McGraw Hill. (2020). What Is TPACK Theory and How Can It Be Used in the Classroom? McGraw Hill Education. https://www.mheducation.ca/blog/what-is-tpack-theory-and-how-can-it-be-used-in-the-classroom/

Portnoy, L. (2018, February 1). How SAMR and Tech Can Help Teachers Truly Transform Assessment. EdSurge.

Puentedura, R. (2014). EdTech Theory and Frameworks. Monterey County Office of Education. https://www.montereycoe.org/programs-services/ed-services/ed-tech/theory-frameworks/

Roberts, J. (2013, November 30). Turning SAMR into TECH: What models are good for. Lit and Tech. http://www.litandtech.com/2013/11/turning-samr-into-tech-what-models-are.html

I feel that the TECH model is most useful for my students. This model takes the positive aspects of SAMR and builds upon them in a student-centered way. The TECH model focuses on students and teachers rather than tasks. The TECH model is a student-centered progression, which increases student engagement and makes learning more meaningful. In my experience as a special education teacher, when students are engaged in their learning, they retain more information and master more skills.  

TECH stands for Traditional, Enhanced, Choice, and Handoff. The first steps in the progression are Traditional and Enhanced, which are the simplest ways to incorporate technology. Traditional teaching practices are used and multiple technology tools are options for students to use. Choice and Handoff and considered to be transformative and are most effective for student learning. Students may choose the task they wish to perform in order to master the goals set by the teacher. Student interest drives instruction and learning at the Handoff stage, which means students create authentic products with their choice of technology. 

TECH also helped me recognize that every lesson does not need to include technology in order to be effective. I think this is important, especially as a special education teacher, because my students do not always like to use technology or need technology in order to master a skill. Students in special education often need face to face interaction and direct, explicit instruction to learn specific skills. Technology cannot always be integrated into instruction. An example of this is during social skills lessons. Often, I use videos to engage my students in social skills lessons, but when it comes time to practice the skill, students have to be face to face rather than looking at a screen. When I teach about respect, I sometimes use videos or songs to show examples of respect and interest students in the topic. However, when we practice respect, we practice by interacting with each other. 

The SAMR model is useful as well because it lays the foundation for the TECH model. However, the SAMR model is less student-centered than TECH and focuses more on tasks rather than teachers and students. The TPACK model outlines the skills teachers must possess in order to effectively integrate technology into the classroom. This model is useful for teachers, but is not as student-centered as TECH. The Balanced EdTech model is not as useful as TECH because it is easy to get caught up in new technology. As a result, all four domains of the model are difficult to utilize. 

References

McGraw Hill. (2020). What Is TPACK Theory and How Can It Be Used in the Classroom? McGraw Hill Education. https://www.mheducation.ca/blog/what-is-tpack-theory-and-how-can-it-be-used-in-the-classroom/

Portnoy, L. (2018, February 1). How SAMR and Tech Can Help Teachers Truly Transform Assessment. EdSurge. https://www.edsurge.com/news/2018-02-01-how-samr-and-tech-can-help-teachers-truly-transform-assessment

Puentedura, R. (2014). EdTech Theory and Frameworks. Monterey County Office of Education. https://www.montereycoe.org/programs-services/ed-services/ed-tech/theory-frameworks/

Roberts, J. (2013, November 30). Turning SAMR into TECH: What models are good for. Lit and Tech. http://www.litandtech.com/2013/11/turning-samr-into-tech-what-models-are.html

Student centered learning occurs with the use of adaptive technology tools. Each student is different and therefore has his or her own unique learning path. This ensures that each student receives instruction in the appropriate skills. Instruction is differentiated based on the needs of each student. Adaptive learning technologies address each student’s individual needs. Adaptive learning tools “provide millions of individualized learning paths, each one tailored to a student's unique needs” (DreamBox, 2012).  

Some adaptive learning tools allow students to choose their learning path. Student choice also increases student motivation and effort. Studies show “students who learned with learning style-fit versions showed significantly better learning achievement than those who learned with non-fit versions” (Hwang et al, 2013). 

Adaptive learning promotes self-regulation in students. Students set goals and recognize their own areas of need through adaptive learning, which leads to self-awareness and self-regulation. According to Forsyth et al (2016), “students self-regulate when they set clear goals and understand their own weaknesses and strengths.”  

Specific adaptive technology tools include Smart Sparrow, DreamBox, and ScootPad. Smart Sparrow is an adaptive learning tool that promotes hands-on learning as well as online learning. DreamBox aims to close the achievement gap in elementary and middle school math. ScootPad allows for teaching specific skills and student choice. 

