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The first example of active use is media production. Within media production, the students are active and hands on with others to create something. This is active because they are not watching someone create something, they are the creator. The second example is design. Once again, they are the designer and they are not watching someone else design. They are figuring out how to use different programs and how to manipulate the program to reach their desired end result. The third example would be coding. Coding is an extremely active use of technology in my opinion. Within coding, they are manipulating different things to create something unique to them. They are making something move, spin, turn, etc. The last example would be peer collaboration. In the textbook, it shows a graphic of children making a movie on an iPad with puppets. This is a great way to introduce active use to younger children because it is a more simple way to promote active use.

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One active use of technology is design. Designing is a way to utilize technology and enhance creativity. There's not many limits when it comes to designing and creating using technology. This is how design is an active use. Coding is another example that is very technology based and it also incorporates critical thinking skills, making it an active use. Media production is another example of how limitless students creativity could be using technology. The last example is peer collaboration. This is a great example of an active use of technology. There are many ways students can engage together and use technology which could ultimately enhance their social and communication skills.

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One example is peer collaboration; technology allows students to work together on assignments easily inside and outside of the classroom. It allows them to efficiently share ideas and learn from one another. Another example is critical thinking. Technology allows students to develop more critical thinking skills by teaching them to use the tools given to find answers that they may be unsure of. It also teaches them how to properly find information that they can trust. Another example is making global connections; it allows students to connect with other students globally, which increases their world knowledge. The last example is design, which allows students to learn more about making different things within assignments that will help them grow as individuals.

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Several examples of active uses in practice are listed at the end of the Digital Use Divide section. The first example that caught my eye was the chemistry students who used tech to observe how chemicals affected their lives. This is an example of the active use of the technology because it got students engaged with their technology to deepen their understanding of the subject being covered. The students learned more about chemistry by using technology to study their lives. Similar to our creation of a Google Site was the example in which students in Alaska participated in conferences to share their electronic portfolios. This active use of tech allowed students to share their work with others by creating their own electronic portfolios. Using the coding language CodeJumper, visually impaired students are learning to code. Though their vision is impaired or entirely gone, these students can actively use technology to pursue knowledge and pick up new skills. Lastly, in Maine, students use online resources to create podcasts and songs. In music classes, this technology is being used to teach students about different genres and compositions of music, allowing their educator to see their progress and process online.

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My first example of active use is the student-led conference using electronic portfolios. These digital portfolios created by students is active as the students took the lead when it came to learning, forming evidence of progress, and evaluate growth. My next example of active use is coding, as the specially designed language allows programming to become accessible through tangible auditory interactions. It is considered active because students are actively making programs, strengthening computer skills, and problem-solving. Another example of active use is peer calibration. High school students designing learning activities that are both hands on and connected to other age groups and levels allowed students to use technology in order to push their learning even further than the classroom. The collaboration between older students and younger students served as a catalyst for authentically involved projects. My last example of active use is when second-graders animated the water cycle using Minecraft. This is considered active usage as students were engaging in design, application, and creation. Using this popular animation platform (that many students ere most likely familiar with) not only grabs their attention but allows them to truly enjoy the assignment while also learning and retaining new information.

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The four examples of active use I resonate most with is critical thinking, design, media production, and peer collaboration. Critical thinking changes students learning from passive to active through questioning assumptions, utilizing evidence, and then making a reasonable judgement. A great opportunity to showcase this would be in a discussion post where they are not passively clicking through slides but, building upon others' opinons and formulating their own while questioning the "Why?". Media production is by far my favorite because it allows students to fully immerse themselves in the curriculum while creating meaningful academic connections to the work. It becomes an opportunity for them to build digital literacy while teaching collaboration and nurturing technological skills that can be utilized in any area of life. A big assignment that I look forward to doing is having an optional quiz grade each unit of them teaching the material to their peers. That way they can learn in real time how to speak to their audience and make content digestible. This feeds into peer collaboration, as humans we are community beings. Students will learn first-hand how to take their social life-skills and execute them digitally. I believe that is a fantastic advantage the younger generation has on us right now. They have only known the internet and in this reality, they are amazing at nurturing online conversation and getting their emotions across in forums. On the other hand, design allows for students to meet their creativity with intention by meshing aesthetics with productivity. I believe on an educator standpoint; it is essential that we are meeting their digital design needs while getting the curriculum across. This looks like having a unit document, with links, that makes it easily accessible to the students as well.

