Teaching, Learning, and the Curriculum Statement

TL-III Teaching, Learning, and the Curriculum Statement

In order to facilitate technology-enhanced experiences that maximize student learning, I look to current research in educational technology in order to design methods and strategies for teaching content standards and student technology standards simultaneously. The 2007 International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) National Education Technology Standards for Students and Performance Indicators for Students (NETS*S) provide my current student-centered road map.

At a basic level of technology integration, students and teachers need to know how to use a variety of technology tools. The primary productivity tool in my 6th grade classroom is word processing. Over the years, my classroom has transformed from the hand-written rough draft and word-processed final draft, to having most of our essay writing experiences completed entirely on the computer. In addition to developing typing speed and knowledge of word processing, students in my classroom learn different ways to make their documents portable including saving as .pdf or .rtf or using Web to email documents or even write collaboratively on Web 2.0 sites.

Word processing and other Web-based writing productivity tools are also the foundation for student research projects. When my students’ prepared their National History Day documentaries, they combined Internet research skills with productivity tools. Students were given extensive instruction on Internet safety, digital citizenship, and effective searching methods before beginning Internet research. Important components of the pre-research lessons included Internet safety and how to maintain personal information privacy when researching; how to use media withi...

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... school-based presentation to staff and a presentation at the 2009 Alaska Society for Technology in Education (ASTE) conference. At school, I collaborated to offer two separate professional development opportunities: Quick and Easy Digital Portfolios and Media Literacy. At ASTE 2009, I co-presented with the same colleague on the topic of Digital Portfolios.

Integrating technology requires a comprehensive knowledge of curriculum and content standards and the ways that technology can maximize student learning. In my classroom, I strive to have students using technology as a natural part of their learning experience. By teaching technology concurrently with content, I’ve observed my students making parallel gains in technology skills and knowledge.

References

Ohler, J. (2008). Digital storytelling in the classroom. Thousand Oaks, CA:

Corwin Press.