Each child learns in his or her own way and needs different skills in order to be successful in the future. Using a one-size-fits-all approach is a disservice to students. Adaptive learning tools are important to prepare students for the 21st century. 

Links for Teachers:

References 

DreamBox learning; DreamBox Learning and Florida Virtual School Form Alliance to Deliver Personalized and Adaptive Learning to Thousands of Elementary Students. (2012, Nov 07). Education Letter Retrieved from https://wilkes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.wilkes.idm.oclc.org/docview/1124484971?accountid=62703

Forsyth, B., Kimble, C., Birch, J., Deel, G., & Brauer, T. (2016). Maximizing the Adaptive Learning Technology Experience. Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, 16(4), 80-88. Retrieved from https://wilkes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.wilkes.idm.oclc.org/docview/1860982048?accountid=62703

Hwang, G., Sung, H., Hung, C., & Huang, I. (2013). A Learning Style Perspective to Investigate the Necessity of Developing Adaptive Learning Systems. Educational Technology & Society, 16(2), 188-197. Retrieved from https://wilkes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.wilkes.idm.oclc.org/docview/1651843397?accountid=62703

What kinds of materials, equipment, and technologies will we need? How can we

plan for and budget for these investments?

Robotics
Is there a role for robotics in our future STEM and Special Education programs?

Analytics Technology
How could we use “deeper” data to improve student outcomes?

Virtual Reality
Is VR technology a “necessity” for our curriculum or a “nice to have”?

Artificial Intelligence

Already, there are adaptive learning solutions that leverage AI and natural language

processing to identify students’ knowledge gaps. Other solutions include conducting

individual assessments and then delivering tailored content and support, targeting

subject areas and skills where students need additional instruction and practice to

achieve mastery. Should we begin piloting some of these solutions now?

The Internet of Things

Where should we begin to explore the potential applications and benefits of IoT?

Should this be the role of our technology leadership team?

One way I could use this tool to support students remembering their learning is to have them type or draw important points in a video. They could make a sketchnote to help them visualize and remember the video. 

Another activity students could complete is annotating a text to help them understand the story. We practice this in second and third grade on paper. Students would be much more engaged in annotating text if we allowed them to use technology to do so. A speech to text tool would make it more efficient for my students to record their thoughts and annotations. 

Students could apply their knowledge by playing a digital review game for an upcoming assessment. Students’ game scores would show both the student and the teacher skills that are mastered and areas where the student needs more practice. 

 Students can demonstrate analysing by linking articles or research they find in a venn diagram comparing and contrasting two texts. For example, when students read a text about a black bear and a different text about a polar bear, they may be asked to compare and contrast the two animals using evidence from the text and alternative sources they research.

Evaluating can be shown when students are asked to reply to a discussion post. Students can reflect on their previous learning about a specific topic and participate in a digital discussion with classmates. Students must justify their answers. This also requires students to collaborate with others to further their learning.

At the highest level of Bloom’s, students can create their own animal and its habitat based on their knowledge of adaptations and physical features. They can use technology to build the habitat and create their animal. They could then create a video explaining why they chose specific features of the habitat and why the animal would be able to survive in the environment. 

In the classroom, Feedly would support my kids in second and third grade. Even as second and third graders, my students will need support reading the information. Feedly can be used when my students want to research topics that interest them. They can classify the sources they find into categories so they can better understand what they are reading. Feedly helps students stay organized because they can easily locate their articles after they categorize them. 

RSS address of my podcast: https://anchor.fm/s/2c0bab7c/podcast/rsshttps://anchor.fm/s/2c0bab7c/podcast/rss

My name is Kristin Carpio. I am a learning support teacher for students in Kindergarten, first, second, and third grade. The purpose of this podcast is to inform teachers about a Web 2.0 tool that allows students to publish blog posts. Web 2.0 tools can be used by teachers to assess student understanding at the evaluate level of Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy. Kidblog is a Web 2.0 tool that allows students to share their writing and collaborate with peers. Kidblog can be used at any grade level, Kindergarten through 12th, but it is most widely used at the elementary and middle school level. This tool has many unique features to use both inside and outside the classroom. Kidblog allows students to write a story or respond to a question posted by a classmate or their teacher. Kidblog allows students to collaborate with peers, which promotes engagement and motivation. Kidblog is integrated with Immersive Reader (a Microsoft product), which is used to improve fluency, decoding, and grammar. Immersive Reader reads the text aloud while highlighting words to help kids track text and improves pacing. Text size, spacing between words, voice, and background color can be adjusted based on individual student needs. Kidblog is a helpful tool for distance learning. Students can connect with other students in their school and students around the world safely through Kidblog. Parents are even able to read and respond to their child’s posts. Kidblog is a Google Cloud partner, which means the site is integrated with Google Drive. Students can save their work and collaborate through Google Drive and Google Classroom. Teachers can use Kidblog to access student work and assess their writing, collaboration, and digital portfolios. Students can post about many topics on Kidblog, such as animal research projects, pictures and videos of their extension activities, and opinion writing pieces. Kidblog is an engaging tool that supports student learning and prepares students for the 21st century. 

