Digital Blog Post #L

In Chapter 12 which focused on Integrating Technology and Creating Change as Teacher Leaders I learned generally how fast and important it is for students to have access to technology in the classroom. One topic that the textbook discussed was one-to-one laptop computing which means that every student in a grade, school, or district has his or her own computing device in school. Just to imagine how much money this would cost all the schools is overwhelming however I do believe that this would only benefit the students and teachers. For instance, according to the textbook 60% of high school students in the state have their own laptop computer, at a cost of $18 million per year. Although not a lot of school districts have one-to-one laptop computing, according to the textbook one-quarter of the nations largest school districts have at least one grade where all of the students have their own computer. However, in the textbook they speak of three reasons one-to-one laptop initiatives create development.

1. New machines, which help introduce new generations of power, lower-cost, ultraportable computing devices. These devices have considerable memory, can connect to Wi-Fi, have CD/DVD players, and many more features that help support teaching while helping students at the same time. 

2. Use in higher education, which means that when these students proceed their higher education in college, technology is a huge factor in college. Many students have to complete essays, assignments, group projects, contact their professor and or classmates through a computing device. Most professors already assume that these students have a computing device so public school leaders want elementary and secondary education students to gain experience with a computing device. Having students gain experience in computing devices will only help them when they do proceed to college. 

3. Research Studies, which shows that more than a decade of studies in regard to one-to-one computing programs have shown laptops positively affecting a students learning. According to the textbook, in some states one-to-one computer use has been linked to improvements on students attendance, homework completion, motivation to learn, and engagement with the writing process. 

Loads and loads of research have shown that one-to-one laptop computing can benefit the students in more ways than one. 

One-to-one laptop computing may be expensive however, these students will be more engaged and will have that motivation to learn. Giving these students the opportunity to use technology is a wonderful idea. Allowing theses students to explore and have inquiry learning is also great for critical thinking skills. One-to-one laptop computing will help students with group projects and even increase their knowledge about technology. 

Not only has technology changed for students but technology has changed for teachers. Teachers used to write on a chalk board, then the white board came along with the markers and now there are digital notepads and digital pens. According to the textbook a digital pen is a writing device that records words someone has writing or spoken so they can be accessed on a computer that converts content into typed text. A digital notepad according to the textbook is a device that allows users to write and draw and then convert those images to digital text. When I go to school, especially in my math class my professor uses a digital pen and digital notepad on the board. Although, he does not speak into the pen he will write his notes and then convert them to text on the internet so all the students have access to the notes from that day. Before teachers used these, they had to erase what they had written on the board which left them with no copy unless they made a copy. However, with this new technology teachers can just write on the spot and then convert it later to text version. This helps me with math because he can write freely and be specific with his notes which helps me when he later uploads the notes. These pens and digital note pads benefit teachers and students because they are so wonderful for open-ended, creative writing situations as well as the general learning. 

Now technology as we see is great for teachers and students but a flipped classroom is also a wonderful new technology integration approach. According to the textbook a flipped classroom turns the entire structure of teaching and learning upside down. In other words, flipped learning happens when teachers create lessons for students to complete outside of the classroom so group work and other activities can be done in the school day. In a flipped classroom students are the learners and also the teachers. There is student-led activities with whole groups, small groups and individuals. It is also common for students to watch videos and listen to podcasts instead of reading from a textbook. As stated in the textbook, one study found out that students are more likely to develop interests in science, technology, engineering, and math fields when teachers use instructional practices that feature digital technology, social media and student driven learning. Prior to this section in the chapter I was unaware of flipped classrooms however, they sounds very interesting. Most students get bored with the general lecture and notes but if students get to generate their activities they will be less likely to get bored. However, the teacher has to have supervision on the activities these students decide to generate. The only down side to flipped classroom is they have homework very often. All of the lessons the students have to take home to do which leaves them with a bunch of homework. On the bright side, I see great potential in flipped classroom as long as the teacher has the capability to create technology anywhere and anytime learning.

Below is a link to a story board of the main points of Integrating Technology and Creating Change as a Teacher Leaders

http://storybird.com/books/integrating-technology-and-creating-change-as-te-2/



Resources:
Textbook - Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc