Final Reflection

• Standard 1: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity

To me, promoting, supporting and modeling creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness means allowing students to demonstrate that they understand the concepts being taught, and allowing them to express that knowledge in ways that is natural and comfortable to them. Not only does it mean that you encourage your students to express themselves creatively, but that you also demonstrate it in your classroom. That includes creating interesting and exciting lesson plans, as well as engaging assignments. Earlier in the year students created short film clips about school rules, which they shared with the whole school.

• Standard 2: Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments

For our final project in Holly Thompson’s class, we created our own diagrams of a solar system, using the different technologies and resources. The goal was to teach a lesson on the solar system, and meet the learning objectives for 4^th grade science, while enhancing the lesson with different types of technology. Our lesson on the origins of the solar system was primarily conducted through presentation and  PowerPoints. We also utilized audio and video clips from the time to help the students understand the information, in a more visual way.

• Standard 3: Model Digital-Age Work and Learning

Through the use of technology in the classroom, we are able to use a smart board to visual involve all the students in a group discussion. Students and teachers can interact with this technology because it is accessible to all. This is not the first time in our RTI has seen the use of technology in the class. Many articles/videos that students read on the smart board are on topics that are happening in their state. Current Events about natural disaster that have occurred in these last two weeks helps connect students to their readings. Their interest grows when students can connect to the reading, while the videos allow for visual learning.

• Standard 4: Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility

Advocating and modeling the safe and ethical use of technology shows the teacher acting responsibly in regards to the use of technology. That means that the teacher’s expectations are known about technology use, as well as holds themselves to that same standard. In one of my lessons we were starting a research project and before the student were allowed to use the IPads we had a discussion of the school rules and technology in the classroom. Taking the time to talk about the proper use of technology in the classroom allowed more students learning time.