Final Reflection

Personal Learning Theory Reflection

My personal learning theory has not changed dramatically throughout since the beginning of the course. I now have a better understanding of major learning theories, however, and have discovered that each of them has a place in my classroom. When I first developed my personal learning theory, I believed strongly in aspects of both the constructionist and social constructivist theories. Looking back, I still believe in the constructionist concept that “ideas are most likely to be created when learners are actively engaged in building some type of external artifact that they can reflect upon and share with others” (Orey, 2001). I also feel that students must interact and collaborate with others, thereby supporting the social constructivist notion that learning is a social process (Orey, 2001).

While my belief in both the constructionist and social constructivist theories has remained strong throughout this course, I have become much more familiar with both the behaviorist and cognitivist learning theories. I was surprised to find that I support aspects of these learning theories as well. For example, I have always believed it to be important to provide students with frequent positive reinforcement, but did not realize that this practice is actually a form of behaviorism. In addition, many of my lessons involve graphic organizers and visual explanations of concepts to help students make connections with material. These support the theory of cognitivism, which I was relatively unfamiliar with. All students learn differently, and it is important to incorporate ideas from a variety of learning theories in order to reach all students.

I have used technology in my lessons since I began teaching a few years ago, but I continue to learn more about the wide variety of resources available to enhance learning. This course gave me the opportunity to explore new technologies, such as Voice Thread and Webspiration, and also helped me understand how these technologies support various learning theories. I have found myself thinking more about how the use of technology in my lessons will support my learners based on the various learning theories.

Technology Tools and Instructional Practice

I have already incorporated new technologies into my classroom as a result of this course. My students just completed an assignment using Webspiration, and the lesson was very successful. They enjoyed working with the technology and did a terrific job presenting their graphic organizers to the class using the interactive white board. My goal is to continue to find ways to incorporate new technologies discussed in this course. Although my students use Microsoft Word frequently and are very proficient with the technology, I have not yet utilized the graphic organizers available within the software. I would like to use these graphic organizers to help students make connections between concepts we learn in social studies. One area we focus on frequently is cause and effect, and how the events of one civilization impacted others. My students could easily use Microsoft Word’s cause/effect pattern organizer to illustrate this concept.

I would also like to use Microsoft PowerPoint in a different way. This is another tool that my students are very familiar with, but generally, the slideshows they create are filled with text. I plan on having students create presentations regarding an upcoming topic using only visuals in their slideshows. Then, while they present their visuals, they will explain to the class the connections between the images they chose and the content, thereby focusing on nonlinguistic representations of the material. I feel I now have a much better understanding of the reasoning behind the implementation of learning activities and technologies, and am eager to incorporate new and creative ways for students to interact with the social studies content.

Long-term Goals

One goal I have is to have students create nonlinguistic representations of material on a more regular basis, and then present these to the class. There are so many different ways to approach the idea of nonlinguistic representation. Students can use Webspiration, Microsoft Word graphic organizers, and Microsoft PowerPoint, just to name a few. This will allow for greater creativity on their part and will also facilitate more hands-on learning. Meanwhile, students will be working to create products more frequently, which will help them to better understand concepts. Doing so will accomplish the same goals as teacher-centered lecture, but will be more meaningful and have a greater impact on my students since helping students to use nonlinguistic representation has strong effects on achievement (Pitler et al., 2007).

A second goal of mine is to establish communication between my students and students in another area of the world, using a program such as ePals. This will broaden my students’ perspectives and help them to learn about other cultures and languages in an entirely new way (Pitler et al., 2007). As we learn about various ancient civilizations, my students become very fascinated with other cultures and intrigued by the vast differences amongst these cultures. I strongly believe that partnering with another classroom in a different part of the world would open their eyes to another culture in a way not possible just by studying the culture in the classroom. Today’s technology tools provide opportunities for unique learning experiences that may not have been possible even ten years ago, and “keypals” is a perfect example of that.

References

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved November 5, 2010 from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

More Computers, Please

http://voicethread.com/share/1565311/

Using Technology to Learn Cooperatively

Social learning theories place great emphasis on not only on the prior knowledge that learners bring to their learning environment, but also the context in which learning takes place and the interactions learners have with others (Kim, 2001). Cooperative learning requires that students interact with others; in doing so, they construct meaning for new knowledge (Pitler et al., 2007). There are innumerable ways in which cooperative learning can be implemented, as there are many factors to consider when establishing cooperative groups. Groups can consist of only two members for some activities, while for others they might be comprised of four or five students. Duration of assignment is another consideration; partner work is ideal for quick in-class assignments, while carefully constructed, larger groups are often better for long-term assignments. Cooperative learning offers teachers great flexibility and creativity when developing meaningful learning activities for students.

