3.6 Selecting and Evaluating Digital Tools & Resources
Candidates collaborate with teachers and administrators to select and evaluate digital tools and resources for accuracy, suitability, and compatibility with the school technology infrastructure.
Candidates collaborate with teachers and administrators to select and evaluate digital tools and resources for accuracy, suitability, and compatibility with the school technology infrastructure.
Artifact - Emerging Technologies Project
For Standard 3.6, selecting and evaluating digital tools and resources, I chose my Emerging Technologies Project as the artifact. I completed this assignment for ITEC 7445, Multimedia and Website Design, in the summer of 2014. My task was to identify an emerging technology that would enhance classroom instruction and student learning.
As I researched various technologies, I communicated with my teachers via email and Facebook since none were working during the summer, to field support for emerging technology tools. After much consideration, I settled on ePals for my project as it promotes online collaboration, flattening the classroom walls so that students and teachers become co-learners and explorers as they communicate with their peers around the globe. I liked ePals because not only did it address a high number of student engagement indicators, but instruction utilizing this tool also reached a high LoTI level.
This assignment is evidence of my ability to select and evaluate emerging technologies based on their alignment to state standards, content standards, and school and district technology goals. EPals fosters communication and collaboration within and outside the classroom. It reinforces ethical and safe use of internet resources, is culturally responsive, and helps students develop proficiency with new technologies. Through ePals, students can construct their own learning through project-based, interactive experiences which require self-regulation and sharpen critical thinking skills. This emerging technology is easy to implement as our district already has the hardware, software, and equipment needed plus the cost is free. Technical support is provided by the media specialist, county and school technologists, peers, committees, and students. EPals itself has helpful support online. Differentiation is easy to infuse by varying types of group work and varying the content. Parents and administrators are able to join projects on ePals just to see the wonderful things their students are accomplishing or to actively participate.
I truly enjoyed researching and designing this project as it helped hone my skills in identifying emerging technologies based on their alignment to standards and the indicators of student engagement and LoTI levels. EPals is one of those technologies that does this superbly, and I am excited about implementing it in my school's classrooms this year. Having a persuasive PowerPoint to show my administrators and teachers will help me persuade them to adopt ePals as a tool for 21st Century teaching and learning. If I had to do this project over again, I would like to have developed it in the context of a technology or school improvement committee as I think teamwork helps in facilitating the implementation of an instructional adoption.
This artifact impacts school improvement by advocating the adoption of a tool to enhance student learning through technology. It impacts faculty development by introducing teachers with a powerful tool for promoting digital citizenship in the classroom.
As I researched various technologies, I communicated with my teachers via email and Facebook since none were working during the summer, to field support for emerging technology tools. After much consideration, I settled on ePals for my project as it promotes online collaboration, flattening the classroom walls so that students and teachers become co-learners and explorers as they communicate with their peers around the globe. I liked ePals because not only did it address a high number of student engagement indicators, but instruction utilizing this tool also reached a high LoTI level.
This assignment is evidence of my ability to select and evaluate emerging technologies based on their alignment to state standards, content standards, and school and district technology goals. EPals fosters communication and collaboration within and outside the classroom. It reinforces ethical and safe use of internet resources, is culturally responsive, and helps students develop proficiency with new technologies. Through ePals, students can construct their own learning through project-based, interactive experiences which require self-regulation and sharpen critical thinking skills. This emerging technology is easy to implement as our district already has the hardware, software, and equipment needed plus the cost is free. Technical support is provided by the media specialist, county and school technologists, peers, committees, and students. EPals itself has helpful support online. Differentiation is easy to infuse by varying types of group work and varying the content. Parents and administrators are able to join projects on ePals just to see the wonderful things their students are accomplishing or to actively participate.
I truly enjoyed researching and designing this project as it helped hone my skills in identifying emerging technologies based on their alignment to standards and the indicators of student engagement and LoTI levels. EPals is one of those technologies that does this superbly, and I am excited about implementing it in my school's classrooms this year. Having a persuasive PowerPoint to show my administrators and teachers will help me persuade them to adopt ePals as a tool for 21st Century teaching and learning. If I had to do this project over again, I would like to have developed it in the context of a technology or school improvement committee as I think teamwork helps in facilitating the implementation of an instructional adoption.
This artifact impacts school improvement by advocating the adoption of a tool to enhance student learning through technology. It impacts faculty development by introducing teachers with a powerful tool for promoting digital citizenship in the classroom.