily basis and rely on it for many activities and communication. I believe that exposing students to safe parts of the internet can help benefit student education and success. Not only can these technologies be used for differentiation but also for daily lessons and activities. There is a multitude of programs and sites that students can access to support their learning so it is important for teachers to help keep their students up to date. 

Experience with Technology

    I have had many opportunities to explore the educational technologies in a classroom setting. I am comfortable using computers, tablets and smart boards. I am also familiar with student safe websites and apps that can help evolve their learning ex. prodigy, text-to-speech on google docs, kids typing games, etc. 

Educational Technology in my Practicum Class

My practicum school is Fireside School in Cochrane, AB and was built 6 years ago. The school is full of technology used by every class. Specifically in my grade 1 class, my mentor teacher resorts to using the smart board that the students love. She uses this technology for games, educational purposes and music. 

My Burning Questions 

How can I as a teacher candidate introduce students use the internet to support their learning but also ensuring they are not exposed to the unsafe parts of the internet?

How can I as a teacher candidate use innovative technology to differentiate based on student learning abilities? 

How much technology focused work is healthy for students?