It’s time to level up on how I use technology in my classes. This call to action was inspired by our second Cohort 21 F2F session where we learned about different technology integration models. After this session, I realized that I was working to define how my technology use supported or improved the learning in my classes… and I was having trouble determining the answer. The problem was that I didn’t have the tools to examine my planning and pedagogy with a purposeful framework. Thanks to C21, I now have some truly valuable resources to guide me in my learning.
Personally, I found that the SAMR model connected most with my understanding of how technology can enhance and transform the learning that I am planning out in my senior social science & humanities courses. I am excited to explore this model further as a key part of my action plan that will focus on investigating the connections between technology use and meaningful learning experiences, especially in relation to independent study projects.
Some key questions that will guide my action research are:
- how can I contribute to a student outlook on learning that will encourage engagement in making meaningful connections with individualized inquiry questions?
- how will technology use engage my students as inquisitive thinkers?
- how can social technology tools (such as a blog, e-portfolio and collaborative use of diigo) aid my students as they undertake an individualized study unit around a topic of their choosing?
- how will technology use create meaningful learning experiences?
- how will the SAMR model help me to better understand the purpose and function of technology in my classroom?
In writing this post, I recognize that I will have to narrow the focus of my plan, in part because each of these questions could generate an entire action plan on its own. I know that I am not alone in thinking about these kinds of questions, I look forward to hearing your ideas as we all work to “level up” together.
Hi Christina,
I know that at our last Face to Face you made some progress on defining your action plan. I’d love to hear how those thoughts have been percolating since then. Any moves forward? Looking forward to hearing more!
Les
Hi Leslie,
Thanks for your reply! I have indeed been thinking and I have an updated action plan blog post in progress — hoping to post it tonight! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts….
Christina
Hey Christina,
I’m wondering if the 3rd F2F pushed you a little further along in your action plannery. Did stepping back and focusing on your “problem” stage help you see your action plan from a new angle?
I’m looking forward to reading what’s next from you!
Hey Celeste,
Thanks for your support. Your session was a meaningful “push” to define my problem further, and I’ve been doing a lot of thinking since our last F2F session. It was a great opportunity for me to question what I hope to figure out and then consider what tools I will use to do explore further. I do have some new direction and my next blog post is in progress. Perhaps the snow tonight will give me the opportunity to finish it up. Stay warm!
Wow Christina, you’ve got a lot of ideas, I can feel your enthusiasm in this post! I agree that you need to narrow down and I think a good way to get at it is to think about the issues you’d like to resolve in your courses. I am sure they are great, but is there anything you’d like to change? How do the learners feel? What are their concerns? These are all things we’ll be exploring in a little more detail on Friday, but you have a good number of excellent action plans within those questions, and hopefully we can help you weigh in on which is the most impactful. À vendredi!