Engage, Enhance, and Extend Student Learning using Technology

Technology is a source today that people in the education field did not have the luxury of just a few years ago. As technology continues to grow, so do the opportunities and resources available to educators. Technology, and other resources, can be used to engage students, along with enhancing and extending the learning process. In art education, technology is a fantastic resource for students to be able to gain even more knowledge about particular artists, time periods, or styles of art.

Engaging students is one of the most important parts of the learning process. If students are uninterested in the subject being taught then they more than likely will cause problems for themselves, other students and you as the teacher. Creating motivation and interest can be difficult. Brad Kuntz has a great article on how to engage students through the use of technology, instead of shying away from it like some teachers with older methods do. Technology is only getting stronger, so allowing students to do things like use the Internet to look up answers to questions in class, or doing more electronic assignments instead of using paper, can help them be more interested during class.

Enhancing the learning experience involves using technology to develop an understanding of learning goals that could not have been accomplished without those tools (Keren-Kolb). Therefore, the use of technology helps develop a more sophisticated and deeper understanding of presented information, and could potentially make information easier to understand. Technology can also make information more relatable. In the classroom, regular or art, technology can also allow students to present learned information in a newer fashion or provide a variety of options for information presentation.

Extension of learning in the classroom takes information and processes learned inside the walls of a class and connects them with every day events in students' lives (Keren-Kolb). This part of the learning process helps students continue to be learners on their own, without teachers and even after they are done with school.  The correct use of technological tools helps students learn outside a typical school day so that they can bridge what they learned in class to new experiences in the outside world.

Art is a great way to keep students engaged in any activity. Rena Upitis of Queen's University makes a valid point in her article that art not only engages students in different ways, but also helps improve basic skills such as critical thinking and problem solving. Art education is a field that has not always been known for its use of technology. However, new standards now require art teachers to incorporate technology in to lesson plans. Through both basic skill improvement and the increased use of technology, art has become a popular way for teachers in the core classrooms to engage and enhance the learning experience for their students.



This fun video sums up what the rest of this blog has to say. Students of the next generation are being born with more and more access to technology. Old methods of using simply a whiteboard is no longer an option to be able to keep students involved in learning. Technology is the newest, and often the best, option to engage, enhance, and extend information that is passed from teachers to their students.





Citation

EDTP504 (March 27, 2011). Digital Literacy- Using Technology in the Classroom. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5ySocUyI7I 

Image: http://www.stream.ie/news-education/back-to-school-ipad-deployment-training/

Keren-Kolb, L. (2013). Engage, enhance and extend learning!. In Learning & Leading with TechnologyInternational Society for Technology In Education.

Upitis, R. (2011). Engaging students through art. The Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat, Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/WW_Engaging_Arts.pdf

Teacher Productivity App

There are multiple apps for the iPad that allow teachers to be more efficient and productive in their work. From grade books to class attendance to behavior monitoring, iPad apps can do it all. However, it can be difficult for many teachers to keep up with these aspects of the classroom.


TeacherKit allows teachers to do all of the above mentioned tasks in a simple and efficient way. Teachers are able to set up on their home page all the classes they are in charge of. If a teacher is only in charge of his or her classroom then it is not as difficult to organize, but for specialty areas such as art, music, physical education, etc. teachers can be in charge of running multiple classes of students. You can either mark them as present or absent and the app keeps track of daily attendance.

Each classroom also contains the capabilities to arrange the desks of each child in the order they actually are in the room. The visual aid can help teachers plan out classroom layouts as well as solve issues that students are having with certain classmates. The app allows the teacher to keep records of behavioral achievements or problems. All the teacher has to do is click on the specific student and add a comment to their notes file. It can either be marked as good, bad, or a simple note about a student's behavior. The picture to the right shows a sample of what a positive note about a student may look like.

