Professional Development Survey

This form was created to support teachers in my district with training that is relevant for them.

TPACK

Image Source: https://lborukedtech.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/tpack2.jpg

What is TPACK? It is an acronym for Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge. The goal of TPACK is for teachers to connect their existing knowledge of content, pedagogy, and technology to develop effective, technologically-rich lesson plans.

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All three components of TPACK must all interact seamlessly for effective, technology-integrated instruction:

• Technological Knowledge ~ the knowledge and mastery of technological tools and devices
• Pedagogical Knowledge ~ the knowledge and practice of teaching, including researched-based best practices
• Content Knowledge ~ the knowledge of the content and standards that students must achieve

Here is a brief introduction to TPACK by Common Sense Media:

TPACK is extremely relevant for teachers today. If teachers want to implement the TPACK model into their classrooms, it is important for them to remember that they are experts and that they have the deepest understanding of pedagogy and content; teachers in general are not masterful users of technology. If they disregard their pedagogical and content knowledge when implementing technology, teachers will be less effective. Teachers must keep in mind the standards and learning goals.

Teachers have typically been known to plan "technocentrically" (as cited in Papert, 1987), meaning they first select a digital tool and then plan their lessons. However, teachers will build their TPACK knowledge more naturally if they use their pedagogical and content knowledge to plan a lesson and then add appropriate technology enhancements (Haris & Hofer, 2009). Teachers should always plan with the end in mind and choose learning goals and appropriate activities before they select digital tools and resources to support the learning experience. With this purposeful planning, technology becomes an learning tool that aligns with the learning goals, rather than the focus of the lesson.

The biggest obstacle for achieving TPACK is developing teachers' technological knowledge. Professional development remains a crucial element of TPACK. In order for teachers to utilize technological knowledge in their lesson planning, they must first acquire it. School districts and administrators must dedicate time to cultivating a community of technologically proficient educators. Once teachers have a solid foundation of technological knowledge using some universal/core tools, they can begin to connect technology to education. Charts with activities for TPACK development, such as the one compiled by Haris and Hofer (2009), support teachers as they build their TPACK. The TPACK website also has several useful resources. The activities listed are wide-ranging and can be used across the curriculum. Students can use blogs to critique a students' math process or debate politics and discuss the meaning of poetry. Students can use movie-making software to create presentations or make digital storybooks. Technology can be used to create learning opportunities or to demonstrate learning. Furthermore, combining the different types of activities can change learning that occurs. Using the TPACK model makes learning relevant and effective for our students.

References:

Anderson, M. (2013, May 28). Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge. Retrieved from http://ictevangelist.com/technological-pedagogical-and-content-knowledge/

Haris, J. & Hofer, M. (2009). Instructional Planning Activity Types as Vehicles for Curriculum-Based TPACK Development. Retrieved from http://activitytypes.wmwikis.net/file/view/HarrisHofer-TPACKActivityTypes.pdf

Koehler, M., & Mishru, P. (2008). Introducing TPCK. In M. Koehler, & P. Mishru, Handbook of Technological Pedalogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) for Educators (pp. 3-29). Routledge. Retrieved from http://punya.educ.msu.edu/publications/koehler_mishra_08.pdf

Hats of the Technology Integration Specialist

 
     The video clip featuring French and Saunders, though comedic, serves as the introduction for this blog post. For some teachers, that scenario is sadly reminiscent of what they experience when they are asked to or attempt to integrate technology without proper training. We know that in general, professional development is key for effective instruction and implementing best practices in the classroom. While educational best practices shift over time, professional development regarding technology integration is especially significant. It's important to remember that not all teachers are native technology users, and even if they are, technology is constantly evolving and new technology is constantly emerging. Teachers need to stay abreast of these changes in order to ensure that technology implemented is relevant and effective for the students.

