Chapter 3- Developing Lessons with Technology

Photo Credit to Doug Jennings on Flickr

Focus Question: How can teachers use technology to make decisions about meeting educational standards in their lesson plans?

According to the text:

Virtually every academic discipline taught in elementary and secondary schools has national, state, and local standards for teaching teachers to follow in planning their curriculum. 

Although these standards provide the basis from which teachers begin their lesson plans, they do not dictate the manner in which the teacher presents the information to their students. The content as well as method of teaching is determined by the teacher, but it is imperative that the teacher make sure he/she is meeting the standards given. Teachers can use technology by utilizing various programs, resources and websites that will help them create lessons, activities and assignments to educate their students while meeting the required curriculum. For example, while preparing students for the FCAT test, a teacher may turn to the internet to find fun, interactive and informative activities that will engage their students and prepare them for the state mandated test.

 The video below is an example of how a teacher may utilize technology to meet educational standards. By providing the videos such as this for their students, the teacher can reinforce the lesson (whether it be about shapes or patterns) as well as incorporate testing strategies that will help the students during mandatory testing.

Tech Tool Link: Online Resources for Lesson Planning: Gliffy

Gliffy is a website that allows you to create floor plans, seating charts, flowcharts, Venn diagrams and other types of visual aids. I'm interested in teaching either middle or high school students, and for me this website will be so helpful in organizing my classroom. Especially when the dreaded "testing season" comes around, by utilizing the seating chart arrangement it will take the stress of the teacher and student to try and decipher the classroom seating flow the day of the test. Not only is this program great for classroom feng shui, but the readily available charts that can be used to teach give the teacher more time on the lesson by alleviating the amount of time in constructing the diagram or chart.

Photo Credit to Gliffy

 


Summary & Connection:

I must admit that this chapter made me a little apprehensive about being a teacher. There is so much that goes into the job; it is not enough that the teacher must engage every student in their classroom, but the teacher must also be aware that their students are meeting local, state and federal standards. In my opinion, technology most definitely eases the the process of lesson planning, with the abundance of online resources teachers have more opportunities to incorporate fun and informative lessons into their teaching. It is important for the teacher to provide assessments to make sure their students are understanding the information being taught. There are numerous types of tests that can be administered to students to ensure this. While it is important for standards to be implemented to ensure that no student is being denied the education they deserve, I don't think standardized tests grasp the entire spectrum of students out there. No two individuals are alike, just as no two learners are alike. After reading this chapter I am now aware that as a teacher it is vital to the success of my students that I present lessons that will help them in reaching these objectives as well as gain and retain the knowledge.

Resources:

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2011). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. ISBN:10 0-13-159611-X, ISBN:13 978-0-13-159611-5