Podcasts are an engaging way for students to demonstrate their evaluation and understanding of skills learned. I like the use of podcasts in the classroom because a lot of times, my students like to verbalize their knowledge rather than type or write. Since many of my students are still learning to read, recording a podcast is also a great way for me to quickly inform students of directions or teach a mini lesson rather than asking them to read on their own. It would save time for me to record directions and give my students an opportunity to be more independent by not relying on me to read directions to them as a group. 

I like using blogs, particularly Kidblog. Kidblog offers a lot of accommodations for students who are still learning to read and write. I am excited to try Kidblog in my classroom and see how engaging it is for my students.

Katherine Johnson was born on August 26, 1918 and lived until February 24, 2020. She was born and raised in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. When she turned 18, she started college at West Virginia State College. She studied math and was mentored by the third African American to complete a PhD in mathematics, W. W. Schieffelin Claytor. 

Johnson completed her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and French degree at West Virginia State College in 1937. After she graduated, she began teaching in Virginia at a public school for African Americans. In 1939, West Virginia began to integrate its graduate schools. Johnson was among the first three African Ameicans to be chosen for West Virginia University’s graduate program. 

Johnson left teaching to complete her first session of graduate school and left so she could start a family with her husband. She had three daughters and returned to teaching when they were older. In 1952, she and her family moved to Newport News, Virginia so Johnson could work for the Langley laboratory of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA, known as NASA today). She began working in the Flight Research Division analyzing flight data and researching a plane crash and turbulence. 

In 1957, Johnson did some of the math for the Notes on Space Technology, which contributed to the launch of Sputnik. She co-authored a report in 1960, which was the first time a woman in the Flight Research Division received credit for a research report. In 1961, she contributed to the first human space flight conducted by Americans, Freedom 7. 

Johnson is most famous for her contribution to the orbital mission of John Glenn. Her job was to check the numbers in the IBM computers for the orbital equations that control the path of the mission. The flight was successful. Johnson retired from NASA in 1986 and claimed that her greatest contributions to space exploration included the work she did for the Apollo mission, the space shuttle, and added to 26 research reports. 

In 2015, Johnson earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama. This medal is the highest honor given to civilians. 

URL: https://spark.adobe.com/video/5AU0LFXEO97wM 

References

Hopkins, L. (2017, March 9). African American Women in STEM. Discovery Education. https://blog.discoveryeducation.com/blog/2017/03/09/celebratewithde-african-american-women-in-stem/

Shetterly, M. L. (2020, February 24). Katherine Johnson Biography. NASA.  https://www.nasa.gov/content/katherine-johnson-biography

Twitter chat: #conversechat 

This chat was about diversity and equity in education. I struggled to find a chat to join because most of the hashtags I tried didn’t work. I ended up finding #conversechat a few hours after the chat had actually happened. I still wanted to participate because diversity and equity intrigue me, especially with everything going on in the world today. Once I started responding to the questions, the chat was easy to follow. I liked reading others’ responses because I always enjoy hearing different perspectives. I’m looking forward to participating in more Twitter chats in the future. 

Last year my school purchased new Chromebooks for students. Students in K-3rd grade classes share a set of about eight Chromebooks. Students in grades 4-6 are 1:1 with Chromebooks. As a K-3 special education teacher, I have five Chromebooks in my classroom.

Currently, we teach reading and math in guided groups so students can share Chromebooks and we can differentiate for our students.  

Although it was not an ideal situation for teaching or learning, I learned so much about technology through distance learning. After this experience, I hope to use technology more in the classroom. I found Google Classroom beneficial for students. They were able to find all of their assignments in one place. Students are more engaged when they are able to use technology to explore answers to their own questions and are able to take more ownership of their learning. There are many choices students can make when completing assignments using technology, which also helps them take ownership of their work. My goal is to become more of a facilitator of learning rather than telling my students an answer. This can be done by incorporating more technology and allowing students to research their own questions. As a special education teacher, this is difficult to do all the time since my kids need more direct, explicit instruction. However, I think the more I learn about and use technology in the classroom, the more meaningful my students' learning will be. I also believe that incorporating technology into instruction will help my students think critically and learn the skills they need to have a successful future. I am hopeful that in the future, we will purchase more Chromebooks/devices for student use, but for now, we have a system that works. 