     Teachers should be comfortable using the technology that they implement. One study examined the difference between the discourse of digital native teachers and digital immigrant teachers and their students. The terms digital native and digital immigrant, coined by Marc Prensky (2001), refer to those who were born into the digital world and those who were not, respectively. The data analysis from the study indicated that digital native teacher possessed the skills to support her students, whereas the digital immigrant teacher lacked them. The digital immigration teacher demonstrated “hesitation, repetition, avoidance, divergence, and negation” because of her lack of technological competence (Grigoryan & Babayan, 2015). This is an indication of a broader problem between digital native students and digital immigrant teachers who do not speak the same language. While the study didn't delve into possible remedies for this discourse gap, professional development could certainly help to bridge the gap.

     Technology should enhance and enrich our students' learning experiences; it should have strong curricular ties and its integration should be seamless. This ideal can only become reality through proper training and support. A technology integration specialist wears many hats in this regard. A technology integrator is a teacher, coach, mentor, and advocate. They need to have the experience in the classroom to understand the curriculum and the students as well as the experience with technology to support the teachers. They need to advocate for time and resources so that technology is available and accessible. They need to work closely with the administration to make sure that teachers and student have the tools that they need to make technology integration effective.
    While a technology integration specialist is key in many ways in bringing technology to the forefront of education, professional development probably remains the biggest aspect of the job. A technology integration specialist should "provide consistent, frequent training and opportunities to practice new skills" (Don Macintosh, personal communication, September 27, 2014). A typical problem with professional development is that teachers are showered with new ideas in a single workshop and then left on their own to figure out how to use them. One idea to remedy this is to for the technology integrator to host weekly workshop hours in a computer lab to give teachers time to collaborate and try new things with built-in support. Technology integrators also need to be available to work with students and teachers in the classroom by modeling lessons and providing an extra hand during projects involving digital tools. With these strategies for professional development in place, teachers will begin to think of technology as a natural part of their pedagogy and lesson planning, rather than an additional burden or afterthought. Technology integration is much more effective when teachers consider "technology in education as part of the pedagogical process" (Okojie, Olinzock, & Okojie-Boulder, 2015).

References

Grigoryan, T. & Babayan, N. (2015). Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants in a Paperless 

     Classroom. International Journal of Arts & Sciences, 8(1), 289-296.

Okojie, M., Olinzock, A., & Okojie-Boulder, T. (2015). The Pedagogy of Technology Integration.

     The Journal of Technology Studies.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. Retrieved September 12, 2014, 
     from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/

GAFE New Hampshire Summit 2015

When I registered for the Google Summit, I was certainly excited to learn about how to implement Google Apps for Education in my classroom and support my colleagues with additional technology integration. What I didn't know was that I would get all that and much, MUCH more.

For two days I was part of a network, a team, of educators with a common goal. For two days, I was immersed in a stimulating learning environment centered around how to use Google's seamlessly integrated applications to support student learning.

On the first day I was inspired and totally pumped up by Jennifer Scheffer's key note speech where she encouraged us to not take baby steps [with technology], but to take a plunge and try BIG things! I haven't quite decided what my big thing will be this year, but I know it'll involve Google Apps for sure!

I then attended sessions led by the experts, such as Allison Mollica, an extremely knowledgable and energetic GAFE Leader who introduced me to her Treasure Trove of Greatest Hits with add-ons such as Tab Cloud, a list app called Google Keep, Gmail Labs, which allow the user to customize Gmail, and Google Docs research feature, to name a few. The quick tips and tricks that she interjected throughout the presentation were just as helpful as the planned presentation!

My brain was full after learning about the add-on Flubaroo, an automated system that can be used with Google Sheets to grade quizzes and tests created with Google Forms, and learning different ways to use Google Sites and Google Play to tailor instruction for all levels of student learning.

We ended the day with a "Demo Slam" where each presenter got 2 minutes to share a cool site, tip, or trick that we could use. We learned some cool Google omnibox tips and tricks such as how to create two letter shortcuts for frequently used sites and the site http://www.makeuseof.com/ for more quick tips. Products like Air Parrot and Reflector were also introduced, that allow devices to be mirrored. (I even WON a free license for Reflector and can't wait to test it out once the school year starts.) 

