Lesson Plan for TPACK integration

Lesson Plan for TPACK integration

Application
Sight words using QR Codes, iPads, and 3D printed alphabet letters (or magnetic letters)

Time:  15-20 minutes.

First, provide some details regarding:

• Learners:  This lesson plan is designed for kindergarten through second-grade students who are still learning their sight words.  I will be using this lesson plan in a first-grade classroom.  Sight words are important for students to learn because sight words account for up to 75% of the words used in beginning children’s printed materials. 
• Learning outcomes:  My students will be able to practice their sight words and practice using QR codes on an iPad.  The students will see the word, and the QR code will direct them to a video that will read the sight word to the student.  The student will use the alphabet letters to build the word three times.  The sight word will also be used in a 4-word sentence.  The students will read the sentence along with the video.  The students will then write the sentence that was read and practiced.
• Assessment: I will assess my students by having them read the sight words they were practicing without any help from the video.  

Timeline of planned events and procedures:

• Before the lesson, I will set up designated groups and make sure that each center has an iPad, alphabet letters, worksheets, and dry erase markers. 
• The lesson will begin by me separating students into groups.  Once the students are in their groups I will explain to them how to turn on the iPad and how to access the QR codes app. I will be walking around helping students.   
• The students will first see the word, then the video will read the word, then the students will read the word.
• The students will then build the words three times with the alphabet letters. 
• The video will then read the sentence to the student and the student will follow along using the tracking dots.  Then the student will read the sentence with the video. 
• Following that the students will then write the sentence with a dry erase marker. 
• Once the students have finished the activity in their center I will give them a different worksheet with a different sight word.    

Reflection
Considering your learning activity described above, write two paragraphs or three for each section below addressing the questions. It may be helpful to keep in mind the followings when reflecting:

1. How will the use of this technology support your teaching strategies in this activity?

The use of this technology will support the teaching strategies in this activity because it will make it easier for me as a teacher to help my students find the correct video online for the sight word.  The students will simply have to turn on the iPad and locate the QR code app and scan the QR code on their worksheet and it will automatically take them the correct video where they can begin to practice their sight word. 

2. How effectively the use of this technology may enhance students' understanding of and learning from your particular content in this activity.

By incorporating iPads into the sight words station the students’ understanding will be enhances because it makes learning the sight words fun.  This is a great practice for the students and most of the time first graders will be excited to use iPads and QR Codes in a station.  If the students are excited then they will want to learn. 

--Pedagogical-Content:

Your pedagogical content knowledge refers to your understanding of teaching strategies that are specific to a content area. That is the knowledge about choosing appropriate pedagogies for teaching a particular content Example: Using drill-and-practice to teach math problem solving. This strategy however may not necessarily be effective for other content areas.

Now, forget about the technology for a while…..Just tells us about your teaching strategies that you employ in your activity (e.g., analogies, demonstrations, illustrations, examples, explanations, group work, drill-practice, simulations, role-play, lecturing, self-guided learning, inquiry-based learning, problem based learning or etc). Specifically:

• What are your strategies and why do you think your strategies are appropriate to teaching this specific content?  What makes you believe it would help your students comprehend this particular content? Give specific examples from your described activity.

My strategy was a hands-on, group-center activity where the students can practice their sight words.  In a regular classroom, I would have students work on this activity individually.  The reason being is because that way the student is working at his or her own pace. 

I believe that it will help my students comprehend this particular content because they will be excited about it and want to learn.  Studies show that when students are excited and want to participate in a school activity they will learn.

Once the student scans the QR Code it will take him or her to the YouTube video that will explain the directions to the student.  If the student needs to hear the directions again he or she can just replay that section of the video.  The video will read the word to the student then allow the student to read the word.  The video will then tell the student to select the magnetic letters that are used to make up the word, the student will then build the word three times.  Once the student has built the word the video will read the sentence that uses the sight word, the student will then read the sentence.  Afterwards the student will write the sentence.  Using the video really helps to break down the steps and works with the student at his or her own pace. 

