a) An understanding of the constraints and benefits of different technologies
For the majority of my career, my relationship to technology has been tied to my work. As Daniel Scott states in his blog entry,
Confessions of a Learning Technologist, “Everyone uses technology, maybe without knowing. It’s tapping into that and making it into learning opportunities.” When using technology for technology’s sake we are often simply using technology in the place of an analog method. A prime example is using word processing in place of writing out a document by hand. Whereas when we use implement technology with the intent of enhancing our work, teaching, and/or learning then we are able to see what a dramatic difference it can truly make.
While I have used different technologies as a bilingual executive secretary and as a primary teacher, I never experienced a real learning curve until I discovered the iPad. Prior to the iPad the different word processing, email, gradebook, and attendance softwares that I learned over the years were fairly easy to learn. Most likely because they were pretty much substituting a paper version of the same. While there is no doubt that all of this software made my job easier and less time consuming, it did not transform my work.
I first learned to use an iPad when my public Montessori school was awarded an iPad grant. This meant that each teacher would receive a personal iPad and each grade level would receive 20 iPads to be shared among the grade level classrooms. I was faced with an incredible learning curve. Luckily since I had my own iPad I could spend time in the evening learning how to navigate around the iPad and explore the different apps available.
The summer before our school received the iPads, teachers were invited to attend a 40-hour course to become “Apple Certified”. The course was spread out over a 6 week period and we were not paid for our time. I was one of only 2 teachers from my school who attended the training. I considered it an investment in my own learning and planned on doing turn around teaching the following school year. Part of our course included learning about the SAMR method. I thought that was the most exciting part of the course. By the end of the training I felt confident that I could make good use of the iPads.
In my classroom I used the iPads with 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade. As you can imagine, the students could not get enough time with the iPad. The teachers on my team requested the download of the most useful apps for our age group. The most commonly used apps were for spelling, reading and math. Students using the apps were very engaged and I did notice improvement. In some instances, such as math and spelling, we could actually see a direct correlation between iPad use and improvement on math fact speed drills and weekly spelling tests. The apps also allowed for other students to take the role of the teacher and test classmates on specific skills using the apps. We also used the iPads was to access the internet for research when we were doing continent studies or writing reports on the animal kingdoms.
While overall the use of the iPads was a good introduction to using technology in the classroom, it was frustrating that the implementation was so poor. My schools experience with the iPads is a good example of the barriers to technology.
We experienced barriers to use and implementation at all levels. We had the iPads for over a semester before the wireless network was installed in the building to support the use of the iPads. Even then a few teachers found their classroom was a dead space and they had to take the class into the hall or the library to use them. The cart in which the iPads were stored and charged was not easy to use. It was also time consuming getting the devices in and out of the cart. Then there were the firewalls that initially impeded access to apps such as Duolingo. It was rare that all the iPads were working at the same time. There were often issues with wireless access of one kind or another.
The turn-around teaching I had imagined never took place. Other teachers simply did not have the time for an additional meeting. I shared what I learned with my grade level team and was the go to person for iPad issues.
In summary, the primary issue with the iPads was the lack of proper implementation and training. Our school did not have a separate person for technology. It was another “hat” for one of the other teachers. I feel that while we did benefit from the iPad’s use and used the technology to enhance student learning, we were not able to capture its potential. In my classroom we never went above knowledge and comprehension on Bloom’s digital taxonomy, nor according to the SAMR model, did we use this technology for transformation of student learning.
If only there had been a learning technologist to help with the implementation of the iPads! Even if this staff person was in our school one day a week they could have greatly improved the application and implementation of the iPads. Time was even more limited for us at the public Montessori because we had a “double curriculum” per se because we had the Montessori curriculum and the PA state curriculum to manage, with three different grade levels in one classroom.
As I reflect upon my use of the iPads with students I can say that the extra practice and the engagement of students with the iPads definitely increased learning for many students. I took an active role in learning to use this technology. I also regularly included their use for different subject areas, whereas some teachers rarely used them at all. Their use definitely required a certain amount of prep time. I had to use my own time before school or during a prep period to get the iPads from the carts prior to class and test each one to ensure that it was charged and working.
If I were to repeat this process within the same context, it is hard to say what I would have done differently. Time and an extra set or two of hands were also barriers to effective use. I think the change that would have the greatest impact would be to organize a set of parents to work as an iPad committee or team. I would hand this project off to them with instructions/information on our learning outcomes and the barriers we experienced. The task would be to brainstorm ideas for improved use and implementation. Then once they have done the groundwork, we could discuss how best to proceed forward.
Another option could be to connect with students doing a bachelor’s in education at one of the universities. We could probably conduct the majority of business via email and google docs. Primarily these parents/students would be doing the legwork of researching available apps that align with the learning outcomes. The parents/students could also develop a network of parents/college students available to come into the classroom and volunteer.
