Final Reflection

Is technology important to integrate into our classrooms? The answer is absolutely yes! There is always some sort of tool that you can use to enhance any sort of Topic. there are organizational tools, presentation resources, and so many different types of online technology integration that there can always be somewhere to put it in a lesson. The biggest things that I had never considered before was using the robots to help do some sort of presentation with math or Sciences. that was a rewarding because it really helped me to see the true lengths that I can take as a teacher to help my students learn in a variety of ways. Technology is everywhere in this modern day, even going into field almost every student had either a Chromebook to use, or some sort of iPad. These Generations are growing up with technology being such a big part of their everyday life,So why not teach Technology integration and a healthy and educational way.
The ways that I want to integrate technology into my future classroom, is to use different resources that I learned from past classes in computer technology education to instruct things like quizzes, classroom discussion tools, different ways of presenting besides just doing a PowerPoint, and giving students and abundance of learning resources that they will actually enjoy the learning process. Stop motion video is something that I would love to experiment with more, because that is something that will require more tools and just technology integration, it will also require students to learn a great deal of patience, thought out  stories and movements, and how to revise and edit when they want to change something that they may not have liked before to make it even greater. These tools are wonderfully available to us as Educators, to help our students grow in this modern era, and to promote  their budding technological knowledge, because who knows how different it will be when they are where we are now when they start  the path to their own careers.

Webquest

Using Webquest in the classroom is a great way to integrate education by using the technology we already regularly use. This is an easy way for kids to follow along with a lesson plan, and understand every detail of what the teacher wants. Publishing different lessons that the students can easily learn on their own and have several resources and tbs that help guide them. This helps them learn to navigate the website and build some independence when working alone online. Students can have an online experience that they can be prepared for higher grades in secondary schools where they will have to do research and be able to navigate the right places to go and read about the information they need. Webquest has the lessons outline step by step so it is really easy for student to follow along on their own. 

My goals that I would have for my students is to make sure after I make the lesson for them, that I need to do the assignment for myself and make sure that I understand exactly how it flows. I would want to make sure that my students are able to easily do the assignments, so the first couple times I may do it as a class and do it with them, then switch to small groups in computer lab, then have them do it on their own so we can gradually work towards independent work/study. Webquest is a good way to encourage independence with the class and build that trust and confidence that they are able to complete the assigned tasks. This will prepare them for high school and especially online college classes which are slightly harder to navigate on your first try. This tool is definitely the most empowering for students and building their independent learning skills. 

Why is Coding Important?

Technology integration is an important part of the classroom because it gives students the opportunity to explore different areas of learning. Technology such as robots such as the Finch and Hummingbird robots take a lot of thought and time preparation to get what you want. Coding these Hummingbirds can be effectively integrated into teaching by using them for either math or creative arts purposes. They have to figure out colors, timing, sequencing, and other details related. With theater the tech crew has to work on lighting with timing and different wiring and switches. Math you have to calculate times, how many wires are needed as well as technological pieces. Students will have to work pretty hard with these in Elementary School because even as a junior in college, we had a hard time figuring it out at first. In order to do this effectively and efficiently, I will have to give my students a lot of preparation and time for this activity.
I can help my students best succeed by showing detailed instruction under a document camera, as well as helping them hands on where they can closely see what I am doing and follow along. These technology ideas with robots will help my students by having them think a lot harder when using technology. They probably will have never seen something like this before, so they will have to get their gears turning. My goals with coding are to teach my kids something useful that they may have to use later in their education and even possibly in their future careers. We never know how technology will be integrated with other subjects, or with all types of jobs. It is my job as a teacher to prepare them for the real world that they will contribute to. I don't want any student to feel uncomfortable or scared to use technology. My main goal is to make sure they are comfortable, and confident with these forms learning and getting excited about participating.

Finch Robots

What a fun and creative introduction students using a different kind of technology in the classroom. These robots are a way to get the students engaged into the lesson, and they can have creative freedom to make their own take on the lesson. These robots can be used to teach any matter of subjects, such as science, poetry, drama, technology/computer programming, and many more. This task is not easy and even for us it took a lot of trial and error to make the Finch bots do what we wanted. This is definitely an exercise that students would need help  learning how to respect the technology, and would be used in higher grades such as 4th, 5th, and 6th. My goals for my students would be taking time on the topic and spending one day solely just learning how to use the Finch Robots, and seeing how they react with these things.
This is a more difficult activity for students because there are many steps to creating a good sequence with movement, costume, and vocals. This is an empowering tool because students will have to really think about what they are going to do. They will need to take time to make a costume to fit the robot and connect with the lesson they are working on. They will need to time and sequence the lighting and the movements. Then lastly they will add the backdrop and the vocalizing to make a finished product. Empowerment for a student is showing them that you trust them with something like this, and giving them creative freedom to make something that they can be proud to present. Something they can stamp as their own.