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There are multiples examples of active uses are listed, but there were 4 that stuck out to me the most. The first example is design because it increases creativity and is an amazing way to use technology. There are so many different things you can create while being creative using technology. The second example is peer collaboration because students are able to easily work on an assignment with other students using technology. They can work on it when they are right next to each other in class or miles away at home. The third example is codes because it encourages students to use critical thinking and overall be creative. The fourth example is global connections. Technology and social media allow for people to connect with others in all parts of the world. The first thing that came to mind when I read this one was having an email pen pal.

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Active uses of technology give students the chance to be creators and problem solvers instead of just completing practice drills. One example is how students can make their own digital projects such as videos, podcasts, or interactive stories to explain what they have learned. They can also use coding, robotics, or design software to build and test new ideas, which helps them think critically and try out solutions. Technology can support collaboration too like when students work together on shared slideshows, documents, or online discussions to combine their ideas. Another active use is giving students options in how they learn, such as listening to audiobooks, exploring interactive simulations or using creative apps to show understanding in different ways. These examples are active uses because they let students explore and share knowledge in meaningful ways.

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Out of all of the examples of active use, I think media creation and peer collaboration resonates with me the most. The chemistry students at William. C Overfelt High School are a great example of peer collaboration. Because students worked in groups to show how chemicals affected their every day lives. The students in the first example used media creation to make a video on Granny Henderson, one of the last residents of the Buffalo Rivera Area to learn about the history of the region. Design is another active use of technology that allows students to use their imagination and creativity to give them a better understanding of the content they are learning/being exposed to in the classroom. The example of second-graders using Minecraft to design or animate water cycles is a great example. And lastly, the student-led conference using electronic portfolios. Students at the conference took the lead and shared what they had been working on and learning.

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One of the first active uses that stood out to me was the computer science immersion plan in South Dakota, which serviced Title 1 elementary and middle schools. The partnership with Code to the Future allowed teachers to be taught coding, which then would be taught to the students. These activities promoted critical thinking, collaboration, and problem solving (among other skills as well). Second, the Van Meter Community School District in Iowa, which helped teachers update lesson plans to include active use of technology in the classroom. This led to teachers being able to, for example, use digital storyboards to educate students on historical figures of the civil war. This promotes digital literacy skills, and a deeper engagement with the material, and technology. Next, the example of the graduate profile implementation in HSSD allows students to have a more personalized view of skills and needs, as well as giving teachers a better view of the whole picture of the child. Lastly, the Writing Architect tool, which integrates writing evaluation but keeps teachers and students in the loop as well. Instead of just letting the algorithm do its thing, this is a way for students and teachers to actively engage with te technology.

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Media production, peer collaboration, critical thinking, and design are all examples of active uses. Media production is really important because it allows for students to use their creativity to produce a piece of media and express themselves through the use of technology. Peer collaboration is another great example of an active use because it allows for students to collaborate with each other, share their ideas and thoughts with each other, and work together. Students can share their thinking through technology and produce something together online. Critical thinking, another active use, allows students to use technology to gain skills in critical thinking by navigating technology and use their online resources to help them learn and grow. Design is another way that students can show their creativity and produce their own work by expressing their imagination. This allows the students to plan out their design and then make it, making the students think and be creative.

