What is TPACK??

Reproduced by permission of the publisher, © 2012 by tpack.org

1- Describe a classroom where 'technology integration' takes place. You may find a video on Teacher Tube to provide this answer or you can write a narrative about something you have seen in relation to the information in the article above. 

During my time as a substitute, I have seen a lot of technology integration with the use of Smart Boards. If you substitute for a teacher for a half day, a good amount of those times, you will get to see the tail end of a lesson the teacher is doing. Many teachers I have observed use the Smart Board as a technological tool in their classroom. I was able to use the Boards throughout the day while I subbed per the teachers' instructions. With the students, I used the Smart Boards to display the morning work the students were expected to complete. We used the Smart Boards to participate in interactive educational games on websites like that of Scholastic News. The students were able to come up to the board and write answers to problems we were trying to solve. The use of the Smart Board was obviously very routine in the classroom as the students all knew how to operate it. It was also always ready to use with the press of the power button on the remote. I have not once had a problem starting a Smart Board in a classroom I have substituted in. The boards also help to reach the curricular goals because they aided in the lesson by giving the students very basic instruction and gave them a way to practice.

2- In your discipline area, what are the essential components in a classroom where "technology integration" is appropriately utilized? Why?

As my discipline area is Elementary Education, it is important that the classroom is properly organized and that each technological tool has its specific place in the classroom. It is also important that these technological tools are stored or displayed in safe and sturdy places, as young children are very active and have developing coordination skills. Since elementary age children can have short attention spans, the tools should be able to start up right away for use. There must also be a good amount of time for students to work hands on with the tools, as elementary school will be their first experience with formal education of computers and the like. The teacher must also have good mastery of the tool they are using in technology integration so questions can be quickly answered.

3- What instructional outcomes are possible when embedding technology in classroom instruction?

When technology is effectively embedded in classroom instruction, students may pay greater attention to the lesson at hand. Their attention, in turn, will generate a higher understanding of the content matter. Students will become more comfortable using technology when they see it used and use it themselves in school on a regular basis. Technology also may seem fun and exciting to students, which, again, grasps their attention better. 

Reflecting on What I Know - Chapter 5

How can I get my students to ask questions about the research they are conducting?
The ultimate goal of the NTeQ and other learning models is to create a self-regulated student, or a student who uses specific strategies to complete a learning task. One part of being a self-regulated thinker is asking questions about what one is learning. One way a teacher can encourage questions about research from students is to create Think Sheets. Think Sheets are a great way for teachers to model inquiry skills, by including questions on the sheets that are appropriate and related to the research at hand. This model provided by the teacher will help the student to see when questions are appropriate and what type of questions to ask based on the problem.

Behavior Think Sheet
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How can I teach my students to solve problems?
When using an NTeQ lesson, teachers should also use the NTeQ problem-solving process to teacher their students how to solve the problem at hand. This process is in alignment with Bloom's Taxonomy and focuses on higher-level thinking to generate the solution. The teacher must first present the problem in an interesting way to build student curiosity, and have students write a sentence to clearly define the problem. Students must then find what is known about the problem and what needs to be known to solve the problem, which a teacher can model with a KWL chart. The next step is to identify data that is needed to solve the problem, which the teacher can assist with by offering discrimination skills on the matter. During the following phase, determining how to analyze the data, teachers must show students how to use appropriate computer applications. Performance think sheets are good method of helping students generate possible solutions. Evaluation criteria offered by the teacher help students evaluate each possible solution. A teacher can model how to select the best solution based on those criteria. Finally, teacher can help students select the most appropriate method to present their findings. The NTeQ problem-solving process, as modeled in the textbook, is a great way to teach students how to solve problems presented in lessons.

I've never used an inquiry-based approach, much less computer - so how is a teacher supposed to do both of these at the same time?
Computers are excellent tools in helping to create and solve a problem-based learning approach. Technology helps support the problem-based learning approach because computers act as information providers and supports to the various steps of the inquiry-based approach. Computers aid in providing research information. They aid in organizing data. The list of their contributions to the learning process can go on and on. Also, computers can be integrated into an inquiry-based learning environment in the most simple and basic ways. Teachers should learn basic knowledge of computers as they can be a great support to this learning method.

