Ch. 2 Summary:
Chapter two of
Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use is about Self-directed learning and how it can be implemented in the classroom.
The chapter starts out by discussing what self-directed learning is, “any increase in knowledge , skill, accomplishment, or personal development that an individual selects and brings about by his or her own efforts using any method in any circumstance at any time.” Now while that definition is quite broad, the basic concept I got out of it is using your surroundings to help further learning. The GAME plan is one of the biggest concepts of self-directed learning in the chapter- basically; it is the steps for students to take to guide their self-directed learning.
The next big aspect discussed in the chapter was on developing portfolios. Portfolios are a way for students to document their learning, show off their skills, or to document growth. Although there are many types of portfolios, the one discussed are assessment portfolios (used for assessing students), employment portfolios (for showcasing students’ skills), professional development portfolios (used for documenting growth). Portfolios can be created in a variety of ways (spreadsheet, blogs, word processors, etc), depending on which type you are creating. The GAME plan is also implemented to help guide students, but the four main steps to creating a portfolio are: Define, Design, Develop, and Deliver.
I think self-directed learning is a great method, especially for online classes, because students get to take more responsibility for their work.
Ch. 4 Summary:
Chapter four in
Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use is about Digital Tools that Support Learning, in other words, how technology can assist in learning.
Computers are great for providing tutorials, web searches, databases, and concept maps. All of these are helpful in student learning because students get to learn so many things at once-technologically and the subject they were studying. The chapter discusses how to create your own website in the same terms as creating a portfolio: define your site, design your site, develop the site, and deliver.
Computers can also be used to tell stories. They allow users to “reflect, represent, and communicate what they know,” typically in a more personal sense. There are five steps to this: write a script, develop a story board, locate images, create a digital story, and share with others. This is basically what our class did with the Autobiography project, and it can be used in many other ways with students to help learning.
Another way computers are helpful are for not only individual learning outcomes, but for group and community outcomes as well. When students get to work together, they are able to engage in discussion and usually stimulate their thinking more than just sitting at a desk reading quietly. Pertinent conversation is important in classrooms because it helps with reasoning, problem solving, and knowledge construction. It is also a great way to communicate with other peers- emails, social networking sites, blogs, wikis, and similar ways help children understand not only themselves, but people maybe from other cultures too. As technology is growing, webcams and web conferencing provide additional support in that area.
One final way computers are useful is they speed up the learning process. Years ago, people only had access to the huge encyclopedias in the library, and you weren’t even allowed to check them out. Today, students can access online databases that have up-to-date articles from all around the world that are wonderful for essays and a lifesaver on time. The only downside to this is that anyone can post on these sites, so the information might not always be 100% accurate, so students always need to make sure to find credible and reliable sites to use.
Ch. 6 Summary:
Chapter six in
Technology Integration for Meaningful Classroom Use is about customizing student learning activities.
Every child is different, and they all come from different backgrounds and home lives, so teachers have to try and find ways to adapt to everyone’s needs. A variety of assessments can be used to help teachers figure out where the students are at. One type is summative assessments, which are used to evaluate learning, usually in the form of a test or exam. The second type is formative assessments, used during the learning process, and help the teacher see where the lesson needs adjustment for certain students. One activity the book mentions that helps with this type of feedback is the KWHL chart: what do students “know” about a topic, what do they “want” to know about the topic, “how” they plan to find the information, and what they “learned” after researching.
After doing these assessments, teachers can then use the results to help the students set goals, monitor student learning, and evaluate their own instruction to see if perhaps the way they are teaching it isn’t getting across to the students.
One way that teachers can make the lessons and activities meet the students’ needs is by implementing the Universal design for Learning. This suggests that “teachers can remove barriers to learning by providing flexibility in terms of options for materials, methods, and assessments.” Using this in the classroom provides greater flexibility for teaching everyone in a way they can understand the information by setting goals, individualizing learning, and monitoring and evaluating student learning, teachers will have an easier job getting the information across.