Just as size and duration of activity are factors in cooperative learning, so are the types of activities students participate in. Technology has opened up an entirely new facet of group work. One possibility for cooperative learning is student-created multimedia. Creating a video supports the constructivist theory by allowing students to create a product. Meanwhile, they are also collaborating with other students, thereby supporting social learning theories. It is critical that teachers properly prepare students for a task such as student-created multimedia, however, by setting forth clear expectations, explaining rubrics, and clearly outlining student roles and responsibilities (Pitler et al., 2007). An extension of this activity is to require that groups teach their classmates about a particular topic. As Dr. Orey mentioned, the best way for students to learn a concept is to teach it to others (Laureate, 2010).

There are wonderful and varied web resources available for cooperative learning as well. Internet access has truly opened the world up to classrooms. An interesting type resource on the internet is “Ask an Expert” websites, which allow for correspondence between students and university and industry experts (Pitler et al., 2007). This type of communication would most likely not have occurred prior to the widespread availability of the internet. Another option for communication with others across the country, and even the world, is to have students become “keypals,” or e-mail pen pals, with other students from far away (Pitler et al., 2007). Students can even work on projects with students living across the globe, which is an incredible example of cooperative learning.

Communication software makes cooperative learning even more practical for regular classroom use, particularly on extended assignments. In the past, it was difficult for groups to communicate without physically meeting together. Now, with the advent of wikis, blogs, and shared bookmarking, students can communicate easily to continue their collaborative work. Wikis are a simple way for groups to keep track of researched information, allowing all students to contribute, whether they are at school or home. Shared bookmarking allows for the sharing of resources amongst group members. All of these technologies allow students to learn from one another and to cooperate together to learn new concepts.

References

Kim, B. (2001). Social Constructivism.. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved November 30, 2010 from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). Social learning theories. [DVD]. In Walden University: Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. Baltimore: Author.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Constructionist Learning Theories

When people think about generating and testing hypotheses, many might automatically think of how this idea applies to science. Generating and testing hypotheses, however, is something that can be done in any content area, and refers to students “engaging in complex mental processes, applying content knowledge like facts and vocabulary, and enhancing their overall understanding of the content” (Pitler et al., 2007). Meanwhile, constructionist theory suggests that students must have hands-on experience to understand new material and revolves around students creating a product. These activities, according to Pitler et al. (2007), include:

1. Systems analysis-Students study the parts of a system and predict what might happen if certain aspects were changed or removed.
2. Problem solving-Students examine possible solutions to a problem.
3. Historical investigation-Students brainstorm theories about historical events which remain open to interpretation and discussion.
4. Invention-Students develop a solution to satisfy a need.
5. Experimental inquiry-Students make observations, theorize about why something occurred, and participate in an experiment to test their hypothesis.
6. Decision making-Students develop possible answers or solutions, and analyze those solutions to determine which one is the best.

Each of these tasks which involve generating and testing hypotheses support the theory of constructionism by involving students in hands-on learning activities. Furthermore, technology allows teachers to develop engaging learning activities which reinforce the idea of generating and testing hypotheses. For example, there are webquests available for all subject areas. Some terrific history webquests pose questions, then require students to “investigate” and develop their own hypotheses about what happened, based on the facts collected during their internet investigation.

Many of these activities are ideal for partner or group work, which helps develop critical 21^st the century skills of collaboration and communication. And while some tasks do not necessitate technology use, technology can easily be incorporated in some way. As Orey (2001) stated, PowerPoint software is a tremendous tool that supports the theory of constructionism. Students can actively participate in learning by creating a PowerPoint presentation. This process can be tied to an activity which requires generating and testing hypotheses, such as problem solving. Students can examine possible solutions to a problem, and then present their possible solutions, along with explanations and multimedia, to their classmates in a PowerPoint presentation.

Constructionism encourages hands-on learning experiences for students. Constructionism “suggests that new ideas are most likely to be created when learners are actively engaged in building some type of external artifact that they can reflect upon and share with others” (Han & Bhattacharya, 2001). My experience with my students supports this—they are most excited about learning when they have the opportunity to actively participate and create a product. Therefore, I will continue to incorporate problem-based and project-based learning activities in my classroom.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Constructionist and constructivist learning theories. [DVD]. In Walden University: Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. Baltimore: Author.

