Personal Learning Network
Baby Steps Toward Including Technology in the Classroom This week as part of an assignment in my credential program, I was asked to answer the following questions: How do we embrace change in educational settings with reference to technology? How can we help others to embrace this change from the early adopters to the colleagues who have trouble attaching documents to emails? I was very inspired by this assignment and decided to share my thoughts with you here:
I often have students ask me questions that I do not know the answer to. History is such a large subject mater that it is impossible to ask a teacher to know everything there is to know about history. For this reason, at the start of the year, one of the first things I tell my students is this: "I am human. I will make mistakes. I will not know everything. And I will learn with you." It is important to allow your students to know that you too will be learning and to show a sense of vulnerability. I feel that this allows for an easy open door to technology in the classroom. When a students ask me a question I do not know the answer to, I do not shy away from it and I am not taken aback. I welcome the fact that my student has expressed interest in deepening their knowledge of history and I respond to their question by saying: "Google it. You tell me the answer and let's learn together." I find that my students jump at the opportunity to take their phone out and am pleased when they actually research for the answer. I welcome this opportunity to grow in knowledge and believe that with technology, students can just have a deeper knowledge of content. I encourage my colleagues to embrace the idea of using technology as a tool to expand knowledge and encourage the adoption of research based projects and intrinsic motivation. If you give students a choice in what they learn, they will be more inclined to expand their knowledge and do research on a subject of their choice. Including research into your classroom is a small way to include technology in the classroom and is a great step toward becoming a technologically savvy educator.
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Prezi Presentations Prezi is a online tool that helps you create interesting, engaging, and unique presentations. Prezi has found a way to help educators make inevitable lectures less boring and more imaginative. As I learn to more technologically inclined in the classroom, I am constantly trying to find ways to spice up my lesson plans with technology. I came across my first Prezi when I was researching a unique way to present the "Domino Effect" of consumerism and the Great Depression. I found an amazing visually dynamic presentation that was created by Prezi. I immediately created an account and found that it was free for educators. After my account was created, I was hooked. Now I rarely create PowerPoint presentations and instead develop eye catching Prezi presentations. Prezi has many different options and tools and allows the user to input images, videos, and other visuals. This semester I decided to dive further into the Prezi world by developing an assignment that asks my students to create their own Prezi. My students truly enjoy my Prezi's and I feel that by having them create their own, not only will they present a depth of content knowledge, but they will have fun doing it. I am still a novice when it comes to my presentations, and I hope that I can continue to grow my Prezi making skills. Go to prezi.com to learn more and check out how to create your own Prezi by watching my brief and basic tutorial below. |
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Teacher candidate at CSU, San Marcos. Archives
February 2017
Embedded Research
Below is my educational Pinterest Board. Check it out to see where I get some of my ideas! |