• What would be some conceptions and preconceptions that students of different ages and backgrounds bring with them when learning this particular content? What would you be concerned about students' prior knowledge, experiences, motivation? Again focus on the content and your teaching strategy, not the technology!

Some conceptions and preconceptions that students of different ages and backgrounds can bring with them when learning this particular content it that they may already know sight words because a parents has already worked with him or her on them.  This will definitely make it easier for the student because he or she will be ahead of the game and can move on to harder words versus the other students will still be learning the same words. 

What I would be concerned about students’ prior knowledge, experiences, and motivation would be that some students may not have even been introduced to an iPad which would require me to spend more time with those particular students and explain to them how to turn on an iPad and how to adjust the volume and well as how to pause and play the video.  I expect that most student will be motivated and want to learn this activity because I am presenting sight words to them in a fun and interesting way versus the traditional flashcards. 

           

--Technological-Pedagogical:

Your technological pedagogical knowledge refers to your understanding of technologies for particular learning tasks, your ability to choose technologies based on its fitness, your knowledge of pedagogical strategies, and your ability to apply those strategies for use of technologies Example: Selecting Edmodo/facebook for facilitating student generated debate. Edmodo here is the technology that supports the main pedagogy-group discussion/debate.

In the previous section, you talked about your instructional strategies. Keeping these strategies you stated in mind, now tell us how the technology is used in your activity.  Specifically:

• What main instructional strategies would this technology use serve in your activity? How would using the technology support the way you teach this activity? Please give examples and be specific to your described activity. Think about your main teaching strategies that this technology would support.         

The technology I used in my lesson will serve as an aid to my students.  My students do not have to use the iPads, QR Codes, or video to help them learn their sight words.  However, using this technology will help my students and keep them accountable for what they are supposed to be doing.  By having the students scan the QR codes I don’t have to worry about 1^st grades typing in the wrong YouTube video name.  This will make it easier for me as a teacher.  My main teaching strategies is that with this technology I don’t have to work one-on-one with each student outside in the hallway.  With this technology I can have all my students working on sight words at the same time and I can help them all individually if they have questions. 

• What different classroom management strategies you might need to consider when using this technology in the activity? Give examples and be specific to your described activity.

Classroom management strategies that I might need to consider when using this technology in the classroom would be if I chose to group the students into groups to group them in groups that will work together and not mess around.  Also, for the iPads it would be helpful if I used headphones to that the classroom does not get too loud and so the students won’t be distracted by others students noise.

--Technological Pedagogical Content:

Your technological pedagogical content knowledge refers to your understanding of how teaching and learning from content may change when technology used and is our knowledge about selecting technologies that suits, support, and enhances teaching strategies and learning activities in your particular content area. It is your understanding of teaching strategies to effectively teach the particular content and help student conceptual difficulties in this content by meaningfully incorporating technologies. Example: Using a flash card app on iPad as a means to aid students memorize words and definitions in language learning. iPad app is here chosen as a tool to support the pedagogy around instant feedback, quick repetition, and individualized learning. These are some of the strategies used in language learning content area.

Now, let’s focus on the content you’re teaching in your activity. Think about your decisions to incorporate this technology and the teaching strategies in relation to your particular content area. Tell us specifically about:

• How would using this technology enhance the way the content is represented in your activity (e.g. demonstrations, explanations, examples, illustrations, analogies, and etc.)? That is why you think the selection and the pedagogical use of this technology may enhance what you teach (the content in your activity). Give specific examples from your activity to support your answer and keep in mind the learning objectives that you stated previously. 

Using this technology will enhance the way the content is represented in my activity because the video that the students will access with the QR Codes will have demonstrations, explanations, and examples to help them learn the lesson. 

I believe that the technology used in this lesson will enhance what I am teaching because it will teach it and it explain it better than I could to my students.

• In what different ways students practice or understand the content in your activity that would otherwise not be possible without the use of the technology? In addition to motivational benefits, what else can students do with this technology as they are learning the content?