The app is designed to specifically cater to each teacher's style. Obviously the classroom layout is a feature that does this, however other aspects of the app are able to be personalized as well. A teacher can set the grading scale for his or her grade book along with manually entering grades and points per project and the weighted totals of those assignments. The app can be linked to a teacher's DropBox, which would allow for time efficiency when needing documents, photos, etc. The app also provides efficiency with contact information. Each student has specific information under their name, like parents' names and contact information. There is a way to mass email all parents if information of any kind needs to be sent out in a quick way.

I used TeacherKit for about two weeks and realized all the ways it could help me as a teacher. It organizes important information that I would need throughout my day. Although attendance is usually done through a school system, it helps to have a back up just in case. I also think being able to have parents' contact information at a moments notice is important. For me, math is not my strong suit. So to have an electronic grade book that would average grades for me would be a great time saver.

Using iPads in the Classroom

The use of technology is rapidly increasing in today's society. More importantly, the use of technology is vastly expanding in the field of education. Children are learning at earlier stages in life how to properly use new technologies, such as cell phones, computers, and iPhones and iPads. The latter is a booming industry for children and adults alike. In the past three years, Apple Inc. had released five different versions of the iPad, including four generations of the device along with the iPad mini. Each generation of the iPad brings new pieces of technology and allows for more and more advanced apps.

Co-workers at every grade level are constantly collaborating on how to improve learning environments and strategies for students. Technology is an excellent resource when improving these strategies. Specifically, iPads have begun to provide enormous opportunities to broaden students' horizons. Apps have been created to help engage students in learning all types of materials. Apple has created over 20,000 educational apps to teach students everything from basic core subjects to art to sign language. The video to the left shows a demonstration of one of the many art apps available for use in the classroom. In it the man shows how to use the different tools to compose a composition, in this case an eye.

The use of iPads in the art classroom is also becoming more prominent. Tricia Fuglestad and Suzanne Tiedemann are two art teachers that created a website with their opinions on the pros of iPad use in the art classroom. They also incorporated students art, videos, app resources, and links to professional artwork made from iPads. According to these two teachers the iPad does not hinder skill development, but instead helps improve traditional skills while teaching learners how to use new digital tools and concepts. "They are learning to work in layers with transparency, undo their mistakes, zoom in for more detail, [and] resize/crop/rotate to create good compositions..." stated Tricia. Suzanne followed this statement up by stating, "It can enable students to create and share digital content and media focusing on art and cross-curricular learning."

21st century technology continues to grow everyday. For people in the art industry, or any field for that matter, that were not fortunate enough to grow up using iPads, they must spend time developing those technological skills. Unfortunately, a technology gap between young and old has separated integrated learning with technology; however, teachers are becoming more educated in this field so that their students are able to learn more. IPads can be helpful in almost all aspects of education, but only when used properly.

Resources

Apple Inc (2013). Apple in education. Retrieved from http://www.apple.com/education/apps/

Fuglestad, T (2012) & Tiedemann, S (2012). iPads in art education. Retrieved from http://ipadsinart.weebly.com/index.html

Kevin Honeycutt (2010, May 11). Raising digital kids - art apps for the iPad. Retrieved 1/30/2013 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFj2KEFbmf8

Twitter, Edmodo, Jing, Wordle

Twitter, Edmodo, Jing and Wordle were all new types of technology to me this year.

Although I do not personally have a Twitter account, I find that many people do. It is a form of communication between peers. More importantly though, it can be used to pass information from organizations and universities to people in need of such knowledge. I have not had experience with using Twitter, but there are many opportunities for teachers to use this site to maximize the use of technology in the classroom. For example, a teacher could set up a feed that is specifically dedicated to due dates, quizzes, tests, and upcoming projects. Doing this would ensure that students, and parents as well, learn to use Twitter and be able to check out what will be going on in class. Twitter can also be used to help actually teach about forms of communication, and how quickly information spreads in today's society.

