Post 2 - Answering Dr. Terri's question #2

Hello,

For my second post, I will answer the second question from Dr. Terri's page. 

Question 2:
Find a blog that is relevant to you in your educational employment role.  Review the blog and post your review on your blog. Then also visit two of your classmates blogs and give them some feedback on the blog they reviewed.

The blog I chose was Teaching High School Psychology (THSP). From what I can tell of the site, there are five moderators. Since I am not too familiar with blog terminology, I am assuming that it means there are five people writing posts for the blog. Unlike some bloggers who post once in a blue moon, THSP has a new post almost every day.

Some of the features I love about this blog is not in the posts themselves but in the side panel. THSP has the following: a countdown to the next AP psychology exam, a link to a store for resources on high school psychology, twitter updates, labels that organize the posts according psychology topics, interesting links, other high school teaching blogs, links for textbook publishers' websites, links for must have books for psychology, a blog archive, links to psychology class blogs/sites, and a list of other psychology blogs.

One thing I would change about the site is the format. The background color and font colors can be difficult to read. Additionally, I could not find any information about the blog itself, how it got started, who writes it, etc. However, from my limited experience with it, there are few things I would change. The post lengths are reasonable, and they provide a lot of resources and links in their posts. This blog is definitely a site that I will use when I am a psychology teacher.

Post 1 - Answering Dr. Terri's question #1

Hello,

For my first post, I will answer the first question from Dr. Terri's page. 

Question 1: 
Look around your school or learning place. What do you think it means to have meaningful technology integration happening? What tells you that its happening? (ie.. what evidence must be present?) Give an example of the last time you saw meaningful integration happening? 

Since I am currently a student and not a teacher, I will answer this question to the best of my abilities (so, current teachers, this is your chance to correct any assumptions). In my opinion, meaningful technology integration means that technology is used wisely both in and out of the classroom. For example, teachers use SmartBoards, PowerPoint, Excel, individual student laptops, etc. while in the physical classroom. Out of the class, teachers can use blogs, email, or other similar Internet-based technology to communicate with students. Additionally, technology integration means teaching students how to use current technology. The term wisely is important because teachers should not just use a technology simply because it exists. Instead, the pros and cons should be considered, as well as the students' access to technology. It is unwise to teach students how to use iPads and Kindles if none of the students can afford to buy them. Using technology wisely also means taking into consideration how the technology affects learning. One question to ask would be, "By using this technology, what are the students not learning?" For example, by using a calculator for every math assignment, are students not learning how to do calculations in their head? 

There are clues that tell whether or not technology is being used meaningfully. First, classroom time is being used effectively and efficiently. Students are learning in a timely manner something that is relevant to the course. (In eighth grade, my science teacher wanted to teach us how to make a website. We spent weeks making a website that only slightly related to earth science.) Second, the technology allows the teacher or student to do something that they would not be able to do without the technology. Some complex calculations or relationships can be illustrated with certain software. Third, do the students and teacher enjoy using the technology? For students especially, technology use can be a wonderful motivator.

In my own experiences as a student, the university's D2L website can provide meaningful technology integration. While some professors do not use D2L at all and some use it too much (to the point when it becomes confusing because of all of the information), there is a nice balance in which professors and students can communicate effectively and efficiently online. D2L is especially helpful when I want to look at my grades, see who is in my class, or look at the syllabus from a remote location. One of the flaws of D2L is the discussion section, which can become confusing and difficult to follow. However, done correctly, the discussion can provide meaningful out-of-class communication between students.

Overall, meaningful technology integration has many facets, such as ease of use, availability, or relevancy. Ultimately, it is the teacher's responsibility to use technology effectively, efficiently, and practically.