My teaching experience with the iPads has shown me how accessibility is to technology is only one step in using it to enhance teaching and learning. In hindsight it is clear to me that we started with the technology rather than the design and pedagogy. There was no clear plan. We were given access to the technology and then had to decide how to make the best use of it. I know that each teacher did the best they could with the knowledge and resources they possessed. I know that I was definitely an advocate for using this technology in the classroom. This was not enough. With a proper implementation plan and support our teaching and learning could have benefited much more from this technology.
I currently tutor two 10th grade students in Spanish and have been working with them for several years. When they started 9th grade they tested out of Spanish 1, so they started with Spanish 2 in 9th grade and are now in 10th grade taking Spanish 3. Due to the pandemic or otherwise, their high school Spanish class is not very challenging for them.
I have class with each of them once a week for 60 minutes. We spend 30 minutes on conversation and reading, and the other 30 minutes of their class overlaps with the other and we converse for 30 minutes while reviewing previous content or learning new content.
As we do not use a textbook, I have always used studyspanish.com for teaching grammar. The students like it because they can reference any of the pages we cover and can take the quizzes to check their learning. I have also introduced them to wordreference.com and context.reverso.net. These websites/apps are useful for translating words quickly, checking for appropriate context and also checking strings of words to search for equivalent phrases in Spanish/English.
Since the beginning of the pandemic we have been holding class via Zoom. Both girls are proficient with Zoom so this is an easy video platform to use. Initially we had a few issues with the audio, but we worked these out fairly quickly. We conduct class via video call, use the chat to access websites and share the screen for viewing webpages, podcasts, or videos for use in class.
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a) An understanding of the constraints and benefits of different technologies
For the majority of my career, my relationship to technology has been tied to my work. As Daniel Scott states in his blog entry, Confessions of a Learning Technologist, “Everyone uses technology, maybe without knowing. It’s tapping into that and making it into learning opportunities.” When using technology for technology’s sake we are often simply using technology in the place of an analog method. A prime example is using word processing in place of writing out a document by hand. Whereas when we use implement technology with the intent of enhancing our work, teaching, and/or learning then we are able to see what a dramatic difference it can truly make.
While I have used different technologies as a bilingual executive secretary and as a primary teacher, I never experienced a real learning curve until I discovered the iPad. Prior to the iPad the different word processing, email, gradebook, and attendance softwares that I learned over the years were fairly easy to learn. Most likely because they were pretty much substituting a paper version of the same. While there is no doubt that all of this software made my job easier and less time consuming, it did not transform my work.
I first learned to use an iPad when my public Montessori school was awarded an iPad grant. This meant that each teacher would receive a personal iPad and each grade level would receive 20 iPads to be shared among the grade level classrooms. I was faced with an incredible learning curve. Luckily since I had my own iPad I could spend time in the evening learning how to navigate around the iPad and explore the different apps available.
The summer before our school received the iPads, teachers were invited to attend a 40-hour course to become “Apple Certified”. The course was spread out over a 6 week period and we were not paid for our time. I was one of only 2 teachers from my school who attended the training. I considered it an investment in my own learning and planned on doing turn around teaching the following school year. Part of our course included learning about the SAMR method. I thought that was the most exciting part of the course. By the end of the training I felt confident that I could make good use of the iPads.
In my classroom I used the iPads with 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade. As you can imagine, the students could not get enough time with the iPad. The teachers on my team requested the download of the most useful apps for our age group. The most commonly used apps were for spelling, reading and math. Students using the apps were very engaged and I did notice improvement. In some instances, such as math and spelling, we could actually see a direct correlation between iPad use and improvement on math fact speed drills and weekly spelling tests. The apps also allowed for other students to take the role of the teacher and test classmates on specific skills using the apps. We also used the iPads was to access the internet for research when we were doing continent studies or writing reports on the animal kingdoms.
While overall the use of the iPads was a good introduction to using technology in the classroom, it was frustrating that the implementation was so poor. My schools experience with the iPads is a good example of the barriers to technology.
We experienced barriers to use and implementation at all levels. We had the iPads for over a semester before the wireless network was installed in the building to support the use of the iPads. Even then a few teachers found their classroom was a dead space and they had to take the class into the hall or the library to use them. The cart in which the iPads were stored and charged was not easy to use. It was also time consuming getting the devices in and out of the cart. Then there were the firewalls that initially impeded access to apps such as Duolingo. It was rare that all the iPads were working at the same time. There were often issues with wireless access of one kind or another.
The turn-around teaching I had imagined never took place. Other teachers simply did not have the time for an additional meeting. I shared what I learned with my grade level team and was the go to person for iPad issues.
In summary, the primary issue with the iPads was the lack of proper implementation and training. Our school did not have a separate person for technology. It was another “hat” for one of the other teachers. I feel that while we did benefit from the iPad’s use and used the technology to enhance student learning, we were not able to capture its potential. In my classroom we never went above knowledge and comprehension on Bloom’s digital taxonomy, nor according to the SAMR model, did we use this technology for transformation of student learning.
