Tech+Integration

Tech Integration Essay

Date: 6/13/2012 To: Dr. Yeh From: Dan McPherson Subject: Technology Integration Essay

Big Thinkers: Judy Willis on the Science of Learning Reflection about this video:  I was really inspired by the video Judy Willis submitted to the website edutopia.org. Judy is a former neurologist who became a teacher so she could work with students who have been diagnosed with emotional disorders. Judy states that she would observe classrooms where students who have been diagnosed with attention disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder would have teachers teaching to them by lecturing which would require them to sit and have to watch and listen to the teacher while working on worksheets. This would put students in a state of boredom and would cause stress which will cause the students to act out in class.  Students that I currently work with are bored when I lecture or give them facts that they need to learn and regurgitate for a test. They were not successful at the larger high school they were at before coming to the alternative setting that I work at due to the fact that they struggle with lectures, learning facts and completing worksheets. Teachers I work with are at a loss as to how to effectively instruct students due to the behaviors that occur in their classroom. I believe Judy Willis would tell them it is how they are teaching that could be a large part of why this is happening. What I have learned from this video regarding bringing in technology into the classroom is that students are curious about technology. When students are curious this focuses their attention. As a teacher if you have their attention, =classroom management will be easier and students will learn more. The more technology I bring in to the classroom, for example, computers with internet access, where students can get the information for the lesson themselves and at their own pace, they will progress at a faster rate with one on one help rather than me lecturing the entire class. Importance of technology integration in today’s classrooms in my opinion and how I am going to integrate technology into my teaching: As I learned from the video o “Science of Learning” I don’t need to look any farther than the video game system I have at my house as to how to integrate technology into my teaching. Video games provide levels where if students know the beginning levels really well they can accelerate through increasingly difficult levels until they get to a point where they have to keep working at the level until they master it. Once they master the level, the video game rewards them not with money or congratulations or a pat on the back. They are simply rewarded with the satisfaction of completing the current level and moving on to a harder level. I currently teach a class called “transitions” where students need to learn how to do the following: Right now I want to use the Wiki Space website that I learned about in my EDT 3010 class at Metro State University of Denver. I could have students create a portfolio there and make a page for each of these subjects. Each page could be a level and students would be able to create and go at their own pace. If I created a web quest to go along with the class with all of the information they would need then students would be able to move along at their own pace and I could check on their progress as an approved guest to their portfolio that I could only look at. This would take away the fear that students with significant identifiable emotional disorders have of failure and would give them instant feedback as they finish each level or page. If I could only figure out a way that I could incorporate a game into the assignment that has something to do with the subject matter, I believe I could focus the student even more on the assignment. I also need to develop a way to make each successive assignment more difficult so the student gets that video game effect for their assignment.
 * 1) How to make a budget.
 * 2) Learn how to read an apartment lease and understand the information in the lease.
 * 3) What essentials they will need when they get their own place
 * 4) What they will be doing after high school (College, vocational school, military).
 * 5) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">How to open a bank account.
 * 6) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Learn how to buy or lease a car and what the difference is.
 * 7) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">What recreational activities are open to them (Recreation center, adult softball leagues, adult basketball leagues, bowling leagues).
 * 8) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Learn about the park system.