Personally, I find Edmodo to be an extremely useful resource for educators. It is an type of online forum where any group of people is allowed to communicate about different topics. I have had two classes that used Edmodo. My teachers would post anything from assignments to turn in to comments or concerns they had to what we did in class that day. Edmodo is easily accessed by anyone in the group, but at the same teaches students how to submit online assignments on time and allows them to develop the skill of checking daily for updates.

Jing was hard for me to learn how to use. It is a handy tool that allows a person to capture a picture or video to use in a presentation or lesson. After downloading the program, all you have to do is select what you want to take, whether it's a picture or video, and "jing" it. It is then saved and you are able to embed a picture or video into whatever presentation you have laid out. Capturing videos was hard for me to understand, but once I got the hang of it I realized how useful it could be. Sometimes just showing students pictures is not as interactive as a teacher would want it to be. But using a video engages students more, and knowing how to insert a video clip into a presentation is more time efficient than having to pull up the internet, type in the video, and wait for it to load.

Wordle is a neat tool to use in the classroom, but I didn't recognize this until I did some research on it. In class, we made a Wordle with things about us. But in a classroom, it can be used for different things. Summarizing a story, for example, could be one such use. Sometimes people are left confused after reading an article or short story, so having a Wordle with key points to remind everyone is always helpful.

Overall, technology is becoming more prominent in the classroom environment. It is important that teachers know what resources are out there and how to use them. Without knowing what tools there are, teachers can not only restrict themselves, but also their students.

PBS Teachers

Teachers are always looking for help on how to plan lessons, or even what type of lessons to do to best educate their students. PBS Teachers is a website that has endless amounts of useful information. At this site, information is categorized into different grade levels along with all subjects taught. Once teachers have chosen a grade level and subject, they can navigate through hundreds of different ideas and lesson plans for specific topics taught in the classroom. Lesson plans are provided by grade level and subjects such as the arts, health and fitness, math, reading and language arts, science and tech, and social studies. Obviously teachers will already have basic plans for how to get students to achieve educational goals set by the state. But PBS Teachers helps them find ways to further engage students, and potentially help teachers realize different, more creative ways to teach. The site involves not only lesson plans but interactive websites for teachers to show their students, through different things like Arthur the TV show or a group called Webonauts. Comic Creator is one such example where kids can create their own story line. This helps them learn how to use their imagination while creating their very own stories.

PBS Teachers also provides national news regarding educators and new developments. Information about the National PBS Survey was linked from the main page to redirect teachers to an article about more access to classroom technology. Teachers are concerned with the ever-changing technological world, and having a resource like PBS Teachers to keep them informed is a key component to staying on top of things. PBS Teachers also holds a competition for the PBS Teachers Innovation Award. For first place winners, the organization provides a week long "Innovation Immersion Experience", where they will travel to Dearborn, Michigan, along with other prizes. The award encourages teachers to be innovative in the classroom and share with PBS Teachers what they have created. Not only does this improve teachers, but it helps other teachers that may be struggling to come up with creative and innovative ideas.

PBS also provides videos that teachers can use to engage students in learning by helping them understand why they are learning certain subjects. Videos through PBS KIDS in the Classroom  help teachers find new ways, through video, to teach their students. Along with the videos, teachers are provided information about what the video or website contains, and additional external links for extra help. Chuck Vanderchuck's "Something Something" Explosion is one such website provided that teaches students about music. It is an interactive website where students can explore different types of music from salsa to hip hop. In it are webisodes, or click videos, letting students watch and listen to different types of music.

PBS Teachers is a user friendly website that allows teachers to stay organized and continue to be creative and innovative in the classroom. Whether it's a new teacher or an experienced one, PBS Teachers can help.