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The first example that I looked at is design. Students are able to use their creativity when it comes to design and put their own two sense into what they are producing. Next was Peer Collaboration, with this active use students are able to collaborate and get feedback from their students. They are also able to learn key skills of working in teams which will be needed for future schooling and jobs. Next was global connection, technology allows students to connect with other people globally and allows people to learn more about global life outside of their current state. Last was Critical thinking, technology allows students to have more independence on which sites they choose to use and which they think is worthy of consuming information from. This can allow students to grow and develop their own critical thinking skills

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The active use of technology for visually impaired and blind students at Breckinridge-Franklin Elementary provides their students an opportunity to engage with and learn about coding. This use of technology provides more accessibility to students and gives them a means to effectively interact with a growing field. Another example of the active use of technology in the name of accessibility can be seen in how the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) Regional STEM Center. Through the active use of technology, the NTID is able to teach students about STEM through the use of robotics and competitions. This engagement with technology allows these deaf students opportunities that they may not be provided otherwise. Outside of providing accessibility, active use of technology can also allow students to interact with one another and create. The music class in Gorham Middle School is one such example of this, allowing students to use SoundTrap to collaborate to create podcasts and songs. Not only does this technology allow them to get a deeper understanding of music, it also gives them the ability to communicate with one another regarding ideas and plan out projects. Active use of technology can also help to inspire a deeper sense creativity in students, as can be seen in its use at Central Dauphin School District. Students would use Minecraft to create animations for the water cycle. However, even after the activity had ended, students continued creating new animations for other lessons. This opportunity for students to express themselves in unique ways is an area that the active use of technology is very strong at.

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The 2024 National Educational Technology Plan highlights several examples of active technology use in the classroom. One is involving students as co-designers of their learning, allowing them to help shape projects and choose digital tools, which encourages creativity and ownership. Another example is using technology in hands-on, real world learning experiences through partnerships like virtual internships or community based projects. The plan also promotes learner profiles focused on building key skills such as problem solving and communication through meaningful tech use. Lastly, integrating digital literacy into the curriculum helps students build skills like coding and media creation. These are active uses because they engage students in creating and collaborating, not just completing digital tasks.

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The first example I examined was the fifth-grade students who videoconferences with rangers from four different parks to lead how to advocate for nature. This is an example of active use practice because it is an interactive way to learn. The students are not just watching a video instead they are in a real time conversation with the rangers. In the Central Dauphin School district, students used the game Minecraft to animate water cycles. Incorporating games that students actively play outside of the classroom setting created an engaging and exciting learning experience. Two different schools incorporated STEM concepts with robotics. One school of deaf students used robots to learn concepts in an inspiring and engaging way. Another schools programed robots to do simple tasks such as cleaning the floors. Learning to code use technology in this way is a prime example of active use of technology.

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NETP gives some great examples of how students are using technology in more active ways. In Indiana, students made videos and eBooks to share what they learned with their community. In Arizona, they got to choose hands-on projects like robotics, 3D printing, and animation through FUSE Studios. In Mississippi, students ran their own school newscast, writing, filming, and editing each week, and in North Dakota, students built digital portfolios and capstone projects to show their progress. All of these examples show how tech can be used for creating, problem-solving, and working together, instead of just doing digital worksheets

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One of the most interesting aspects of active use is the design element. I find it incredibly valuable that students can interact with these resources and tools in a way that encourages their creativity, which can be one of the greatest critiques of technology use in the classroom. I also believe that the collaborative ease provided by the internet and technology is a major advantage of tech. Especially in observing the pandemic, we were able to see the way that technology can be used to keep the classroom structure somewhat afloat when students are experiencing immense disconnection. Additionally, with these newfound hurdles, students are required to think more critically about the information they are being fed from their multitude of platforms; though a challenge, students are able to gain great skills of discretion.

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The first example of active use that I chose to focus on is peer collaboration. Peer collaboration is an example of active uses of technology because instead of students silently sitting on a computer, they are actively talking and sharing ideas with their classmates. It is a good way to share ideas, help each other, and learn to work together to solve problems. The next example I chose is critical thinking. Critical thinking through technology can be active use because it is challenging students to solve problems and engage in situations that make them look at things in multiple ways. Design is also an example of active use of technology because it helps to spark creativity and freedom. It gives students the chance to build off of their own ideas. Lastly, making global connections is an example of active use because it allows students to interact and expand their knowledge on culture, events, and people all over the world. It is so important that students are educated on what is happening in the world, instead of just in our country/ locally.