If only there had been a learning technologist to help with the implementation of the iPads! Even if this staff person was in our school one day a week they could have greatly improved the application and implementation of the iPads. Time was even more limited for us at the public Montessori because we had a “double curriculum” per se because we had the Montessori curriculum and the PA state curriculum to manage, with three different grade levels in one classroom.
As I reflect upon my use of the iPads with students I can say that the extra practice and the engagement of students with the iPads definitely increased learning for many students. I took an active role in learning to use this technology. I also regularly included their use for different subject areas, whereas some teachers rarely used them at all. Their use definitely required a certain amount of prep time. I had to use my own time before school or during a prep period to get the iPads from the carts prior to class and test each one to ensure that it was charged and working.
If I were to repeat this process within the same context, it is hard to say what I would have done differently. Time and an extra set or two of hands were also barriers to effective use. I think the change that would have the greatest impact would be to organize a set of parents to work as an iPad committee or team. I would hand this project off to them with instructions/information on our learning outcomes and the barriers we experienced. The task would be to brainstorm ideas for improved use and implementation. Then once they have done the groundwork, we could discuss how best to proceed forward.
Another option could be to connect with students doing a bachelor’s in education at one of the universities. We could probably conduct the majority of business via email and google docs. Primarily these parents/students would be doing the legwork of researching available apps that align with the learning outcomes. The parents/students could also develop a network of parents/college students available to come into the classroom and volunteer.
My teaching experience with the iPads has shown me how accessibility is to technology is only one step in using it to enhance teaching and learning. In hindsight it is clear to me that we started with the technology rather than the design and pedagogy. There was no clear plan. We were given access to the technology and then had to decide how to make the best use of it. I know that each teacher did the best they could with the knowledge and resources they possessed. I know that I was definitely an advocate for using this technology in the classroom. This was not enough. With a proper implementation plan and support our teaching and learning could have benefited much more from this technology.
b) Supporting the deployment of learning technologies
I currently tutor two 10th grade students in Spanish and have been working with them for several years. When they started 9th grade they tested out of Spanish 1, so they started with Spanish 2 in 9th grade and are now in 10th grade taking Spanish 3. Due to the pandemic or otherwise, their high school Spanish class is not very challenging for them.
I have class with each of them once a week for 60 minutes. We spend 30 minutes on conversation and reading, and the other 30 minutes of their class overlaps with the other and we converse for 30 minutes while reviewing previous content or learning new content.
As we do not use a textbook, I have always used studyspanish.com for teaching grammar. The students like it because they can reference any of the pages we cover and can take the quizzes to check their learning. I have also introduced them to wordreference.com and context.reverso.net. These websites/apps are useful for translating words quickly, checking for appropriate context and also checking strings of words to search for equivalent phrases in Spanish/English.
Since the beginning of the pandemic we have been holding class via Zoom. Both girls are proficient with Zoom so this is an easy video platform to use. Initially we had a few issues with the audio, but we worked these out fairly quickly. We conduct class via video call, use the chat to access websites and share the screen for viewing webpages, podcasts, or videos for use in class.
In our Language Acquisition and Technologies class we learned about and discussed Private Learning Networks (PLN). Shortly thereafter at a virtual NEALLT conference foreign language teachers from Princeton provided an overview of Contextos PLN that they are building at Princeton, https://commons.princeton.edu/contextos-sandbox/reading/las-dos-hermanas-y-la-naranja/ . I am wondering if I could build a PLN or design a site or blog of a smaller scale for my students. I like the idea of putting all the resources in one place. I need to research more about PLN’s to see if this is what would be most useful, or if I could actually do this via Slack or a Letterpress page. I would like to improve the ease of use by having it all readily accessible. We are covering more advanced grammar and verb conjugation than they do in their Spanish 3 class, so it would be an advantage for them to have this information accessible for reference/review. I could add apps, useful links and new content to my mini PLN as my students progress.
As my primary focus with Ella and Lena is conversation, I am most interested in technology that uses audio. I have started using the Spanish proficiency exercises at the University of Texas Austin (https://www.laits.utexas.edu/spe/). I feel that this technology is useful because the students have the opportunity to listen to native Spanish speakers. The monologues range from Beginning to Superior.
The most basic use would be substitution, where they would be listening to different native speakers rather than listening to me. The monologues are indexed and therefore we can choose the dialogues to align with content the girls are covering in class or new content we are studying.
I am also interested in having them write monologues starting with the beginning level and recording themselves reading. I think it would be very useful for them to be able to listen to themselves over time and note their personal progress.
I feel that the Spanish proficiency exercises are a good use of audio recordings for the following reasons:
They are produced at an accredited institutionThey meet the needs of my students now and as they increase in proficiency we can simply move to the next levelYou can change the settings for each recording and a) listen to the recording with the English transcript, b) listen to the recording with the Spanish transcript, c) listen to the recording without any transcriptMy students find them interesting and engagingThey are free and accessible to the public and my students can access them at their leisureThe index makes it very easy to go back and forth between the levels and the different recordings in each levelMy next step is to research the best technology for producing audio recordings with my students.
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