Starting my Technology Integration project, I took my past
integration plan into action and worked through this lesson in hopes to include
technology in a way that is transformative. In order to align the lesson with
each step of learning (i.e. Access, Analysis, Evaluate, Communicate, and
Produce) the lesson itself had to be reworked for proper integration of
technologies. Organizing the information through the use of a matrix, the process of integration was done systematically. Overall, the lesson was generally enhanced by the addition of
technologies and I would prefer to use this lesson than my previous one.
The lesson was expanded by added more assignments for creativity
and reflection. The students would listen to a piece of music and create
stories based on what they think the story of the music is. After each group presented
their stories the video that accompanies the music would be watched. As a class
we would discuss the similarities and differences in stories. At home, the
students would write in their blogs (the students would have an account on
Blogger/Blogspot) a reflection of how the lesson went. They would explain their
project and justify their decisions in the story-making process. Then, the
students would be required to comment on at least 2 other students’ posts. When
the students come into the next class they will record themselves performing
their story and embedding the video on each of their posts.
The whole process starts with the simple technology of using
an Mp3 player but continues on to some higher level computer processing –
writing a blog post, uploading a video, and embedding it to the post. The
overall instructional goals are to help students think analytically about the
subjective nature of sound and help them create meaning, through listening to
music. The technological goals listed are to help students work collaboratively
and communicatively using technology, among other standards.
Each step of the lesson was processed using each step of the
learning process. Access to the material is provided by the Mp3 player and the
internet. The students then analyze the piece of music with their own thoughts
on what they piece sounds like. As a class, we evaluate what everyone did and
debate how the story and music do or do not elicit the proper emotions. The students
produce their answers, justify them in a blog post, and create a video to embody
the whole lesson. The students finally communicate to other students in order
to peer review, using their blogs.
The concept driving this lesson is that each step can
include a technology in a meaningful way, if there is a desire to. Instead of
writing a paper, the students write using a technology they might be familiar
with already. Having the students perform their work is great, but recording it
and embedding it into their post makes their process much more tangible and
meaningful. By doing this project I have not just added technologies in, but
integrated them so that the lesson has taken a completely different shape. The
way this lesson is designed, it allows students to do all the great things that
the lesson itself had, only now it includes technologies that would never have
been used before. Now, the lesson is beginning to prepare students for the
technological age they live in. It is vital to teach these technologies and
since a computer class is the only way students are going to acquire this
education, teaching a lesson for the sake of your content area is not good
enough anymore. This lesson has not only become more comprehensive, but it is
now completely better off. It offers the more time for reflection, more
opportunities to create meaning with the subject material, and even creates a
community within the classroom. Just by the integration of technology, lessons
can become cutting edge and meaningful to students and teachers.
Matt, I'm curious as to what grade level this is, and depending upon the age of the students whether there are constraints with using email and video recording? Also, what are your assessments? In other words, what evidence will you be able to gather to show that your students have met the content and technology standards? (since that is how teacher performance is evaluated now). Your matrix seems fairly aligned, but your narrative tends to jump around. The goal was for you to "narrate" each row of your matrix so that the logic is clear that each technology supported a specific teaching strategy that ultimately supports a specific standard. Instead, I think you focused on how you changed the existing lesson plan, focusing more on the technologies—perhaps at the expense of a more clear justification of your teaching strategies. In other words, it is clear what the students are doing, but less clear about what you are doing to orchestrate that learning environment.
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