I had a great opportunity to work alongside of some of my colleagues in my district yesterday. I am new to this district so I wanted to see what other people were doing, and this coteaching pair is known for their technology integration.
I know that we are not all lucky enough to have the ability to team up with our tech teachers on a daily basis. Some of us may not even have access to computers, laptops, iPads or Chromebooks on a daily basis, but this still pertains to all Library Media Specialist as we move away from book shelving and cataloging to being the Tech gurus and go-tos in our building.
This pair of colleagues truly worked seamlessly. The lessons were engaging; and technology and STEAM were seamlessly integrated into all aspects of the classes. But as we were discussing apps, hyperdocs and STEM challenges, it got me wondering about how we are planning with technology. Do we choose a really cool APP that we want to use first, and then figure out a way to tie it into the curriculum? OR do we look at what we want to cover this year and then find an app or tech tool that will enhance that lesson? Personally, I am finding that I am choosing that really cool new app that I want to use FIRST and then tying it in with what I am teaching in my curriculum. For me this ensures that the app is being used to teach and not just an afterthought or add on. This allows the use of the app to be used as a tool in the student’s learning not just in their assessment.
Here are a couple of ways that you an get started.
1. Choose an Engaging App and use it as an evaluation tool.
There are so many awesome apps that allow students to present information in a more engaging and fun way. If you are doing a research project and they have to write a research paper as part of the curriculum then we know that you have to teach the process of researching and writing, but why not then allow them to use a video app, like Flipgrid to have them play a guess who game with their classmates. Maybe, they create a series of clues that they read off and the other students have to guess who the famous person is. They could use a jeopardy template and create a jeopardy game about their person. Technology tools allow them to create and enhance their learning. Now they are not just writing facts down about a person, but they have to really decide on what they can say about this person that will allow other people to be able to guess them. The technology tools can lead to higher order thinking and questioning.
2. Choose a topic you don’t like to teach and create a self guided lesson so students take ownership of their learning.
Let’s face it, every teacher as a certain topic or unit that they don’t like teaching. Maybe it’s not a subject that you are particularly passionate about. Maybe it’s a subject you found boring as a student yourself and still find boring. When integrating technology, I always suggest using technology for a topic that is one of your least favorite to teach. In this case, you can set up a hyperdoc assignment, where students can work at their own pace. You can link articles for them to read, and then have them respond to a question via answergarden. You can have students create pixel art using Google Sheets. The point is you can set up a series of online activities for students in one hyperdoc and it gives students ownership of their learning AND is engaging for them. You can provide options for classwork and by doing this you are also hitting your “highly effective” rating in Danielson.
Some of us are hesitant to jump onto the app train. Sometimes apps can be disruptive if students aren’t using them appropriately. Sometimes, it takes an extra class just to teach how to use the app. My thinking is though, take the time, teach the app because then you can incorporate it into your lessons that much easier. Think about how nice it will be at the end of the year when students are able to navigate, create, design and think on their own without as much prompting and directing from you. Just like anything else, you have to put a lot of work in up front to get the results you want down the road.
