Competency
Area II: PLANNING AND DESIGNING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS AND
EXPERIENCES
Teachers plan and design effective learning
environments and experiences supported by technology.
Teachers:
Sub-Competency
A:
Design
developmentally appropriate learning opportunities that apply
technology-enhanced instructional strategies to support the diverse
needs of learners.
Evidence: "The Tell-Tale Heart"
Lesson Plan This lesson plan uses PowerPoint to introduce a
lesson on Edgar Allan Poe and how the events of his life influenced his
literary works. The
PowerPoint also illustrates to students a bibliography or works cited
page at the end so it is modeled for students how to properly give
credit for
other people's ideas and works. This lesson was used in a 6th
grade classroom.
Edgar Allan Poe PowerPoint (must
have PowerPoint in order to view). Through my use of PowerPoint I
would be introducing technology goal 2: The learner will demonstrate knowledge and
skills in the use of computer and other technologies (NC
Standard Course of Study.)
Reflection:
As teachers it is very important that we design
developmentally appropriate learning opportunities that use the
technological resources that are available to us. Technology can
add to our student's understanding of the content we are trying to
teach and support their diverse learning needs if it is applied
correctly and with a little bit of thought. PowerPoint is one of
the tools that are at a teacher's disposal that can make a learning
environment more conducive to learning and can be applied to meet a
wide range of needs. In this case, PowerPoint was applied as an
introductory tool to help the students better understand and get a
grasp on how Edgar Allan Poe's life events may have influenced his
literary works. Through PowerPoint, as well as other programs, a
teacher can present content in an organized and visual way that allows
students to watch what is being taught, as well as listen to what is
being taught. Through this lesson, two learning styles were
met. If taught again, I would create a blank slide where students
could tell me what they already know about Poe and I would put that
information on the blank slide. In that way students could see me
format a blank PowerPoint slide and thereby increase their knowledge on
how to use PowerPoint. It is important for teachers to see that
technology should not be used in isolation. It should be
incorporated all across the curriculum and in all of the content areas
that we teach.
Sub-Competency B:
Apply current research on teaching
and learning with technology when planning learning environments and
experiences.
Evidence: Dimensional Room Design
This design was created using Microsoft Publisher
Reflection:
In order for technology to be used effectively and
efficiently it must be placed in a place in the classroom where the
students can benefit from it and it can be used as a part of everyday
classroom life. Teachers must stay current on and be aware of the
current research of how technology can be implemented into a teaching
and learning environment so that they can plan their classroom
environment to accommodate this technology. In order to do this
teachers need to have a plan. The attached evidence is an
example of a learning environment that was created with the current
research on how technology can be used in teaching and to enhance
student learning because a projector is used with a laptop computer to
project web pages and PowerPoints to the class as a whole. By
creating such a design teachers can see if their classroom environments
are set up in a way that foster the use of technology or does
not. If computers or computer projecting equipment is not in the
red circle (where the teacher spends most of his or her instruction
time), the learning environment and it's use of technology may need a
second look. Technology does not need to control how we plan our
learning environments, but it does demand consideration.
Sub-Competency C:
Identify and locate technology
resources and evaluate them for accuracy and suitability
Evidence:
Educational Evaluation Services
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
Criteria for Evaluating Web sites
http://www.evalutech.sreb.org/criteria/web.asp
I used the criteria on this web site to evaluate a web site that I have
visited many times for teaching resources Learn NC. It is appropriate to
note that I found this web site to be very accurate in its content and
suitable and appropriate to it's intended audience of students and
educators in North Carolina. Navigation is easy with logical
options for download and/or printing and it's presentation is
functional and creative.
Reflection:
As teachers we need to be able to effectively
evaluate the accuracy and suitability of the instructional software,
instructional games, and CD-ROM's that we use with our students.
There are evaluation instruments available on the web for this.
We also need to evaluate the web sites that we use as teachers in our
hunt for resources, as well as those web sites that we show to our
students. If a web sites or piece of instructional software is
not
accurate in its presentation of the required content, students can
become confused as to what the truth really is. The software or
web site also needs to be appropriate in whether or not its use of
vocabulary and concepts are appropriate to the students' needs and
developmental level. Navigation and presentation also need to be
considered because these two areas could hinder, confuse, guide, or
support a student's journey to learning. Basically,
teachers cannot just hand students a piece of software or show students
a web site without first having evaluated whether or not these
technological resources are going to meet the goals and objectives of
that lesson and classroom.
Sub-Competency D:
Plan for the management of
technology resources within the context of learning activities.
Evidence: Spreadsheet
Questions created using the following spreadsheet created by
Dr. Bob Houghton: Nutrients (Microsoft
Excel needed) and Habitats (created by
myself). Students can use pre-made spreadsheets to create their
own questions for their classmates to answers. They can also
create their own spreadsheets and questions if time allows.
Reflection:
In the above evidence one spreadsheet was pre-made
and one was made from scratch. Teachers can have these resources
already made, such as the Nutrients spreadsheet or in the case where
students create their own spreadsheets, teachers can help students find
the information in a planned and organized way. They can do this
by having students find information through online databases or
teachers can have a list of cihld-safe web sites where students can
search for information that they need to complete a spreadsheet.
Whether students are using teacher-made spreadsheets or spreadsheets
that they or their peers have made, students can be involved in active,
inquiry based learning when they are posing questions and finding
answers to those questions that are based on a specific content
area. Students are being challenged, as they should to analyze
information and draw conclusion based upon that information. They
are being challenged to think more deeply about the information they
are being confronted with through technology.
Evidence: Unit Plan to show how
technology resources can be managed within various learning
activities.
Reflection:
In the above evidence is a detailed unit plan.
It is extremely important for teachers to be organized when they begin
to teach a unit. The teacher needs to know what resources will be
needed during the duration of that unit, especially when that until is
going to last for several weeks, as is the case with the Habitats Unit
Plan. Being able to look at the plan and go get what is need is a
tremendous time saver and an efficient way to operate within the
classroom. The classroom teacher also needs to know where to go
in the event more sources of information are needed,. This not
only includes text resources such as children's books, but electronic
resources such as LISTSERV''s, newsgroups, videos, cable resources,
internet videos, databases (expert, general catalog, and web site
databases), and software resources. While this form of unit plan
can be lengthy, the advantages of having these resources a click or
copy and paste away are numerous.
Sub-Competency E:
Plan strategies to manage student
learning in a technology-enhanced environment.
Evidence: Unit Plan Video This video was made where
all of the production and editing roles were filled by myself, but in a
classroom environment students would plan who would fill what
role.
Reflection:
Many times in our
classrooms we try to find ways to give our students more responsibility
while they learn and in turn foster excitement and motivation.
This video evidence is on such way. Student learning is being
managed in this exciting and motivating strategy. The only
difference is that I am having to fill each role that in a classroom
setting would be delegated to a student. Technology lends itself
very well to partner and group work. Video production is a
multi-stage activity. In a classroom setting, the teacher
could have each pair of students doing angles of the research.
When this completed, each students would be assigned a job in the
production and/or editing phase of the production. The jobs might
include, but are not limited to transcript writer, telepropter,
lighting, sound, photographer, editor, etc. It is important for
teachers to understand that student learning has to be managed and
monitored closely during such an activity, but the benefits of such an
activity when presenting learning in a content area are enormous.
Page Author: Kelley Haney
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