Technology Integration
Five Ways to Engage Learners with New Tools
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"Anything can become a math problem," says this second grade math teacher who tasked students to take their own photographs and create math word problems. Students took digital pictures around their school campus of cars in the parking lot and surrounding flora to make connections of a familiar environment with new math skills. Students worked in collaborative groups using various programs to edit their photos and present their ideas. This example of integration is successful because it allows students to explore a new skill beyond the instructional setting and incorporates 21st century skills of self-direction, collaboration, and communication.
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These early-elementary students created a public service announcement (PSA) as a culminating project after learning about the sun as a source of energy. Students used video to encourage their peers and parents to use the sun's energy to power our world rather than sources that pollute or damage our environment. These learners engaged in higher order thinking skills such as persuasion and evaluation to justify their position. This teacher facilitated the use of technology so that students could link new concepts to a world beyond the classroom. Students engaged in 21st century skills such as creativity, critical thinking, technology literacy, and communication.
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This Nashville high school encourages student choice by allowing students to create artifacts of learning through their own means. By incorporating project-based learning, the instructors present a menu of options that allow students to use a variety of tools and technology to create presentations and establish their own positions on a variety of topics. A personalized approach allows students to relate new learning within their own lives, work collaboratively with others, and share ideas with an authentic audience. These are skills that are essential to the 21st century work force.
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In this example, first graders collaborate with eighth graders to share their new understanding about letter patterns. The older students help the younger students with technology as they incorporate video-based skits and songs that feature word blends and phonics. Students work in groups to plan, select words, and create rhymes that feature the unit's letter patterns. They shared the results with their school community, a vital step in student-centered learning.
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University Park Campus School in Massachusetts empowers students by promoting student-led meetings. Students in middle through high school participate in conferences with their teachers and guardians to review their strengths and areas of improvement. Students can use technology to review their academic portfolios or present their ideas, concerns, and accomplishments. This open dialogue encourage students to be honest about their challenges and aspirations. Students develop agency by presenting their interests and taking ownership of their education and future.
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