Teacher's Tech Toolbox
Resources for Integrating Technology in Instructional Practice
Purpose
Guiding Philosophy
Equity: There is a measurable digital divide between students that do and do not have access to technology and 21st century learning opportunities. This inequity can then influence career outcomes, especially regarding who and who is not represented in STEM occupational fields. Therefore any effective technology plan in the classroom should seek to close this opportunity gap and ensure that technology resources are accessible for every student. This looks like all students having access to the devices, internet connections, and time needed for any planned activity.
Ethical Use: Any technology plan should be compliant with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA). Additionally, any plan should also comply with fair use laws regarding the use of materials for educational purposes. Integrating information about these regulations and modeling them to students is also part of a comprehensive and effective technology integration plan.
Social Responsibility: Integrating technology into the classroom also means empowering students to be knowledgeable digital citizens and socially responsible users of technology. Embedding lessons and classroom norms that teach and reinforce digital citizenship skills and 'netiquette' are integral pieces of a technology plan that can also blend naturally with teaching and modeling socio-emotional skills in the classroom.
Choosing & Integrating Technology
Sample Learning Activity
Scientific Modeling with Collaborative Whiteboards
Students can practice using modeling conventions to explain an observed phenomenon. By utilizing Microsoft Whiteboards students can practice collaborating and revising their initial ideas to create enhanced models in real time while observing a mystery phenomenon.
12/1/2015Activity Set-Up
Create a mystery phenomenon by inserting a rubber ball into a water bottle. Cover the water bottle so that the contents are not visible. By holding the bottle upside down you can make the bottle hold various small objects like a paperclip, toothpick, string, etc. Demonstrate this with a first object of your choice and then have students try to model what they think is happening inside the water bottle. Then invite students to come up with different iterative tests that could be used to test different models they have created. Observe the results of each test and have students create an updated model after each test.
12/2/2015
Curriculum Resources
This activity leverages technology to augment the student experience. It aligns with NGSS and the phenomenon studied can be substituted for a variety of scientific concepts depending on the unit of focus.
Learn More12/3/2015Formative Assessment
Student models can be examined in real time, allowing the teacher to provide immediate feedback to students. Digital models are also easily saved and then compared to future modeling exercises, enabling students to develop a modeling portfolio where they can assess and reflect on the development of their science modeling skills.
12/4/2021Summative Assessment
Students can reference their saved digital models and integrate them into their final explanations of a science concept to conclude a unit. These models could be integrated as visuals in their typed claim, evidence, and reasoning responses or utilized in other media like a narrated Powerpoint or video explanation where students are assessed a science communication and explanation rubric tailored to the specific phenomenon being studied.
12/7/2021Leveraging Student Data
Student models provide a rich insight into student thinking about a specific science concept. Reviewing created models can empower the teacher to identify misconceptions or challenges in the modeling process, which can inform further interventions for clarifying specific concepts and modeling effective modeling conventions.
12/13/2021Self Direction & Assistive Technology
References
Bendici, R. (2017). BRIDGING the Digital Divide: OER, new software and business partnerships can connect all students with educational technology. District Administration, 53(10), 54–57. Retrieved from https://wgu.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eue&AN=125421078&site=eds-live&scope=site
Burt, R., & Waters, S. (2017, August 8). The educator's guide to copyright, fair use, and Creative Commons [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.theedublogger.com/copyright-fair-use-and-creative-commons/
Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA). (2017). Retrieved from https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/childrens-internet-protection-act
Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule ("COPPA"). (2021). Retrieved from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/part-312
Imagine Easy Solutions. (2014, May 29). The SAMR model explained [Video file]. Retrieved from The SAMR Model Explained
Janowski, K (2021). (n.d.). EF Toolkit Site. https://sites.google.com/view/ef-toolkit-site/resources-for-executive-functions
MacBury, K. (2017, December 19). How to teach kids social responsibility in a connected world. Retrieved from https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/how-to-teach-kids-social-responsibility-in-a-connected-world
May, A. (2018, March 7). Instructional design models: Comparing ADDIE, Bloom, Gagne & Merrill. Dashe & Thomson [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.dashe.com/blog/instructional-design-models-comparing-addie-bloom-gagne-merrill
Special School District of St. Louis County (2021). (n.d.). Assistive Technology. https://www.ssdmo.org/Page/892