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The first example of active use is video production used by students at Harrison Middle School, where they created a video about Granny Henderson, one of the last residents of an Arkansas river. This helped the students to be able to research for themselves details of the area and then use a hands-on approach to create the video. My second example of active use is the chemistry students at William C. Overfelt high school using technology to see how chemicals affect their lives, which is done by using peer collaboration. This active use offers ideas from different people and helps students to think critically and collaboratively about their project. My third example is the students at Central Dauphin School District who used Minecraft to create animation, which is an example of design. This allowed the students to creatively understand information about the water cycles while "playing a game" that they likely enjoy, which turns something that might be boring into something very entertaining. My final example is the digital badging system at Del Lago Academy, which allows students to showcase evidence of their learning. This makes students excited to do well in school, as they have something to show and be proud of for their success.

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Students engage in multimedia projects by creating videos, podcasts, or digital stories, which allows them to organize ideas and express learning creatively. In collaborative coding or digital design tasks, learners work together to build apps or games, promoting problem-solving, planning, and peer collaboration. Interactive simulations and modeling let students experiment with variables in virtual labs or digital environments, encouraging inquiry and critical thinking. Finally, digital portfolios give students a chance to curate their work and reflect on growth, fostering metacognition and active ownership of learning.

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One active use of technology is peer collaboration. Technology allows students to work easily with students on the same project all at once. Peer collaboration teaches students how to work well with others which is an important skill to have outside of the classroom. With growing technology, students are certainly going to experience peer collaboration via technology is the workforce. Another active use of technology is making global connections. Students have the ability to learn directly from people in other countries about culture, language, and other resources that may not be as available in their classroom setting. TalkAbroad is my favorite example of this because students get to have real conversations with people who are native speakers in the language they are learning. Global connections via technology allow students to make those real world connections. Design is another active use of technology. I believe that design is one of the most important active uses of technology. Design allows students to get creative and express themselves in many different ways. It gives students the ability to play around with different software and get familiar with the technology. Another example of active uses is media production. Again, this is a great use for students to get creative and express themselves. Students can use media production in many ways including podcasting and making videos or short films. It also gives students a space to collaborate with others.

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I think the example of the Gorham Middle School in Maine was exciting because it allows children to use a program to explore the arts through technology. Music and podcasting are two incredible skills to have, especially given the recent podcasting boom over the past years. This is also a great resource because it can provide additional services to communities who may not be able to fund fully-fledged music program. Soundtrap is a great example of active use because they are actively creating digital content, while also learning media production and design. Upon further research, I discovered that Soundtrap is a community-based platform, where users can share their musical and podcast creations with others. This ties into the making global connections aspect of Active use.

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When exploring the active uses in practice examples, the four that stood out to me were Minecraft to animate, creating compositions with Soundtrap, programming robots, and videoconferencing with rangers. Starting with the use of Minecraft for students to animate their water cycle, this shows active use of technology as the students are utilizing technology to create something new that reflects the concepts of their lesson topic. Along the same lines is the classroom that uses Soundtrap to create compositions, which also demonstrates active use of technology. They utilize a program to create content that revolves around the music class, requiring students to make continuous choices and manipulate data, rather than passively watching a music video. The use of technology to program robots is also another example of active use because it requires the student to use critical thinking and problem-solving through the process of coding; this is very far from a passive use of technology. The last example is students videoconferencing with rangers, this is an active use of technology as it provides an opportunity for students to engage and communicate with individuals they wouldn't have had the chance to without the use of technology. Rather than watch a video on the subject, the students are absorbing the information in a dynamic interactive experience.

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One example I read was about students programing robots to automate tasks around the school. This is active because they are creating a program and actively coding tasks for the robot, which allows them to explore problem solving and peer collaboration. Another example was of a grant that was used to pay for a technological program that could assess student writing and offer instructional support, blending digital and tangible platforms. This is an active use of technology due to its ability to instruct and support student instruction and academic growth. Another was of students creating a video of a conversation with a resident describing the history and culture of the region. Lastly was one of students creating electronic portfolios of their classwork. Both of these are active uses of technology because they are using technology to create a product or outcome, as opposed to simply being assessed in a traditional capacity.