Mobile Technology in the Classroom

     According to Robyler and Doering, educational technology is a combination of the processes and tools involved in addressing educational needs and problems, with an emphasis on applying the most current and digital and information tools (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 6).  There are so many technological advances the world has made. Many of these technologies are available for classroom use. As teachers, it is our responsibility to make sure our students receive the best education. We can’t ensure the best education without the use of these technologies that are available today. One of those technologies that I think would be great for every classroom use is the iPad. There are many different reasons classrooms should have use of iPads. iPads make learning interactive and students are able to make connections to many different aspects of life that they would not normally be able to make connections to without iPads.
     These technologies have many different applications (apps) that can assist to make the education process easier for educators and learning easier for students.   Educational apps for mobile devices such as smart phones and digital tablets represent an extraordinary and largely untapped array of tools for education and their students to build the skills, knowledge and expertise needed for work and life in the 21st century(Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 220).   Students will have access to so many different useful, free apps that are available for classroom use. iPads can be use for all subjects, whether for phonics reading on an interactive website for first graders or on a graphing website for 7th graders.  A few of the free iPad apps for education are listed below. 

•   ABC Writing Zoo Animals Game HD: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/abc-writing-zoo-animals-game/id374185909?mt=8

This website is for reading, writing, and listening skills practice. It is a game website that forces associative learning, which may aid in early brain development in young kids and may help children get a head start in reading and writing.  

• NASA App HD:  http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2010/sep/HQ_10-207_NASA_iPad_App.html

This app can be used for math and science instruction for the students.  It has thousands of images, videos, live streaming from NASA TV, mission information, information on the International Space Station, and many other different tools available for topics about NASA.   This would be a great resources for learning concepts about space.  

• World Book: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/world-book-this-day-in-history/id364739528?mt=8

This is an interactive app that displays historical events with related media such as photos, speeches music, and illustrations.  Students can hear national anthems, listen to presidents' speeches and play sound clips from famous artists.  This is a great resource for teaching about the government. 

• TeacherKit:   https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/teacherkit/id389584618?mt=8

This is a website is a personal organizer for the teacher. It enables the teacher to organize classes, and students. Its simple and intuitive interface enables teachers to track the attendance, grades and behavior of students.

     With the many and current technologies available, integrating technology into education is becoming a facet.  Integrating educational technology refers to the process of determining which digital tools and which methods for implementing them are the most appropriate responses given educational needs and problems (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 6).   Teachers deciding to choose which technology they want use in the classroom depends on the school, the resources available at their school, and the teacher's knowledge of that technology he/she decides to use. 

References:

       Roblyer, M. D., & Doering, Aaron H. (2013). Intergrating Educational Technology into Teaching.

Boston: Pearson Education, Inc

    

Check out this website for instructional software for math, can be used for all grade levels: http://t.co/F7cDoB4vQj #ED5059413UWA

— Latricia Bright (@LatriciaBright1) June 26, 2013

Instructional Software

Latricia Bright
June 25, 2013
ED 505: Education and Technology
Instructional Software
      Roblyer and Doering defines instructional software as “a general term for computer programs designed specifically to deliver instruction or assist with the delivery of instruction on a topic” (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 77). Instructional software came about in the 1960’s and 1970’s when educators and developers thought, “If computer programs can be created to do essentially anything, why not program computers to teach?” (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 76) Six of those instruction software functions include: drill and practice, tutorial, simulation, instructional games, problem solving, and integrated learning systems.

  1. Drill and Practice Teaching Functions: provide exercises in which students work examples items and receive feedback on their correctness (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 81). Since I’ve been teaching fourth grade, I’ve found that this type of software is very useful in teaching the multiplication and division facts; concepts that my students often struggle with. One website that I use often is http://www.ixl.com/. My students use this website to practice their multiplication and division facts and they are given immediate feedback on how well they are doing. Drill-and-practice software informs them immediately whether their responses are accurate so they can make quick corrections (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 84).

2. Tutorial Teaching Functions: this software is an entire instructional sequence on a topic, similar to a teacher’s classroom instruction (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 86). I taught 1st grade for six years and the students learning to reading through phonics was the biggest issue. A website that I would use was http://www.abcfastphonics.com/. The students were able to continue their phonics lessons without my assistance. Students should be able to learn the topic without any other help or materials (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 86).

3. Simulation Teaching Functions: a computerized model of a real or imagined system that is designed to teach how the system works (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p. 90). Because of its difficulty, simulations are useful with Science concepts. I have used the website http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities.html to allow the students to practice concepts like parts of the human body or body parts of certain animals. This website allows the students to place the body parts in their correct location or with the correct body function. A few of the benefits of simulations include: compress time, slow down processes, get students involved, make experiments safe, make the impossible possible, save money and other resources, allow repetition with variations, and allow observation of complex processes. (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, pp. 92-93).