The second day was launched with the same energy and enthusiasm as the first. Ben Rouse opened his keynote presentation by posing the question, "Is Change the Only Constant?" With technology ever-evolving, this seems to be the truth of our classroom experience. Teachers need to keep up with the changes to support students; teachers need to understand how to use technology to enrich and enhance student learning. However, this does not mean simply replacing teachers with technology, because, as Arthur C. Clark said, "any teacher that can be replaced by a machine should be." Teachers need to remain facilitators of meaningful and authentic learning experiences.

The rest of the day was spent learning about "A Day in the Life of a Google Classroom" with Allison Mollica and then learning about Google Tour Builder, which, though still in Beta, is one of my absolute favorite new apps! It allows the user to build virtual tours that include images, videos, and written descriptions. This program has many great educational uses. For example, the second grade class in my school district used to go on a walking tour to learn about community helpers. They visited the police station, library, and the fire station to name a few. Though this trip was discontinued, the students now still have the opportunity to virtually visit all of these places! Furthermore, students can create their own virtual tours based on places they are studying, explore places in literature, and more!

Overall, this was the best two days of hands-on learning and collaboration that I have ever experienced. All teachers and leaders present had a common goal and I left the conference with new ideas, tools, and most importantly, an expanded network of colleagues!

#giesummit @jlscheffer @amollica +BenRouse

Embedding Digital Texts

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Technology has expanded the walls of our classrooms. We now have instant access to many digital tools. Digital texts, e-learning, and open course software have a valuable place in education.

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Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) were developed to give students affordable opportunities for higher education. While many top universities, such as MIT, offer MOOCs, there is still some question about the overall effectiveness of this learning platform. However, it has been gaining ground in the education field, with educators heavily participating and creating a much needed educational "renaissance" (Newton, 2015). This approach to professional development has gained so much interest, that Arthur Levine, a former president of Columbia University’s Teachers College, started a joint Woodrow Wilson/MIT teaching lab to further advance this movement (Newton, 2015). By changing the way teachers learn, we might change the way teachers teach.

In the classroom, digital texts have a powerful presence. Though the technology may be cost prohibitive, ultimately they may reduce costs to schools because of projects like Flat World, CK-12, and Project Gutenberg, that seek to provide access to textbooks and literature for students. Furthermore, digital texts and ebooks offer advantages that print books do not. Digital textbooks and sources are constantly being revised, as opposed to textbooks which may have outdated information. Furthermore, digital books are more interactive with the ability to highlight, annotate, and may even have hyperlinks to related sources. Digital texts are also often adaptive and lend themselves to assistive technologies. There are great resources, such as Bookshare, an online library for students with print disabilities. Finally, there is an initiative known as Beyond Textbooks, that enables educators to collaborate and share digital resources that go beyond traditional texts (Lewin, 2009).

Digital texts, e-learning, and open course software are breaking down the walls of the classroom and paving the way for 21st century learning, in school and beyond.

References:

Blow, M. (2012). Using Digital Books in the Classroom. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/top-teaching/2012/04/using-digital-books-classroom

Lewin, T. (2009). In a Digital Classroom, Textbooks are History. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/09/education/09textbook.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

MIT Open Courseware. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm

MOOC List. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.mooc-list.com/

Newton, D. (2015). The (Accidental) Power of MOOCs. Retrieved from http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/06/the-secret-power-of-moocs/396608/

Building Media Literacy

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The definition of literacy is evolving. Throughout the ages, the meaning of literacy has shifted from being able to simply sign one’s name to reciting information to handwriting literacy and analytical literacy (Beers, 2015). Now, in the 21st century, literacy has evolved once more to include being able to "access, analyze, evaluate, and create" different types of media (What is Media Literacy, n.d.). Educators must prepare students to be successful in the 21st century; we must teach media literacy.

Teaching media literacy begins with teaching students digital citizenship. They must learn to navigate the Internet safely and responsibly. Resources like NetSmartzKids and Common Sense Media can support teachers as they take this first step in teaching media literacy.

Image Source: http://www.prn.bc.ca/ss/k5DL/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/I-am-a-digital-citizen-poster.png

Furthermore, because anyone can post anything online, students need to be able to evaluate the sources of information for quality and integrity. Wikipedia and blogs are often considered reliable sources for research by students; however, students should be aware that anyone can publish anything on the Internet (What’s Wrong with Wikipedia, 2015). Therefore, students should be guided so they are able to distinguish scholarly articles and published sources from potentially inaccurate sources. 