I could also use online discussion boards as an exit ticket/formative assessment by posting a question to assess what my students learned that day. This would help me determine who needs clarification and who has mastered the goal of the lesson each day. If it is a longer unit, I could use the responses to these questions to group students by ability level/areas of need. 

My students are K-3rd grade, so a lot of them take a while to type responses and even login to their computers. Most of them are still learning to read and write. It would be helpful and more efficient to find a speech to text feature for them to use to post their responses to my daily questions. 

References
Neebe, D., & Roberts, J. (2015). Power up: Making the Shift to 1:1 Teaching and Learning. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.

According to Neebe & Roberts (2015), feedback is not a grade or praise, but is informative, timely, useful, and mutually beneficial. 

Of the six strategies to provide feedback, audio feedback is the most beneficial for my students. Because a majority of my students are still learning to read, they prefer audio feedback or having a conversation over written feedback. My students are able to understand their strengths and needs better when they hear feedback or we have a conversation about their work. When we talk about their work, they are able to remember how to improve next time, and they understand what they did well. However, my school is not 1:1, so it may not always be possible for me to record feedback on a device. 

Audio feedback would ease my workload. I have small groups rather than an entire classroom of students, so it is easier for me to have one-on-one conversations with students after an assessment or project. It takes less time for me to record audio feedback or have a conversation with students than it does for me to type feedback. My school uses Google, so Google Voice is the best option for providing recorded feedback. Using audio feedback is a win-win for both students and myself. 

References
Neebe, D., & Roberts, J. (2015). Power up: Making the shift to 1:1 teaching and learning. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.

References
Neebe, D., & Roberts, J. (2015). Power up: Making the shift to 1:1 teaching and learning. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishing.

Reflection:

In my portfolio, I included reflections from the chapters read in the textbook and the assignments from each unit. I did notice that some of the discussion questions were closed, so I wasn’t able to access my responses to a few of them. 

Now that I have learned the benefits of portfolios, I will use them in my classroom. I could have my students compile research about a topic, such as when we do our Animal Research Project. Portfolios are also a great tool for sharing knowledge, so my students could share their research with each other by adding it to a portfolio. Additionally, I could have my students add topics to their portfolio as we finish assignments throughout the marking period. When they look back at previous assignments, they will recognize how much they’ve grown. Portfolios are beneficial for self-assessment and for teachers to use as an assessment.  

I enjoyed creating my portfolio of work for this class. My favorite part about these assignments is that I can use them in my classroom, in person or remotely, this school year and in the years to come. I feel that I have gained more knowledge about the tools I can use to better support my students in their learning. 

Time is one of the biggest constraints we have as educators. Often, we have to take out parts of lessons and make them less hands-on to save time. Although this is a disservice to students, I feel pressure to cover all the standards otherwise. Technology can help make our class time more efficient.

In a perfect teaching world, I would be able to meet with each student individually to teach them using the strategy that works best for them every time. In my experience, hands-on instruction typically works the best to engage students and promotes higher level thinking. This differentiation would be beneficial for my students in learning support so I could more closely target the skills we are working on. When they are not receiving direct instruction from me, they could do an activity using technology and group work. However, my students are still learning how to navigate their Chromebooks. It takes some of them 10 minutes just to find all the letters in their name to log in. If we were 1:1, I could help students log in at the beginning of class rather than having them remember to log out so someone else can use their computer when we switch groups. This would save time and we would be able to accomplish more. After my experience with virtual learning the past few months, I feel that I am better able to use technology to manage time. I am more comfortable using technology to try new lessons. It would be beneficial to be 1:1 because I could even use technology to provide extension activities to students who finish their required work. 

Design thinking includes five steps. These steps are empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test. I feel that empathizing is easy to support in my classroom. As a special education teacher, I am always considering my students' interests in order to promote engagement in the skill or topic we are learning. The ideate step would be beneficial for my students because they are creative and come up with ideas that I don't think of. Getting them up and moving around the room writing their ideas on sticky notes is an effective engagement strategy. 

Defining the problem might be a challenge for some of my students. Our math program, Ready Math often gives students the opportunity to solve problems using different strategies. A lot of the time, I have to scaffold these critical thinking questions to get my students on the right track to solve the problem. Prototyping could be a challenge because of the cost of materials we may need to build the models. A possible solution might be to write a grant for materials or use computer generated apps/websites to design 3D or real life objects. Testing may be difficult to do because we need a few people/parent volunteers to act as the panel. A solution may be to ask other teachers or specialists to provide feedback. Other students could even provide feedback. 

References
Neebe, D., & Roberts, J. (2015). Power up: Making the shift to 1:1 teaching and learning. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.