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Final Project: Why do We Need Technology in Our Classrooms

Jean Kang

Education Department, College of Southern Nevada

6/25/2020

Course: EDU 214

At least four generations have experienced using technology in school since the

technology emerged. The fact is that children love technology and they tend to be attracted to

them. Educators found that technology contributes positively to education (ies.ed.gov). Our

education system from the nation to states support and require using technology in education.

Some districts even established full-time online school (ies.edu.gov). Regarding our recent

district policy that requires teachers to reduce or abandon technology in education, I feel

disappointed and hold a different viewpoint. I will prove in the following perspectives why

technology contributes positively and should continue to be integrated in teaching and learning.

These are, I. My personal argument and experience; II. The technology standards of our nation

and states; and III. A lesson plan and student result sample in my teaching with technology.

I. My personal argument and experience

I hold a very promising outlook on technology in education. Our human beings have

different learning patterns. The famous Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) distinguishes

learners to be extrovert or introvert, sensing or intuitive, thinking or feeling, and judging or

perceiving. A teacher, no matter how talented, lacks time and ability to prepare a lesson to cater

to all different learning styles. Technology comes into function in this aspect. It provides or

supplements instruction with graphics, hands-on activities such as games, videos, and much

more. Moreover, Dr. Gardner, the developer of multiple intelligences theory, also raised that

technology is one important venue to realize students-centered learning, in which students can

select whichever learning style most catering to their unique intelligence, such as musical, or

bodily-kinesthetic intelligence that a traditional lecture-type of instruction cannot make effect on

(Edutopia.org).

In my own teaching experience, technology has greatly enhanced my efficiency and

students’ learning, not only during the classroom learning time, but especially during the current

pandemic time. Aleks is a math learning platform developed by one of the major textbook
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publishers, McGraw Hill Education. Aleks not only provides the entire textbook of Glencoe Math

from McGraw Hill Education online, but also all the homework problems and tests. It provides

adaptive learning, which means the content will be adapted to suit each individual learner’s

current level. In homework, if a student gets the answer wrong, the student can click on an

explanation, tutoring or an example. So, it provides personalized learning. During the quarantine

time, the record that I was required to take on Infinite Campus showed that much more students

went to Aleks online to learn and finish assignments than use the learning handout that was

posted by CCSD online or in print. This largely ascribes to the learning platform’s tutoring ability,

adaptability, convenience to use and 7/24 availability. In contrast, the handout from our school

was only presenting a series of practice, lacking help and interaction. It also looked more

daunting without the multiple times of trying opportunity that is available on Aleks.

References

Retrieved on June 25,2020 from https://www.ed.gov/oii-news/use-technology-teaching-and-

learning

Retrieved on June 25,2020 from https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/midwest/blogs/new-

report-examines-rural-school-tech- use.aspx.

Retrieved on June 25,2020 from https://www.edutopia.org/video/howard-gardner-multiple-

intelligences
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II. National and States Standard Requirements for Technology

Technology learning and integration in curriculum teaching is a requirement of National

and Nevada state education systems. National Educational Technology Standards,

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and Nevada Computer and

Technology Standard that is mandated by our state department of education. In the ISTE, it

requires students to be Empowered Learner, Digital Citizen, Knowledge Constructor, Innovative

Designer, Computational Thinker, Creative Communicator, and Global Collaborator. I select the

most applicable standards in my classrooms and present as follows.

1. Empowered Learner. Students leverage technology to take an active role in choosing,

achieving, and demonstrating competency in their learning goals, informed by the learning

sciences. In this standard, students are required to set learning goals, build network,

customize learning environments, use technology to demonstrate learning.

3. Knowledge Constructor. Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to

construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences

for themselves and others. This standard requires students to plan and use research

strategies to search and select useful information and integrate them to build knowledge and

explore real-world problems.

4. Constructive Designer. Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to

identify and solve problems by creating new, useful or imaginative solutions. In this

standard, students are required to design a process to create new ideas or theories, testing

them, creating prototype and present them.

5. Computational Thinker. Students develop and employ strategies for understanding and

solving problems in ways that leverage the power of technological methods to develop and

test solutions. Students are required to use data analysis approach to formulate and solve

problems and be able to understand and use automation.

6. Creative Communicator. Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for

a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats, and digital media

appropriate to their goals. Students are required to remix resources, select platform or tools

to communicate with digital objects such as visual, models or simulations.

In the Nevada Computer and Technology Standard, it clearly indicated that

technology teaching alone is not as effective as when technology is used in context. So, technology

integration of Nevada Education Department emphasizes the standards in Creativity and Innovation,

Communication and Collaboration, Research and Information Fluency, Critical Thinking, Problem

Solving and Decision Making, Digital Citizenship, Technology Operations and Concepts, The

national standards are basically adopted and reorganized in the Nevada standards for technology in

education.
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III. Sample of My Lesson Plan and Student Result

One lesson plan with technology integration is presented in the following with a student

working result followed.

Lesson Plan: Solve Linear Equation in One Variable

8th Grade Pre-Algebra

Standards:

ISTE:

1, 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d

6, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d

NVAC:

8.EE.C.7 Solve linear equations in one variable.

8.EE.C.7a Give examples of linear equations in one variable with one solution, infinitely many

solutions, or no solutions. Show which of these possibilities is the case by successively

transforming the given equation into simpler forms, until an equivalent equation of the form x =

a, a = a, or a = b results (where a and b are different numbers).

Objective: Students will use internet to search for ideas, communicate with fellow students and

use canva.com, an online presentation tool to design a slide file and demonstrate their group’s

unique understanding of the meaning of a linear equation and how to solve it.

Materials: iPad, Notebook, Scissors, Coloring Pencils, Pencils, Construction Paper

Suggested Group Size: 3

Procedures:

1. Teacher gives a brief review about how to solve equation we learned in the 7 th

grade.

2. Teacher presents the project as follows.

“Students: you are going to form a group of three and find a space in the

classroom. In your group, you are going to start with a discussion to answer

these two questions. 1. What is the meaning of x+5 = 0? What stories can you

compose to represent this equation? 2. How do you solve it? After discussion,

you are going to formulate a plan to present your results. You can use different

format to present your story and result, for example, you can formulate a theatre

play kind of drama, tell a story, make a rap, draw a vivid picture, or make an art

craft to demonstrate your understanding of this equation. And as a final step,

you must use the Canva.com to make a 3-slide presentation to present your

work.”

3. Students complete the exit ticket on Google Form by logging into their email

account offered from CCSD.

Assessment: As an exit ticket, student will solve 3 similar linear equations, but with

variation designed in Google Classroom

In summary, technology provides teaching and learning efficiency,

addresses diverse learners’ needs, enhances communications and collaborations,

develops students’ imagination and creativity and benefits educators and students

both. It has been required by the education system at national and states levels. As

an educator, I advocate to resume and promote technology integration in our subject

teaching in our school district.

Attachment 1: A student sample

See also the online result of the slides presented in the following

https://www.canva.com/design/DAEAa_1s9Ig/share/preview?token=chaCEEoFU

F_xobnEcRC2tQ&role=EDITOR&utm_content=DAEAa_1s9Ig&utm_campaign=d

esignshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=sharebutton
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Attachment 2: Exit Ticket:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdHtD223FfWy_kzJnRiIk7ALmFXQa

Wh_qaHritkzg0qPxaIyQ/viewform?usp=sf_link