Media Application Scenarios
In
a world where technology keeps taking an important role, educators need to take
a step forward to incorporate it in their classrooms. Many educators see
technology as a big enemy but the truth is, technology can be a great tool full
of resources for the improvement and increasing of educational success.
The
following are three scenarios where teachers need guidance to use technology in
their classes to increase student achievement. Each scenario has several
resources the teachers can use to promote technology use and encourage
successful learning within their students. Each classroom has the following
types of students:
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Students with specific learning disabilities in reading and or math.
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English language learners.
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Students with varied ability levels.
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Multicultural students.
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Students with limited access to technology in the home.
SCENARIO #1
Mr. B is introducing his 4th-grade students to fractions, and
his curriculum requires students to solve word problems using fraction skills.
His students are struggling, and he is not certain whether it is because they
lack the basic fraction skills or whether they are struggling with
comprehending what the problem requires them to do. He is looking for
technology resources to assist his students.
Mr. B is
teaching about fractions but students are having a hard time with the new
concept. Mr. B needs to provide students with opportunities for them to
understand the concept and give them enough practice for them to master the
skill. He can assess his students using Kahoot!, an interactive way of
assessing students. It is a very fun and engaging way to assess students'
knowledge. Mr. B needs to assess his students to collect data that will show
him the level of understanding of each of his students regarding fractions
foundational skills and word problems. He can then make small groups or
students' placement based on the results and create an environment in which
each student will have the opportunity to learn. Mr. B can also use Khan Academy.
This is a great website with videos and activities that are easy to follow and
very effective on explanation of concepts. It has many levels and can be
individualized so each student can have their own progress monitoring and
personalized instruction. Another great resource is Coolmath4kids.com. This is
a fun website full of games that students will find engaging and challenging.
This will help them practice foundational skills and develop their
understanding further. Once they have a strong base, they will have less
problems understanding fractions and how to solve word problems using them.
They can practice as much as they can with the variety of games provided. For
ELL students, Mr. B can let them use Google translate. This google tool will
help students that are learning English. If there is a word they do not understand,
they can look it up. They can have it read to them as well. For students
struggling in reading, Mr. B can promote the use of ttsreader.com. This website
requires students to type the text and then it will read it to them. If
students are having trouble with a word, they can type it and have the website
read it to them.
SCENARIO #2
Mrs. C is a 7th-grade science teacher with a diverse group of
students. She is creating a lesson plan around habitat loss in local
environments and wants to use technology to help support her diverse students.
She is struggling, and as a teacher leader, you are mentoring her thorough
using technology to help meet their needs.
Mrs. C
needs some help with technology resources to develop a lesson plan around habitat
loss in local environments. Here are a few resources for her to use to help her
students in learning this new information.
Kahoot!: This is a great
website that helps teachers assess students' knowledge before introducing a
subject. It gives detailed reports about each student, allowing the teacher to
form small groups, study groups, etc, to help students learn more effectively.
Khan Academy: Excellent
resource for students. There are many lessons in Science they can learn from
and quizzes they can take to test their understanding.
BrainPop: One of the best
and fun websites in the internet. BrainPop has a library of videos and
activities on many subjects including science. This is an amazing website for
ELL (specially Spanish speakers as it has a Spanish version students can use).
Discovery Education: This
website provides many resources for teachers, students and parents. One of them
is Virtual Field Trips. These can be so engaging for students and ensure
in-depth understanding of the subject.
SCENARIO #3
Ms. R is a high school English teacher who is preparing students
for a state-mandated test with a heavy reading and literature focus. Because
this test is a graduation requirement, she wants to ensure her students will
perform well and pass the test. She has come to you looking for help on using
technology to help students prepare for this test.
Ms. R
needs help to prepare her students for the upcoming state tests. Using
technology is a great way for her to support her students and meet their
individual needs. She needs resources to support both literacy and test taking
skills. Here are some resources she can use for both.
Readworks Digital: In
this website, students can read passages or stories and assess their reading
comprehension and reading skills. Teachers also have access to students'
progress.
Reading a to z: This
website has a leveled reading library with so many options for students to read
and assess their reading skills. There is also a writing part that allows
students to practice their writing skills. Teachers also have access to
students' reports and progress monitoring. Parents have access as well.
PAARC: This website
allows students to take practice tests of similar tests the students will take
for college and career readiness.
Mobymax.com: An amazing
website with almost everything a student needs to succeed academically. Mobymax
adapts the curriculum to each student's needs allowing them to progress at
their own pace and based on their level of understanding.
USA Test Prep: This
website allows teachers to create tests or to use already made tests similar to
the end of the year state tests the students will take. This allows students to
get familiar with the types of questions and be more comfortable taking tests
online.
Typing websites: There
are many typing websites that will allow students to practice typing on a
computer. If they start since the beginning of the school year, by the end,
they will be very capable of typing correctly and fast.
Implication for integrating technology and
classroom management process
When we
add technology into our classrooms, the curriculum transforms into an engaging
learning experience for both teachers and students. Incorporating technology
can impact greatly on students’ academic achievement as it increases students’
motivation towards learning. When students use technology, they truly are not
thinking that they are learning. Rather they think they are having fun and playing.
Using technology in the classroom will promote its use outside because students
will feel motivated to use it at home when they know which websites or
resources they can use to expand their knowledge. This empowers them and makes
them take control of their own learning. Using technology in the classroom also
helps with classroom management because educators will be able to create a
better learning environment for each student giving them less distractions and
keeping them more focused on their learning.
Links to YouTube videos for each scenario
Scenario #1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mISihsS17WI
Scenario #2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGzr93H6a9o
Scenario #3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFzjgU5bXB4
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