Image Source: http://blog.reyjunco.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PILResearchIG.png

Teaching media literacy helps students develop critical thinking skills and global awareness; students understand the global impact of media and how biases and misconceptions are perpetuated through media. By teaching students media literacy, students can then begin to create media and contribute positively to the 21st century global community. 

Here is a video that summarizes media literacy:

References:

Beers, Kylene. “It’s Not the Rigor Conference Presentation.” NERA. Springfield, MA. 30 May 2015. Keynote Address. 

CyberWise. (2011). "What Is Media Literacy" [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKlJOxwyMWU

What is Media Literacy? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://medialiteracyproject.org/learn/media-literacy

What’s Wrong with Wikipedia? (2015). Harvard Guide to Using Sources. Retrieved from http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k70847&pageid=icb.page346376

Blair, N. (2012) Technology Integration for the New 21st Century Learner. Retrieved from http://www.naesp.org/

Web 2.0 Tools

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Web 2.0 tools are continuously developed and ever-evolving and can make a tremendous difference in student learning.  Technology, as we know, has the potential to enhance and enrich education.  Assignments incorporating technology should have strong ties to the curriculum, and more and more available Web 2.0 tools allow more authentic and appropriate integration.

Xtramath.Org

Math fact fluency is a major curriculum goal for my students.  I utilize xtramath.org to personalize student practice.  Parents, students, and teachers can view progress and tailor future instruction.  Students are engaged and strive to perform well using this web program.  The website also tracks performance and focuses practice on the facts that students haven’t mastered.  It advances students once they’ve mastered a math operation. While not as flashy as some other math games on the Internet, it is a free, quality site that competes with paid math sites, such as IXL. 

Socrative

Another web 2.0 tool that I use in my classroom is Socrative, a smart student response system that allows teachers to engage students with a series of educational exercises and games. It’s free, works on any device with Internet access, and can be completely tailored to teacher’s and student’s needs. Teachers can create quizzes or download and customize pre-written quizzes. Teachers can also spontaneously ask questions and get student responses or have students record exit tickets after a lesson. It is a very powerful formative assessment tool.

Wordle

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Wordle is a word cloud generator that can be used to highlight key words and phrases or summarize the main ideas of a topic or concept. We have used it for vocabulary lessons frequently in my classroom and are currently using it as a collaborative effort to focus on similarities and differences between our Spanish pen pals and us. There is a slideshow that lists 45 Interesting Ways to Use Wordle in the Classroom. Since Wordle was developed, there have been additional word cloud generators have been created to compete with this application. Tagxedo and ImageChef, for example, allow the user to customize the shape and orientation of the word clouds. Here are some more word cloud generator options for your classroom!

Animoto

Animoto is an easy to use, video-editing web tool. It provides many educational opportunities for students. Teachers can create short, free videos to introduce a new topic and hook students into it or students could produce video presentations to demonstrate learning towards the end of a unit. 

Here is a sample video I made with Animoto to introduce a unit on immigration:

There are lots of Web 2.0 tools out there with even more each day. The best way to stay on top of the current trends is to actively explore and develop a strong professional learning network, which I discussed in my previous post. Get out on the web and then bring it back to the classroom!

References:

Dunn, J. (2010). 45 Interesting Ways to Use Wordle in the Classroom. Retrieved from http://www.edudemic.com/45-interesting-ways-to-use-wordle-in-the-classroom/

Education Corner. (2015). XtraMath.org Review. Retrieved from http://www.educationcorner.com/xtramath.html

Rudey, D. (2013). Socrative - A 21st Century Way to Assess. Retrieved from http://www.emergingedtech.com/2013/08/socrative-a-21st-century-way-to-assess-as-easy-as-raising-your-hand/

Smitty, K. (2013). 9 Word Cloud Generators that Aren't Wordle. Retrieved from http://www.edudemic.com/9-word-cloud-generators-that-arent-wordle/