1. Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity

Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments.

 

a. Promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness

b. Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources

c. Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes

d. Model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments

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Inquiry Project: I created a lesson plan using Project-Based Learning (PBL) which engaged students in a real-world problem of book banning and censorship in schools. The project was presented to them with technology (Nearpod, websites), and they explored this problem and eventually made arguments from different viewpoints by doing online research. This project fostered creative thinking and allowed students to explore a real-world issue.

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Data Analysis Project: In this project, students gathered data to be used in a persuasive speech about the real-world situation of parents wishing to censor language in a historical book. Students gathered data and analyzed it using Google Forms and Docs, which are collaborative, digital tools.

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Adobe Spark Movie vs. Book: This project involved making a movie trailer on the free tool Adobe Spark to compare the approaches taking to an adaptation of a book. I made a  humorous and creative example with the first book of The Lord of the Rings. As such, the project promotes learning and creativity with digital tools.

 

2. Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments.

Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessments incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the Standards•S.

 

a. Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity

b. Develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress

c. Customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources

d. Provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards, and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching

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Plickers: Using the app Plickers, I made a formative assessment on grammar based on the 9th grade English curriculum and tested it with my technology in education class. The app scans specially-made printed codes that can be turned in different directions to represent different multiple choice answers, which were then recorded by the app, so I could see how the class in general as well as each individual student performed. As such, this fulfills criteria #2 well because the results of the assessment can help me diversify my teaching to target specific students and directly fulfills #2d.

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EdPuzzle Assignment: I converted an instructional video I made into an EdPuzzle video, which allowed me to embed questions into the video for students to answer, while I received their answers and feedback. This allows me to use technology to inform my teaching with data and keep students informed of their own progress.

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Google Docs Chart Tutorial: For my service learning project, I made a tutorial that showed students how to use Google Docs to make a chart for taking notes and organizing textual evidence collaboratively. I think this idea adapted the note-taking experience to the digital world and may be of particular use to the learning styles and abilities of certain students.

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3. Model digital age work and learning.

Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society.

 

a. Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations

b. Collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation

c. Communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital age media and formats

d. Model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning

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Smore Newsletter: I used the website Smore to create a newsletter for my classroom's hypothetical open house, which was then posted on my teacher website.  It can also be sent to a mailing list and easily shared. This allows me to fulfill these standards (especially #3c) by communicating information to students and parents through technology.

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Inspiration Concept Map: Using the software Inspiration, I made a reference for students on how to use dictionaries, both print and digital. In creating this, I demonstrated my ability to use technology to transfer knowledge and model current tools to support learning and create resources. 

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Teacher website: I created a website for a hypothetical 9th grade English classroom taught by me using Google Sites. It serves as a hub of resources, announcements, and assignments for students, parents, and other teachers, as well as information about myself. This site helps me communicate to students, parents, and other teachers, and it also showcases my ability to use technologies to display my knowledge.

 

4. Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility.

Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices.

 

a. Advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources

b. Address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources

c. Promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information

d. Develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital age communication and collaboration tools

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Infographic on Technology Classroom Management: Using the fee infographic maker Piktochart, I created an infographic of my classroom rules concerning technology like cell phones and personal computers. I also warned against plagiarism.  By creating this eye-catching visual (complete with a meme on plagiarism), I educate about legal and ethical digital issues and establish classroom conduct for devices.

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Emaze Presentation on Effective Google Searching: With the online software Emaze​, I created a presentation on strategies to make Google searching more effective when researching., including finding images that are free for students to use without copyright problems. This presentation allows me to communicate the use of digital information and etiquette in regard to copyright and searching for reliable sources.

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Piktochart Tutorial: For my service learning project, I made a tutorial for making an infographic on Piktochart. In it, I included how to find pictures that would be of fair use on Google if they preferred that to the images on Piktochart. I felt this was important because sixth graders are often not aware of copyright laws, especially when Googling images is so ubiquitous in their lives.

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5. Engage in professional growth and leadership.

Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources.

 

a. Participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning

b. Exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others

c. Evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning

d. Contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community

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#Engchat Storify: I used Storify to collect tweets found in the #engchat hashtag on Twitter. It contains links to resources and comments made by those in the education field concerning teaching English. By making Storifys and promoting them on my Twitter like I did here, I participate in the global learning community and learn about new resources.

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Symbaloo: I created a Symbaloo (visual bookmarking) for online resources I can use in the classroom, to create assignments, and to find lesson plan ideas. Creating and updating these links allowed me to explore different technological resources and reflect on how they may be useful in my future classroom.

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Screencast Review of the OED Website: With the Screencast software, which records a computer's screen and activity with voice-over, I made a video review of the effectiveness of using the Oxford English Dictionary's website in the English classroom. This video allows me to connect with other educators and evaluate existing digital tools.

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