  4. Instructional Game Teaching Functions: add game-like rules and/or competition to learning activities (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 94). Instructional games allow learning to be fun and interesting for students. A website that can be used as instructional games software is http://www.quia.com/. Students can engage in this website with their peers while the teacher is assisting other students, which makes it competitive and fun to learn many concepts that need to be taught. The common characteristics that set instructional games apart from other types of software include: game rules, elements of competition or challenge, and amusing or entertaining formats (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 95).

5. Problem-Solving Teaching Functions: may focus on fostering component skills in or approaches to general problem-solving ability, or provide opportunities to practice solving various kinds of content-area problems (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 99). I use the following website to help my students solve multi-step math word problems. We work multi-step word problems together, then I allow them get with their cooperative learning group to work problems together. http://www.gamequarium.com/problemsolving.html According to Robyler and Doering, problem-solving software is appropriate for the following instructional needs: to teach component skills in problem-solving strategies, to provide support in solving problems, to encourage group problem solving (Robyler & Doering, 2013, pp. 101-102).

6. Integrated Learning Systems (ILSs): are networked or online systems that provide both computer-based instruction and track and report on student progress (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 102). A website that I used to provide computer-based instruction and track and report student progress is https://www-k6.thinkcentral.com/ePC/start.do. This website allows me to track the students’ progress and use the reports to collaborate with my grade level as a whole to develop instruction. It has instruction for the students to take on-line practice assessments as well. This resource is a school-wide resource that we use for Math. One way to ensure the appropriate use of ILSs is to have a careful, we-planned initial review process that involves both teachers and administration (Robyler & Doering, 2013, p. 103).


References:

     Roblyer, M. D., & Doering, Aaron H. (2013). Intergrating Educational Technology into Teaching.

Boston: Pearson Education, Inc

Tiered Vocabulary confusing you? Check out "No Tears for Tiers" for a simple summary @LearngUnlimited http://t.co/jXtXuIZoBQ #engchat

— Kimberly Tyson PhD (@tysonkimberly) June 25, 2013

Check out this website on Tiered Vocabulary and making vocabulary learning easy.

How schools view 1:1 computing, check out this website; http://t.co/B9MTwbuVz2 #ED5059413UWA

— Latricia Bright (@LatriciaBright1) June 19, 2013

Article Critique

Latricia Bright  

June 16, 2013
Article Critique:
ED505

1. Provide the complete article title and author. 

The complete title of the article is Laptops and Fourth-Grade Literacy: Assisting the Jump over the Fourth-Grade Slump and the authors are Kurt A. Suhr, David A. Hernandez, Douglas Grimes, and Mark Warschauer.

2. State the intended audience.  (What is empirical research and how does it help the classroom?)

The intended audience is administrators wanting to promote the use of technology to prevent this “fourth-grade slump” from continuing to happen in their communities and the use of laptops programs have a strong allure to educational administrators seeking to promote the kinds of thinking, learning and creativity required in the 21^st century.  The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language definition tells us that empirical research is research which is based on observed and measured phenomena and it is research that derives knowledge from actual experience rather than from theory or belief. Empirical research helps in the classroom because it allows teachers to see the authenticity of research and it allows them to visually see what is needed for the students as a result of the research. 

3.  What is/are the research question/questions or hypothesis/hypotheses?

The three research questions in this study are: 1. Were there significant differences in the total ELA score changes in the California Standards Test (CST) over the two-year period from third grade to fifth grade between the one-to-one laptop groups and the non-laptop group, after controlling for other factors? 2. Were there significant differences n the six subtests used to compute those total ELA scores for the same two groups? 3. Can participants in a one-to-one laptop program be used to predict changes in ELA total and subtest scores over the two-year period from third grade to fifth grade? 

4. Describe the subject (participants) and the procedures (methods) used by the researcher(s)?

The participants of the study included the treatment group that consisted of 54 fourth-grade students who participated in the one-to-one laptop program and the control group which consisted of 54 fourth-grade students who were placed in non-laptop classes.  The control group did not receive laptops and the treatment group received laptops that were to be used in the classroom for three to six hours weekly. 

5. What were the conclusions of the researchers? Do you agree or disagree with the conclusions? Support your position.

The conclusions of this study is that it adds to the emerging body of literature that suggest that laptop use over multiple years have a small positive effect on literacy score outcomes.  Laptops are not the magic bullet that will single-handely overcome unsatisfactory  ELA test scores.  However, this study suggest that laptops may have a small effect on increasing such scores, which particularly benefits in the areas of literary response and analysis and writing strategies. I do agree with the conclusions because, I think the use of technology should be continuous if started and with the many aspects of technology that exist today is can become very costly. “The process of integrating technology effectively into education requires substantial, ongoing investments in technology infrastructure and teacher training” (Roblyer & Doering, 2013, p. 23). 

6.  What suggestions for further research do the authors suggest? What other suggestions for future research would you suggest?  

