Reflection

As a substitute teacher, I usually do not have the option to choose technology; therefore, how I currently teach differs from how I expect to teach when I have my own classroom. One advantage I have had as a sub is to practice thinking how I could include technology to improve the lessons I do teach.

When I have my own classroom, I want to integrate students creating concept map software. Until my own experience using it, I did not realize its potential to help students gain a deeper understanding of the concepts I am teaching. I would also like to introduce students to VoiceThread and give them an option of using VoiceThread to assess their knowledge gained. I believe that both of these tools give students another previously unavailable opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.

As for long-term changes, I cannot make or plan these types of goals until I get a full-time teaching position. I know that I will include technology in many different ways, but without knowing what grade I will be teaching, it is hard to say how I plan to integrate. I think using technology is important for many reasons – motivation, familiarization as they will use technology in the future, provides more modalities for the brain to make connections, etc – but specific goals and strategies in the long-term are hard for me to set when my future career is so foggy right now. If anybody has any suggestions or ideas for goals for somebody in my position I will consider them.

Connectivism and Social Learning in Practice

Social learning theories are based on the idea that students are actively engaged with others in creating an artifact. Differing from constructionist in that involvement of creating the artifact is collaborative rather than individual.

I believe that when learning activities are designed to include social learning theories, students use HOTS (higher order thinking skills) to test ideas, revise or affirm ideas, and create a network to connect learning. Technology can aid students by offering them a global network of communication and giving students a real world look at different ideas and perspectives, because experiences from peers in different parts of the world may lend to different understandings of certain concepts.

Technology such as VoiceThread, web quests and website creation (just to name a few) can be used in group setting to create an artifact. Students in the group can problem-solve together, and builds on the basic components presented in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works.

VoiceThread

As a substitute, I wanted to address my struggles with finding a full-time teaching position. Our district has recently announce possible teacher layoffs for the next school year, making it nearly impossible to be hired as a new teacher.

VoiceThread