M6 Reflection

My particular subject of teaching is science.  Technology supports science and science is what makes new technology (Robyler & Doering, p. 308).  According to the text “America’s economy and environment progress depends on the character and quality of the science education that the nation’s schools provide" (Robyler & Doering , p.308).  Professional development plays such an important role in teaching science considering it’s a discipline continually evolving. 

Advantages

Distance-education PD programs

Science teachers are in a unique position of teaching a subject that is continually advancing on a daily basis.  One critical advantage technology offers to science teacher is Professional Development programs.  Online Professional development programs offer a collection of materials that can be used to address teacher’s needs for “accurate, timely science information and teaching materials” (Roblyer and Doering, p. 318).  

Involving Students in Scientific Inquiry Through Authentic Online Projects

Advantages

 

Authentic Science involves having student’s “do” science and online projects connect science to student’s lives and life experiences. (Robyler and Doering, p.319).  Such projects are Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE), Project Feeder Watch, and Journey North.  The GLOBE program is an amazing kind of all-purpose project.  Here’s a brief video demonstrating the capabilities of what students can investigate and also collaborate on in real scientific situations.

 

Journey North projects also does a wonderful job in connecting students and scientists in real-life research (Roblyer and Doering, p.319). 

http://www.learner.org/jnorth

These internet projects provide environments that support all phases of an authentic science experience (Robyler and Doering, p.319).

 

Teachers don’t always have time to commit to long-term projects that show entire scientific process

Advantages

As a science teacher and student time is always of the essence in performing experiments, collecting data, testing hypotheses, etc.  Websites such as the National Science Digital Library (NSDL) and Phet Independent Simulations assist students by helping them obtain and locate information to support scientific experiments.  This makes data collection and analysis more manageable, and the experiments can be visualized and understood in a timely fashion.

 

http://phet.colorado.edu

Technology Integration in Science

Disadvantages

As a science teacher and student, I simply don’t see any disadvantage in incorporating technology in the classroom.  In an era of constant internet reference and tools teachers have fingertip access to science information.  These resources provide educators with a plethora of sources, lesson plans, information and lesson plans (Roblyer and Doering, p.320).  They way science and technology are so intertwined we must utilize these resources to keep students engaged and update with modern day scientific studies.

 

M6R1 http://t.co/2uSvhHpdbd National Science Digital Library A science library for K-12 excellent resource #ED527UM

— David Iradji (@DavidIradji) November 18, 2013

WikiSpace Resubmission

Based on the feedback from my classmates, I made some significant changes to my wikispace. I've included a more user friendly widget comment board. I've also made it a requirement for my students to choose a major or narrow it down to at least 3 choices. This suggestion made perfect sense because it gives high school mentors a place to start. Along with the weekly article postings about choosing a college major for high school students, I've also added a weekly video posting to assist my students in choosing a major for college. Since most high school students will hit play on a video a lot faster than opening up and reading an article. http://youthprojectdi.wikispaces.com/

Module 5 Reflection

Module 5 Reflection

The Interactive Classroom

The ICT framework is based on teachers providing technology literacy, knowledge deepening, and knowledge creation (Roblyer and Doering, 2012, p.21). Teachers must incorporate the interactive classroom to achieve such goals. In an interactive classroom equipped with an interactive whiteboard and various flip charts continually demonstrates new technology and keeps the student engaged. While the student is learning the subject matter their also becoming more technology literate and have more opportunities to display their creativity. It’s a fundamental approach to allow students to “illustrate real- world relevance through highly visual presentations” (Roblyer and Doering, 2012, p.25).

Constructivist vs. Objectivist

A Constructivist teaching strategies implements directed teacher centered instruction that allows students to show what they learn in different ways not just written tests (Roblyer and Doering, 2012, p.36). The interactive classroom with flipcharts and other technology resources is more closely aligned with a constructivist teaching approach. The simple fact that students can develop and create new and innovative activities that help them show and generate their own knowledge is the foundation of constructivism (Roblyer and Doering, 2012, p.36). I think both views should always be analyzed and compared in teaching but the constructivist approach is much more relevant in an interactive classroom.

Flipchart

The Promethean Planet website provides an ample amount of flip charts. I could see myself utilizing many of them in the classroom. I chose a vocab review type flip chart with a football theme that motivates students to keep reviewing their vocab terms.

http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/Download.aspx?ContentId=53750

This type of flip chart is another resource that allows teachers to be futurists and use their skills to keep students “learning to learn” (Roblyer and Doering, 2012, p.6). This type of flip chart is a simple form of technology integration in the classroom that would allow students to retain this knowledge in a unique mechanism of retaining vocabulary words (Robyler and Doering, 2012 p.37). The concept is fun and could be implemented in the classroom in several ways. For example the teacher could divide the class into teams and simply review vocab words while simulating a football game.

M5 http://t.co/aWqlMBUYUV review vocab in the classroom while simulating football very creative #flipchart #ED527UM

— David Iradji (@DavidIradji) November 1, 2013