Reflecting on What I Know - Chapter 2

How do I plan an integrated lesson that will work with my students?
In order to plan an integrated lesson that will be effective with a specific set of students, a teacher must consider a few factors. First, the teacher must decide how long the integrated lesson will last. This will depend on how quickly students will work, how complicate the lesson is, and how much content needs to be covered. After the teacher decides the length of the lesson that will be most appropriate for her students, the teacher needs to consider the attention span of the students. The teacher should also plan the lesson expecting that all of the objectives cannot be taught with the computer. The teacher should make use of other classroom resources to make sure the lesson is fully integrated.

Why do I need objectives to help with my planning and lesson development?
Specifying objectives is the first step of the Ten-Step NTEQ Model and is a very crucial and important process in lesson development. Objectives are an all-inclusive statement of the lesson and describe what the outcome of the lesson should be. They define specific skills and target abilities for students to have when the lesson has completed. Objectives are also one way of making sure that your lesson plan is aligned with the goals and standards of the school district that you are teaching in. While the basis of objectives should come from the district's goals, the teacher should further refine these goals and add to them to create appropriate objectives for his or her classroom.

How can I encourage my students to engage in the processing of information?

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When a student is engaged in the processing of information, it is more likely that they will remember what they have learned and enjoy the learning process in general. We can encourage students to be more engaged by specifying problems in our lessons that are relatable to the students. The problems that we create should be based on events that come from the students' real world experiences. As teachers, we should attempt to make the problem as relevant as we can to students. If a problem is relevant and relatable, the student will understand what they are trying to learn and will be more interested in learning about something that pertains to them personally. We can better engage students in learning by making sure that the problems they attempt to solve are real world problems that they have, or may face in the future.

Do I have to use a different lesson plan when I want my students to use computers?
When creating a lesson plan in which students use computers, it is very important to use the NTeQ model because of its adaptability and usefulness. First of all, the NTeQ model ensure the computer is used as a tool, rather than as an instructor. We want the computers to help students solve the problem instead of giving instruction. The NTeQ model is also preferred because of its use of integration, or combining all of the elements of the lesson together to form the best lesson possible.

What is the relationship between objectives and computer functions?
In order to ensure that the lesson being created is fully integrated, a teacher needs to match objectives and computer functions. This step is important because it brings technology into the attempt to meet objectives. For example, objectives often include the words graph and sort, which are objectives that can easily be completed by computer programs like spreadsheets and word processors. Computer functions help us meet our objectives in an easy and timely manner. They also make sure that we are using technology in the most appropriate way throughout the lesson.

Can you use a computer for every objective or lesson?
Computers are wonderful tools that aid in the teaching of students in so many ways. They are an excellent way of recording and analyzing data. They are a quick and efficient way of finding research information. Computers even provide us with ways to communicate with learners across the globe. As the NTeQ Model suggests, and as noted above, we can match any objective to a computer function. While it is possible that computers can be used for every objective and lesson that is present in a classroom, I do not believe it is always appropriate to use them. Students should be exposed to a variety of learning approaches and tools, including computers. Although computers are a major part of the educational world, there is still a small place for lessons taught on whiteboards and tests or short papers that are handwritten.

Education Technology Trends for 2014

As the new year is now in full force, Edgenuity has released its list of education technology predicitons for 2014. Edgenuity is described as "a leading provider of online and blended learning solutions." In this article from PRWeb, the "Trends to Watch for 2014" are noted.

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The first trend noted, "It’s All about Implementation," really caught my eye. It was the main reason I decided to highlight this article here. As my experience as a substitute in different classrooms, it has really frustrated me when I notice great technological tools that are going unused. I have even been in classrooms that are fortunate enough to have smart boards, but the teachers seem to hardly use them or use them only for one purpose. I have also heard from teachers about grants that have given their classrooms iPads. Yet there are many other teachers who do not use that tool. As the article notes, schools should create a solid plan to implement these tools so teachers will know about and can easily make use of the technology. 

Make sure to read the article to learn about the other trends that Edgenuity has predicted for the year. Here's to 2014 and hoping that Edgeunity's #1 Trend to Watch for 2014 becomes a real and successful trend for our classrooms.