Cyberbullying

Kids bullying kids no longer just involves physical abuse. Cyberbullying is becoming a major issue among children and young adults. With the increasing use of technology at younger and younger ages, parents need to be aware of the dangers that come with the access of information and ability to communicate with each other. Cyberbullying is harassment or bullying through technology sources, such as the Internet, instant messaging, social networking sites, and cell phones. There are many different types of cyberbullying, all with negative effects. Two main types are physical threats and rumor spreading. 

Cyberbullying usually is not a one time occurrence. Once a child has been victim to bullying, it keeps happening. What bullies don't realize is that while one minute they're the bully, the next minute they can be the victim. It is questionable why kids decide to bully one of their peers. Usually the act is motivated by anger, frustration, or revenge. Some do it because they get bored and "have nothing better to do". Others do it to boost their ego, or to fit in. In a few cases kids think they are righting a wrong, or even standing up for someone else, when really they're just causing more pain and suffering.

The STOP Cyberbullying website provides information about what cyberbullying is, how to recognize it, and what to do once someone has realized bullying has occurred. It also provides methods of prevention. One tool is Ms. Parry's Guide to Correct Online Etiquette, or Netiquette. For three different age groups the online guide provides a type of checklist for kids to follow to make sure they are using technology properly. The main point of the list is to help kids really think about what they are doing before they do it. A lot of cyberbullying is impulse action, so when kids are properly educated on how to solve issues in a mature fashion then no one gets hurt. The website also provides useful information for parents, teachers, and law enforcement officials on how to deal with specific types of cyberbullying. Suggestions on what to say, when to say it, and when to take further action with getting other adults involved to help solve the problem are all provided. The Kids Health Organiztion provides five easy ways to help your child become "Bully-Proof". These steps are all about talking to your child and helping them understand why other kids decide to bully. NetSmartz Workshop also has multiple videos that help educate parents and kids. The specific video provided by the link helps teach parents what's going on in the technological part of their kids lives. Other videos show proper Netiquette and how to block someone on a social network site.

Cyberbullying is a serious issue that has caused multiple people to become traumatized and even commit suicide. About one-third of online teens have been cyberbullied in some form. Parents need to become educated in how to help their children become aware of this issue and how to help stop it from continuing to grow in our world of technology.

Technology has never been a huge part of my education until recently. My elementary school was a higher-end school, but did not really focus on the use of technology. Lake Wylie Elementary had computers in the library, the school computer lab, and one or two in each class. In the classroom, the computers were used during free time or time when students were participating in station learning. Computer class once a week was always what my classmates and I looked forward to. There were games we could play that would also help us learn.

In middle school, the available technology was basically the same. Gold Hill Middle School used over-head projectors much more than my elementary school, especially in math. Each teacher had his or her own computer, and the library had computers as well. Like elementary school, we also had to take a computer class, but it focused on learning how to use the computer and different computer programs such as Microsoft Word or PowerPoint.

High school is where things began to change. Fort Mill High School is considered one of the better high schools in South Carolina. Due to funding, SMART Boards became popular and slowly more and more classes had them. Teachers would type up notes before class so we could write them as we went through class. We could also watch relevant video clips or movies pertaining to what we were learning at the time. The only negative effect I had due to technology was in my AP U.S. History class. The teacher taught solely from the PowerPoint shows he made. Each day was copying down up to 30 slides and then being tested on the material. It was the hardest class I had ever taken.

There were also business and advanced computer classes provided for students that wished to focus their future education around technology. The school had a television broadcasting class that produced weekly "TV shows" that the whole school watched. The Buzz provided information on all aspects of the school. Students would report information on athletic and volunteer events, school announcements that needed to be made, as well as upcoming events that others may be interested in participating in.


Now, in college, technology is a huge focus. I use my laptop for almost every class, from typing notes to making blogs to typing papers and sending emails. Technology is becoming more and more prominent in education. Although teachers see this and try to make education more interesting to the student, they cannot avoid how much society is advancing. In the future, I think school will become extremely dependent on technology, to the point where the computers will be doing more work than the teachers and students.