If I did not have the technology to use this activity with my students it would be difficult for my students to understand what they are supposed to be doing.

In addition to motivational benefits, students can pause, replay, and easily change to different words.

Article Reflection (January 10, 2017)

Thingiverse

Thingiverse is a website where you can make, share, and discover 3D printing designs.  The website itself describes Thingiverse Education as “Thingiverse Education provides over a hundred free lessons that make teaching with a 3D printer easier and more effective for a variety of grade levels and subjects.  It also provides a community where educators can exchange best practices or remix projects.” 

I personally like Thingiverse because it is very easy to use and as a teacher, you can find so many educational projects already premade that all you have to do is download them and print them on a 3D printer.  I myself used Thingiverse to print the alphabet for my TPCK lesson. 

Smithsonian

The Smithsonian article does a great job at explaining how different teachers have used 3D printing in their classroom.  This article most importantly covers how students have used 3D printing in the classroom and how it allows them to use the same tools as professionals to become creators themselves.  Smithsonian also offers resources for teachers that are using 3D printing in their classrooms.  I find this very helpful as a future teacher myself because there are not many resource for teachers on how to use 3D printing in the classroom and how to teach students to print objects themselves. 

3D Printers in Schools:  Uses in Curriculum

This article confirms that 3D printers have significant potential as a teaching resource and can have a positive impact on pupil engagement and learning if schools can master how to use the printers in an effective and meaningful way.  I believe that is where most schools and teachers struggle with is using 3D printers in an effective and meaningful way.  

Response to your TPACK reflection!

But while pre-servise teachers are coming in comfortable with technology, this doesn’t translate into knowing how to use it to engage young minds or to tailor a lesson to meet the learning needs and styles of individual students. Although teacher candidates know how to operate the devices, they need to be taught how to use them to help kids learn. All of you will be my first "white rats" to allow me to learn how to assistant your TPACK into the actual instructions in the classroom, which makes me feel guilty since I am going to make a tons of mistakes from this "experiment" in order to revise my teaching to help the future pre-service teachers...

Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge:  A Framework for Teacher Knowledge

In the article “Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge:  A Framework for Teacher Knowledge” we are introduced to the idea of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK).  The idea of TPCK is brought to us by building on Shulman’s formulation of “pedagogical content knowledge” and extends it to the phenomenon of teachers integrating technology into their pedagogy. With TPCK teachers are guaranteed to cover three main components of learning environments:  content, pedagogy, and technology.  Teachers today face many problems including only looking at technology and now how it is used.  The research done in this article shows that, given opportunities to thoughtfully engage in the design of educational technology, teachers showed tremendous growth in their sensitivity to the complex interactions among content, pedagogy, and technology.   

Overall, TPCK is a great framework for teacher knowledge.  I will especially help struggling teachers that are afraid to bring to much technology into the classroom.  TPCK may also educate teachers to know as much information about technology to effectively teach students.  Like the article states, TPCK may not be the best theory out there but it is better than no theory at all.

Whatever It Takes:  How Beginning Teachers Learn to Survive

            In the article “Whatever It Takes:  How Beginning Teachers Learn to Survive” we are introduces to a study based on students who have graduated from a university in Quebec, Canada and were employed in the same area.  The study focused on four professions:  physiotherapy, occupational therapy, social work, and teaching.  However, the main focus of this article was teaching.  The article suggests that new practitioners need to help to develop coping strategies, preferably while they are still teacher candidates under the supervision of experienced teachers.  It is also demonstrated in this paper that veteran practitioners have learned how to cope and by mentoring, they can help newcomers deal with the complex problems of initial practice. 

            I found it very interesting when the articles stated “No other profession takes newly certified graduates, places them in the same situation as seasoned veterans, and gives them no organized support.”  The reason I found this statement interesting is because it is very true.  Another difficulty experienced by beginning teachers is learning to make decisions instantly and simultaneously without the benefit of experience to guide them.  What I found to be the most interesting in the article is where it states that the problem is even worse for high-achievers (I like to think of myself as a high achiever).  Extensive knowledge and imagination allows high-achievers to compare themselves to realities that do not even exist.  “This may explain why “the brightest and best” are the people who are discouraged enough to leave teaching-they cannot meet their own expectations.  The more highly rated student teachers in our study were often unable to self-evaluate or to recognize when they had actually taught an excellent class.”  I could personally relate to this statement because I personally don’t feel like I’m a good teacher however my teachers and peers would say otherwise. 

