I am excited to blog this week about examples of Educational Technology because this is what I focus on daily. Working in the EdTech world, I see hundreds of resources that are utilized in the classroom all over the country. Many are wonderful products, while others have significant flaws, either in design or in content. What I have found over the years viewing these resources is that the most important key to having a successful program is implementation. The product could be the best program out there, but if the teachers don't understand how to utilize the material, it will be a waste. I have also seen poorly designed products put in the hands of outstanding teachers and the students were able to show progress. As I mentioned, for a product to be effective, implementation is key.
The readings for this week, Apple and Edutopia, both offer great ideas in utilizing technology. Obviously Apple is synonymous with Educational Technology as they have been producing products for 30 years that have been used in the classroom. I remember playing Oregon Trail and Carmen San Diego 25 years ago on the old Apple II Computers in my elementary school. Today, with the integration of mobile classrooms, Apple still has the cutting edge with their iPad's and MacBooks. I am a fan of the concept behind "ConnectEd" because Apple is allowing students who may not be able to afford their expensive devices, the opportunity to own them. This allows all students the potential to benefit from 24/7 learning.
I like Edutopia because it is essentially a blog of resources for educators. They champion themselves as being the "What works in Education" and this claim is substantiated by the fact that it is educators who supply the resources. There are several resources offered daily from the education world that encourage, inspire, and teach ideas to transform the education experience. An example is an article written by Andrew Miller that encourages assessment in the classroom, but not of academics. Miller recommends assessing based on interest of the student. This, and countless other articles, transforms the way teachers today can teach their classroom.
2 examples of resources that can be utilized in the classroom:
Stride Academy - (Full disclosure: This is the program of the company that I work for). Stride is an incredible resource for teachers looking to engage their students in state-aligned content. Utilizing interactive cloud-based video games, Stride differentiates instruction for each student through grade-based content, while allowing students to compete in game play. Teachers receive very detailed data based on the student's progress and are able to assign quizzes and create content focused small groups.
Class Dojo - Class Dojo is a tool that my children's school utilizes. It is an instant way for teachers and students to interact with parents during the school day. Students work hard for positive "Dojo" points, that once rewarded are emailed immediately to parents. The same happens for poor behavior, as the students can earn negative "Dojo" points. This has been extremely effective for my 5-year-old son, as we know the second he comes home how he behaved during the day. Teachers also have the ability to send pictures of the students working on projects home to the parents. My wife and I have enjoyed this tool that our school has provided.
I am looking forward to reading the other blogs from the class to get more ideas to share with schools across the country. Thanks for reading!
Brooks
Wow, thank you! I will definitely look into your company's website. I know several teachers that use ClassDojo and enjoy how it helps with their classes. I've not personally used it though. Thank you again for your company website!
ReplyDeleteAs I've shared with you before, I find Stride Academy to be absolutely fascinating! Not only does gaming enhance engagement and student motivation, it sounds like Stride Academy also does a great job with data collection and using the data to better instruction! There are a few teachers in 6th grade at my school that use Class Dojo. I think I would utilize this resource if I was an elementary school teacher. Thanks for sharing the personal experience with your son!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that implementation by an effective teacher is key. Just because a teacher uses technology in their classroom doesn’t automatically equate to more student achievement. This study shows that “students taught by an ineffective teacher misses out on 2.5 to 3.5 months of learning per year, compared to students taught by teachers with even average effectiveness.” http://studentsmatter.org/infographic-ineffective-teachers-devastating-ripple-effect/ My former principal would say that simply providing teachers with student laptops, I-pads, and Kindles won’t make them better teachers. You offer a different viewpoint than teachers on this subject since you work in the EdTech world.
ReplyDeleteIt’s funny that you brought up playing Oregon Trail in school. I was telling some of my 5th grade students this past week that the degree of technology I used in elementary school consisted of playing Oregon Trail during computer class. Crossing the river was always an adventure for me. :) Class Dojo is an app many teachers are using in my school. It’s a great example of teachers using technology to easily communicate with parents.
I agree with you that implementation by an effective teacher is key. Just because a teacher uses technology in their classroom doesn’t automatically equate to more student achievement. This study shows that “students taught by an ineffective teacher misses out on 2.5 to 3.5 months of learning per year, compared to students taught by teachers with even average effectiveness.” http://studentsmatter.org/infographic-ineffective-teachers-devastating-ripple-effect/ My former principal would say that simply providing teachers with student laptops, I-pads, and Kindles won’t make them better teachers. You offer a different viewpoint than teachers on this subject since you work in the EdTech world.
ReplyDeleteIt’s funny that you brought up playing Oregon Trail in school. I was telling some of my 5th grade students this past week that the degree of technology I used in elementary school consisted of playing Oregon Trail during computer class. Crossing the river was always an adventure for me. :) Class Dojo is an app many teachers are using in my school. It’s a great example of teachers using technology to easily communicate with parents.
I completely agree with your comment about the implementation of a program being key. Our school system purchases so many wonderful online research resources and tools for teachers and students to use, but I find that most teachers don't understand how to use them, and so they often go unused. Also, having hundreds of technology tools at your fingertips can also be overwhelming, so I can definitely relate how a teacher can select a handful of resources that they really want to use with fidelity and are a good fit in their classroom.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard of Stride Academy before, but it definitely sounds like something to check out! I have used Class Dojo quite a bit over the last few years in my classroom to encourage specific behaviors within my class. Your blog entry about sending pictures and messages to parents throughout the day reminded me that I need to use this feature more often with my 5th graders to help parents feel connected in the classroom.
Thanks for sharing your ideas and I look forward to reading more!