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From Research to Creation: Using Technology to Build Student Learning

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 In this unit, I integrated Google Classroom and Canva for Education to support a 5th-grade informational writing lesson. Overall, the technology integration did meet my lesson objectives. Students were able to research a topic, organize their ideas, and present their learning in a creative way. Google Classroom helped keep everything organized, while Canva allowed students to express their understanding visually. Because of this, students were more engaged and showed a deeper understanding of the content. The instructional elements of this lesson reflect what I have learned throughout the course, especially the importance of student-centered learning and active engagement. Instead of only reading and writing, students interacted with content, created projects, and shared their ideas. This connects to constructivist learning theory, where students build knowledge through experiences (Schunk, 2020). I also focused on clear objectives, guided practice, and meaningful assessment, whic...
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Enhancing Learning Through Flipgrid: A Creative Evaluation

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  I looked at Flipgrid, a video-based discussion site that a classmate shared with me for this blog post. Students can use Flipgrid to record short video responses to prompts, talk to each other, and have meaningful conversations at their own pace. This technique is great for elementary and middle school classes because it gets all of the children involved, even those who are shy about speaking in front of the class. I used my evaluation system to rate Flipgrid on a number of different points. Flipgrid got a 4 on the TPACK alignment scale because it lets students show what they know through video comments, which is a good way to combine content, pedagogy, and technology. It also got a 4 on the SAMR scale, which means it reached the redefining level since it turns regular talks into engaging, multimedia events. Flipgrid got a 3 for critical thinking because it makes students think about and respond to prompts and other students' answers in a thoughtful way. The tool got the best sco...
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Choosing the Right Tech: A Smarter Way to Evaluate Learning Tools

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As technology keeps growing in education, I’ve realized it’s not just about using the newest tools, it’s about choosing the right ones. According to Bates (2019), evaluating technology helps teachers make better decisions about how to use it for learning. That idea guided me as I created my own evaluation framework using the TPACK model, SAMR model, and the 4C’s. First, I focused on TPACK because I want to make sure any technology I use actually connects to what I’m teaching and how I’m teaching it. I don’t want to use tech just because it’s interesting, it has to support the lesson. Next, I looked at the SAMR model to see how deeply the technology impacts learning. My goal is to move beyond just replacing paper with digital tools and instead create learning experiences that wouldn’t be possible without technology. I also included the 4C’s, critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity,  because these are skills my students really need. Technology should help...
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Exploring Learning Technology: Building My Professional Learning Network

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  Every year, technology becomes a bigger part of education. Because of this, teachers need to keep learning about new tools and ways to teach. One method that teachers keep up with what's going on is by forming a Professional Learning Network (PLN). A PLN is a set of people, resources, and tools that teachers utilize to share ideas and learn from each other. A lot of the time, these networks are online, such on blogs, websites, and social media sites. Making my own PLN helped me learn more about new concepts and how learning technology is changing. The Sources I Chose for My PLN When I was putting together my PLN, I looked at a number of sites that focus on new ideas and technology in education. The 2024 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report was one of the most helpful publications. It talks about new trends and technologies that are changing the way we learn. Many teachers and academics use this study to learn about how technology is changing the way people learn and teach. I also read article...
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