Click Me to Learn all about Finch Robots!

Formative Assessment

The many different tools that can be used for Formative Assessment are actually quite fun to create and to use. There are dozens of different options such as Popplet, Kahoot, Timetoast, etc. There are so many to choose from and these are just a few of my favorites that I love to integrate into teaching different and assessing all different subjects. Teaching my students not to be afraid of tests and quizzes is one of my biggest goals as a teacher. I don't want them to be a scary thing so I want to teach them to use these tools and stress to them how much "fun" they are to take their tests/quizzes. Once the students are able to get comfortable with how the assessment tools are used, then it becomes habit and just regular to them and they aren't stressed.
These tools will help students later on because it will build their confidence with test taking, and also with online media and tools for when other teachers use it. More teachers are migrating to using Kahoot! that I have noticed, and students can get excited about getting competitive. I think these ways of doing Formative Assessments help the students get out of the mindset of "this is a test, I am going to be really stressed because it will be really quiet, and it will be a packet of information." Using these different options, students can have fun and interact with their classmates, and create something that is their own to be proud of. Since I started this program and thought about the kind of teacher that I want to be, and what I want to do in my classroom. I don't want to be the easy teacher, but I want to be the teacher that is willing and able to help with testing/assessment skills. I want to keep in touch with all of the newest and latest media tools to assess knowledge in a fun way, and get my students somewhat familiar with it as well.

Multiple Means of Representation

Students are going to vary in different ways they will learn. Some will learn better by lecturing and taking notes, others are going to need more of a hands on experience and physically doing the processes to see the results. Students also need to have different methods of being engaged in the classroom, and using tools that they may have never seen before. I can integrate this into my classroom by familiarizing myself with all different kinds of media, and testing certain ones in my class early on to see what my students positively respond to. Using fun lecturing tools, but also technology that the students can create something they can be proud of, and go home and tell their parents that they were excited that they got to create something. 

This will help my students be rounded in several different online and reading/textbook skills so they can be prepared for the future. These children will be able to discover what types of learning that they enjoy the most. Once students are able to identify how they can most effectively learn, they can voice how they feel to me as their teacher on what I can do. The goals I am going to make for myself is to vocalize with my students early on (depending on the grade) that it is important to me to know how they would like to learn. Then they can be open with me and I can adjust my lesson plans accordingly. I want to be the best teacher I can possibly be, and my students are very important to me even now as a student. 

Digital Citizenship

Knowing the rules and safety of digital citizenship are the number one thing to go over when starting the school year. Technology is everywhere and used so much in schools, and it is up to us to teach students how to properly use it. There are a lot of things on the internet that can trick students, and pull them into sites that could be inappropriate. Smart and Safe technology rules in schools helps students build strong knowledge about web usage, and they become more responsible and require less monitoring. We teach them the important of copyright techniques, and how to copy and use information from other sources. Another reason why this is so important, is to showcase to students that what is on the internet, is there forever. They are creating a digital footprint when they write or post something on the internet, it can be linked back to them.
How I as a teacher can create ways to teach about digital citizenship, is teach a lot about cyber bullying, digital-drama, self-image, and  basic internet safety. Cyber bullying is something that is increasing in schools, and everything is on social media. Students as young as third grade, going through junior high, and high school, are posting, liking, sharing, and commenting constantly. Cell phones are always making their appearance in the classroom, so that is another thing with digital citizenship and cyber bullying that MUST be taught. Even when I was in high school, people used their cellphones to bully and harass other people. I was bullied the worst when I was in 6th grade, but I didn't have a cell phone, and honestly I am very glad I didn't, because I can only imagine how those girls and boys would have treated me digitally. I will use personal examples that students can connect personally with their teacher, as well as show videos, and share stories that show real examples of how abusing technology can turn for the very worst. I will spend time on different aspects of digital citizenship, and have students write goals, and make personal digital citizenship contracts.
The biggest thing I want to do in my classroom, is teach this at the start of the year, and make a class contract about digital citizenship, that everyone signs and promises that they will uphold their deal with the contract. Technology is running the world, but I will not let it run my students. 

Digital Citizenship Broken Down
Specific Digital Citizenship Topics