When I searched for my visual for this posting, this one instantly caught my eye. That’s my thought process! I had never even heard of TPACK before I started this master’s program and so I was initially overwhelmed by all of the tech tools available to teachers now. I am admittedly a bit of a Ludite and I never really felt compelled to keep up with technology because of the rapid pace of change. Now I see that keeping up isn’t the point (and is actually impossible!), but technology changes how and what we teach. Previously, I was satisfied with the tech that my students were using everyday during their 20 minute software rotation in Read 180 because each student was receiving individualized reading instruction during that time block. I would throw out a YouTube video now and then to spice things up, play student recordings weekly and email them to parents so I thought I was pretty cool.
Then came...THE PROJECT. Yikes- how am I going to be innovative? I have always been a strong advocate of goal setting with my students so I knew I was going to have to somehow incorporate this idea digitally. Taking my inspiration from Baggio- how can a tech tool help my students actually visualize their reading improvement and progress toward their goals? I got closer to this point once I found the site Kids Can Graph which allows students to enter in their scores and produce a bar graph which can be printed or electronically shared with their teacher/parents, etc. Great news, but here comes the “wicked” part! How much time is this going to take? Will it actually help my students accomplish their objective which is to make 2 years of reading growth in 1 year because my students are constantly playing “catch up” ? I am excited about the possibility of using this tool to also help parents “see” their child’s progress and start conversations with their child, but I also then have the equity dilemma for families without internet access. I can print out their charts and send them home, but is this creating double work for me? I am anxious to get my prototype into the reality phase so I can hopefully troubleshoot any unexpected glitches. Trying to embrace this messy, complicated process!
5 Comments
Florencia
11/25/2016 01:19:22 pm
Dana,
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Lori
11/26/2016 08:07:29 am
Dana, it sounds like one of your challenges is figuring out if the graphing will actually help your students make up the years they're behind in reading. I wonder if it would actually make even more of a difference over time.....if tracking to their goals for two years would be even more effective than one.
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Kristin Pruitt
11/26/2016 03:20:41 pm
Dana you are definitely my inspiration for graphics!! You always seem to have just the best and most appropriate graphics. I identify with the chaos of this one. That is what my brain feels like right now with all of this innovative information swirling around. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around what direction I actually want to take with my driving question. Right now I think a screencast would be my choice to incorporate into a PBL project. Love the possibilities that technology brings to our students and classrooms.
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11/26/2016 10:14:42 pm
Dana, I like your honest reflection about your TPACK. Like you, I had never heard of TPACK before. You seem to be getting more out of the program than me. I am still intimidated by all the technology, but I have been inspired by you and the rest of the cohort members to try things out. This blog inspired me. Thank you!
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Jenny
12/11/2016 09:36:19 am
That wicked TPACK.... Like you, I had never heard of TPACK before this course. It's pretty amazing to me that we all know enough about it to consider it wicked! I am very impressed with your willingness to embrace the technology and use it to further your students achievement. I am so excited to share in journey and celebrate the student's success as well as yours!
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Dana HandI teach Read 180 at Northwood Elementary School and I am passionate about reading (obviously!) In my "free time" I love hanging out with my 2 teenagers and taking our two dogs for long walks. Archives
March 2017
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