The Net Generation as Preservice Teachers:  Transferring Familiarity with New Technologies to Educational Environments

In the article “The Net Generation as Preservice Teachers:  Transferring Familiarity with New Technologies to Educational Environments” digital natives are defined as people born after 1984 who have grown up with digital technologies, are at ease with new technologies and expect the use of new technologies in their education.  According to this definition, not only the students in 21^st century schools but also the preservice teachers enrolled in or entering teacher education programs today, are digital natives or members of the Net generation.  Overall the article researched what type of technology teachers are using in the class room. 

A Review on "Miracle Maker" Written By Mathew Shaer

                    To begin with, this article is written about Anthony Atala and his work that has taken a decade and numerous scientists and engineers to build and refine the Integrated Tissue and Organ Printing System, or ITOP.  Anthony Atala was born in Peru, and raised outside of Miami, Atala is not the director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine.  Atala believes that lab-grown organs cultivated out of a patient's own cells and surgically implanted into the body can help prevent deaths for people who died before a replacement kidney or liver could be found. 
                   I can see how this can help save many lives and be beneficial for people who are dying waiting on a transplant list.  However, I believe this is unethical; I think it is people playing God.  It is not quite cloning however it is very similar to it. 

 

A Review on "The Home of The Future Summon The Comfy Chairs!"

To begin with, this article talked about domestic furniture that may soon have a mind of its own.  This idea is really neat for people who are older or have special needs.  It will help make their life easier and allow them to live more independently.





 

 

A Review on "The Best Inventions Powered By Technologies of Tomorrow"

                    To begin with, the Virtual Reality Headset is really neat and allows people to live out their imagination.  You can not simply imagine swimming with dolphins but suddenly see that you are swimming with dolphins.  The sensors on the devise track the movements of your hands and allows you to "touch" virtual objects.  This can be a great tool to use in a classroom and teach students beyond what the textbook implies. 
                    The underground park is a special park that has a remote skylight that captures sunlight from surrounding rooftops and funnels it underground via fiber-optic cable; once there, it's beamed out via reflective dome, enabling plants to grow.  This is such a neat invention that ultimately captures sunlight and enables plants to grow.
                      The bionic ears are a great invention because you can use them anywhere with unbearable noise.  The users can handpick which frequency they want to filter through their smartphone.  These can be helpful for people that are easily bothered by noise such as going to basketball games, or even concerts. 
                      The Apple Pencil is a pencil that allows users to draw, paint or write on a screen, just as they would a sheet of paper.  It works in tandem with the iPad Pro, a tablet faster than roughly 80% of laptops.  This is a great invention that can be used by students in the classroom and by teachers.  Students are already using technology and by inventing a pencil students can still practice their handwriting and other forms of writing that are now considered a lost art. 

A Review on "The Best 25 Inventions of 2016"

                        The Mavic Pro is a drone that can fold down to the size of a loaf of bread.  The Drone is nimble and less prone to accidents.  This drone is special because it is easier to carry and ideal for traveling.
                       Quipa is a simple, affordable, battery-powered toothbrush that works like its counterparts from Oral-B and Sonicare.  A two minute timer vibrates every 30 seconds, reminding users to switch positions but looks and feels like something you'd fin in an Apple Store.   This is a great invention for people that struggle with dental hygiene.
                      Dyson Supersonic the supersonic does its job with remarkable efficiency.  It's quiet thanks to a tiny, jet-engine-like motor that reaches 110,00 revolutions per minute.  This is the first ever silent hair dryer.  This hair dryer is beneficial for people who are aggravated by the traditional hair dryer noise.