A. Rowe- Using Technology to Enhance Teacher Effectiveness Plan and Reflection

Using Technology to Enhance Teacher Effectiveness Plan and Reflections

By Amy Rowe South Orange Maplewood School District, New Jersey

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What is educational technology?

Educational technology represents the use of technology for educational purposes through digital devices, shared platforms, apps, online messaging, video conferencing, and interactive learning tools. Decades ago, technology was a separate entity from education. Students would infrequently use computers and usually only in one class setting. Today, technology has been integrated into all aspects of education: instruction, curriculum design, grading, communication, assessment, professional development, social-emotional learning, etc. It is widely utilized in all content areas and grade levels.

How is it currently being used in our district? Is it being used effectively?

“As students whose families have resources continue to learn at home on their own, those without will suffer even greater learning loss, exacerbating the learning gap” - ISTE - 7 ways to make remote learning accessible Currently our district is utilizing technology by providing all students with devices. Students are allowed to bring their own devices to school or borrow a district chromebook. This provides students with consistent access to the district’s Google Drive platform and our learning management system, Canvas. This LMS is effective because it provides a user-friendly method for teachers to upload materials, assign learning activities/ assessments, grade student performance, and engage students through collaborative learning opportunities. The system also allows students to submit multiple means of representation, such as a text, audio, video, or visual response. It also integrates with other technology platforms that teachers frequently use, such as Newsela and Powerschool. It has also been beneficial since all K-12 schools utilize this technology and district leaders have supported its implementation which has led to a sense of familiarity and confidence with this LMS. Ensuring that every student has a digital device has lessened the digital divide especially in our district where there is a wide spectrum of socio-economic statuses. We have increased access to technology for all students despite their circumstances and must continue to focus on this by providing technology supports when students need their devices repaired and free Wifi hotspots for students in need.

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Who is using technology?

All stakeholders involved in education are utilizing technology: students, teachers, parents, support staff, administrators, district leaders, board of education members, and community officials.

Since everyone has their hands in technology, it is imperative that everyone can use the technology to the best of their ability. We have provided training to teachers, but the district should also offer students and families workshops, so everyone can be trained on district technology programs.

“As user-friendly as software and devices can be these days, districts will still need to provide training to their staff, families and students on how to use them…make sure all along that you communicate your distance learning plans with your community--as well as your expectations.”

8 Steps for Developing a Robust Plan for Distance Learning

Why should we be investing in technology?

Since technology is undoubtedly infused to our educational system, we need to continue to use district funding to provide all students and families with equitable technology access and digital resources that best fit their needs. Rather than assuming, the district should survey families about what they would find the most helpful.

Additionally, our goal is that students graduate from our district with the necessary skills to succeed in the 21st century. They will enter a workforce that is globally connected and must master the following standards outlined by ISTE: ● Manage digital identity, data, and representation ● Research responsibility and evaluate credibility ● Utilize digital platforms to effectively communicate ● Implement design process and analyze data to problem solve ● Collaborate on a global setting

“Check in with families to see how they're managing and whether your distance learning plan needs to address new problems. Access may not be as all-encompassing as you thought; and families with students who have special needs may not be communicating their challenges.”

8 Steps for Developing a Robust Plan for Distance Learning

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What are the benefits for students?

Educational technology augments the learning experience for students. Traditional education was based on memorization of facts, lectures, and reading written texts. Today, technology provides multiple means to engage students and teach content through innovative, collaborative, and individualized methods. Students better absorb content when they are highly engaged in the learning activity. Also, they seek tools that mimic the technology that they use for entertainment outside of school.

For example, videogames can be used to teach content and gamify learning. According to What Are The Best Video Games You Can Teach With Tomorrow? by Terry Heick, “These [video]games can serve not only to introduce teachers to the concept of using video games as something beyond a gimmicky way to ‘engage learners,’ but demonstrate that video games are a platform worthy of any classroom dedicated to any content area at any grade level.” Another program that imitates Generation Z’s personal use of technology and social media usage is Flip (formerly Flipgrid). This platform allows teachers to create a prompt where students respond to each other through videos and then comment on each other's posts.

What are the benefits for teachers?

Before everyone was globally connected, teachers had limited methods to foster their professional development. They could read articles, talk to colleagues at their own school, and attend in-person workshops. However, with the help of video conferencing from Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams, teachers can attend professional development workshops with educational experts from around the world and collaborate with educators beyond the walls of their school. Blogs and social media groups help teachers gain strategies, troubleshoot, and share ideas with each other. Now more than ever, teachers have endless resources to choose from and many are free, such as Free STEM and STEAM Resources for Schools During the COVID-19 Outbreak. We are no longer teaching on islands, isolated, drowning in this difficult job, but are supported and guided by easily accessible, high quality, and revolutionary professional development resources.

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Where is it going?

We have the potential to provide students with customized learning activities suited to their specific learning needs that still allow them to develop self-autonomy and discovery of their learning. An emerging trend is the use of assistance technologies.

What are assistance technologies? ● “Any type of equipment or software that helps people to work around the challenges they have, whether that be with learning, communication or mobility" - Kara Ball, an elementary science and STEM education specialist for Baltimore City Public Schools and a special education expert at Understood ● They can be especially helpful for students with disabilities, such as Autism. ● Some examples include: FM systems, Speech-to-text software, Microsoft’s Immersive Reader, Screen readers ( ChromeVox), and interactive displays/touch-screens

Recommendations: What technologies should we be using?

14 Predictions For The Future Of Classroom Technology by Forbes outlines several technologies to increase student engagement and provide students with rigorous, authentic learning experiences. Here are some recommendations: ●

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Immersed Mixed Reality Experiences ○ We can bring content alive for students through interactive digital experiences.

Virtual Reality Experiments ○ Students can experience historical events and explore places in a safe way that is accessible.

A-R Powered International Field Trips ○ Not every student has the privilege of traveling internationally, but digital field trips give students access to numerous locations at the click of a mouse.

Teaching Low-Code App Development ○ Generation Z are interested in becoming business owners. Teaching app development cultivates students’ entrepreneurship aspirations.

Reflections Technology optimizes learning, teaching, professional development, collaboration, and promotes progress and innovation in our globally-connected world. With commitment, clear action-plans, teamwork, and a willingness to develop and improve, our district can be at the forefront of educational technology advancement.