The authors suggest that some schools were not able to be accounted because of school characteristics, there was insufficient representation from other ethnic groups, a larger sample size would have increased the likelihood that differences from the means within each group would cancel out and could lead to more stable parameter estimates, a cost-benefit analysis to compare the possible effects of laptop intervention to those of other interventions was not performed, and the duration of the study may also have affected the findings.  I would suggest the research be performed again in the same schools, maybe the variables could be changed, and all these suggestions that the author discussed should be taken into consideration before the research begins.  I think that would yield more positive results in the study. 

Reference: 

Empirical research. (n.d.). In The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. Retrieved
     from http://www.ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=empirical+research.



 Check out this link when a pulic school moves toward one-to-one computing:
http://stoughton.patch.com/articles/stoughton-public-schools-moving-towards-one-to-one-computing-model
Another link on one-to-one computing
http://www.virtucom.com/what-we-do/strategic-it-consulting/oneone-computing/

 

Digital Citizenship

     According to Roblyer and Doering (2013), social issues such as quality of life concerns, fears about technology overuses and misuses, risks of associated with social networking, and problems due to malicious attacks on computers shape the climate for educational uses.  Not only do these problems shape the climate for education, but they also shape the climate in households today.  In the day and time that we live in  parents need to pay more attention to what their children are viewing as well as who they are conversing with on the Internet. 
   Three of the social issues that are associated with Internet use are risks of online social networking, illegal downloading, and safety issues.  Social networking has been known to take up so much time, that it becomes a distraction from schoolwork (Goodman, 2011).  It also exposes young people to cyberporn, or pornographic Internet sites, and cyberbullying, or online harassment in social networks (Roblyer & Doering, 2013).  Parents can take preventative measures to protect their families.  They can make sure computers are located in a central area, make sure their children are not sharing personal information, and children should talk to their parents if they are feeling uncomfortable about who they are conversing with online. 
     Another social issue is illegal downloading/software piracy.  An increasing number of sites offer ways to download copies of software without paying for them (Robyler & Doering, 2013).  Kids and teenagers are very prone to this practice because they are enthused with the look of different sites.  They don't realize that they are downloading illegally.  Parents and teachers need to discuss and model ethical behaviors with respect to software and media (Robyler & Doering, 2013).
     Safety of children, I think, is the  most important issues in social networking.  According to Teens Health, the most important rule of smart surfing would be to remain anonymous by keeping your online friends in the virtual world. Remaining anonymous would ensure your safety from online predators. 
This is my website with information about digital citizenship http://www.digitalcitizenship.net/

References:  
Adomaitis, M.  (2013).  Lovetoknow social networking.  Online Social Networking Dangers.  
   Retrieved from      
http://socialnetworking.lovetoknow.com/Online_Social_Networking_Dangers.

Eastern Illinois University.  (2013).  Illegal Downloading and Inerner Piracy.  Retrieved from
     http://its.eiu.edu/illegaldownloading.php. 

Goodman, B.  (2011, March 28).  Social networking may affect kids' health.  WebMD Health and
    Parenting.  Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/parenting.news/20110328/social -networking-may-affect-kids-health. 
 
Roblyer, M. D., & Doering, Aaron H. (2013). Intergrating Educational Technology into Teaching.

      Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.    

Teens Health from Nemours.  (1995-2013).  Online Safety.  Retrieved  from http://kidshealth.org/teen/safety/safebasics/internet_safety.html#.

The Official Website of the Attorney General of Massachusetts.  (2013).  Illegal Downloads,
      Copyright, File Sharing & Piracy.  Retrieved from http://www.mass.gov/ago/about-the-    attorney-generals-office/community-programs/cyber-crime-and-internet-safety/cyber-crimes/illegal-downloads-copyright-file-sharing-and-.html.  

(Video File) Wilson, J., Hughes, B., Crandall, S.  (2010, November 21).  A Danville NewTech
    Speech Class Production (Producer). The Dangers of Online Sexual Predators. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrSU2aTZKkE

My Favorite Technology: Material Generators

Material generators are by far my favorite technology. According to our book some of those include test generators, graphic document makers, activities/worksheet generators, whiteboard activity software and webpage editors. I have used many of these to assist in learning in my classroom.

One of my favorites is Microsoft Office. I find myself using it every day to make tests, create calendars and behavior sheets, and making PowerPoint presentations to assist in learning of many objectives that are being taught. I have created many cooperative learning games using Publisher.

Another favorite of mine is the whiteboard activity software. If there has ever been a great software created, this is one of the greatest. We used our whiteboard every day of the year. Whether to play games, teach new math concepts through our Math in Focus website, or model problems on the board that the students were able to come up and be in engaged in. This tool allows the students not only to be engaged, but have total control over their own learning.

All About Me!

Hi everyone! I am Latricia Bright.  I am currently a 4th Grade Teacher for the MCPSS.  I have been teaching for 7 years and previously taught 1st grade for the first 6 years.  I have been with my high school sweetheart for 17 years and we have been married for almost 9 of those years. We have 3 beautiful daughters, Martia 15, Lataijya 14, and Makiyah 9. I love to read, shop, and I am very active with my church's youth department. I am so busy with my daughters' activities, teaching, and taking on-line courses to complete my Master's in Education.