Han, S., and Bhattacharya, K. (2001). Constructionism, Learning by Design, and Project Based Learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved November 24, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Technology Tools to Support Cognitivism

While behaviorism centers around the effects that outside influences have on learning, the cognitive learning theory focuses on the mental processes involved in learning information. Orey (2010) explained the information processing model as consisting of the receipt of information by the brain’s sensory registers, the movement of this information to short-term/working memory, and, if information is rehearsed enough, the retention of information in long-term memory. The dual coding hypothesis states that images (or even scents) are stored in the brain along with the word or concept itself. If we want our students to remember a concept, then it is beneficial to provide as many opportunities for connections to be made to that concept as possible.

As asserted by Pitler et al. (2007), “graphic representations serve as mnemonic devices that facilitate the classification, organization, storage, and recollection of information into and out of long-term memory.” There are many technologies available to help support cognition. Concept mapping has great potential to help students organize key information visually in an easily understandable manner. One particular example of concept mapping that I can use with my social studies students is a time-sequence pattern organizer. Microsoft Word has the option of using drawing tools to create such an organizer; my students can also search for clip art, insert it into their organizer, and explain the significance of each event included on it. I often have my students complete similar activities by hand, but using technology to complete the task will provide students with more options and easier access to information they can include a timeline. I can also have my students create cause and effect organizers using Microsoft Word. Cause and effect is a theme we discuss quite frequently. The visual component of a concept map would allow for greater understanding cause and effect relationships, and, consequently, better retention of information.

One of my favorite tools for making strong connections between my students and ancient history is a virtual field trip. Virtual field trips allow us to create episodic memories and rich experiences for our students (Laureate, 2010). These memories become part of a student’s network of connections relating to a particular topic, and help to serve as a basis for further learning about that topic. I incorporate virtual field trips as often as possible, and, just yesterday, took my class to visit the Great Wall of China. Since we had been learning about Ancient China for a couple of weeks and already discussed the Great Wall at length, visiting the Great Wall allowed students to make connections between what they saw and experienced and what they already knew. The discussions that took place as we “walked” along the Great Wall impressed me and showed me that students were able to recall information we had already discussed about the Great Wall of China. Now, when it comes time for them to tell me what they know about this topic, they will be more likely to recall the information discussed during our virtual field trip because they will have a strong episodic memory of it. Based on student feedback I have received, virtual field trips are one of the most effective tools we can use to engage our students in the learning process.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). Cogitive learning theory with Michael Orey. [DVD]. In Walden University: Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. Baltimore: Author.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Behaviorism: How Does it Relate to Technology?

The theory of behaviorism emphasizes that behaviors and knowledge are acquired through reinforced responses to behaviors, both positive (rewards) and negative (punishments) (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2008). Behaviorists believe that all behavior is a response to external incentives. When a person is given a reward, whether it is positive or negative, in correlation to a behavior, that behavior is likely to either be repeated or abandoned.

The instructional strategies of reinforcing effort and homework and practice both correlate to the core principles of behaviorism. Pitler et al. (2007) asserted that “reinforcing effort” enhances students’ understanding of the relationship between effort and achievement by addressing their attitudes and beliefs about learning.” Some students are intrinsically motivated; they consistently give their best effort. Many students, however, do not naturally understand the importance of effort, and therefore give little to no effort in relation to academics. In addition, they connect their lack of success with factors other than effort, such as a natural weakness in a particular subject area. Students can be taught the significance of effort, though, and technology provides teachers and students tools which easily illustrate the correlation between effort and success (Pitler et al., 2007).

One such tool is spreadsheet software, such as Microsoft Excel. The teacher can create a spreadsheet which allows students to track their effort. Categories addressed in the spreadsheet might include attention, participation, and homework completion. After assigning themselves scores in each area of the spreadsheet for a given week, they could then enter a test score for that particular week. At the end, they would see a correlation between their effort score and test score. If done on a weekly basis, however, this strategy would only work in classroom that gives weekly assessments. In my classroom, where assessments are not necessarily given weekly, this would not be a successful tool.  I could have students complete the spreadsheet after each chapter assessment, though. Another possibility for data collection is an online survey from a site such as Survey Monkey. Teachers can develop a survey based on an effort rubric, administer the survey, and analyze the results. These results can then be shared with students to emphasize the correlation between effort and achievement.

According to Pitler et al., (2007) the purpose of homework and practice is to “give students a chance to review and apply what they have learned.” Homework is meant to provide practice on a particular concept, and should reinforce desired skills. To be truly meaningful, teachers should provide feedback to students in a timely matter in order to address any mistakes students make while practicing a skill (Pitler et al., 2007). Technology can help make homework truly meaningful. One example that many might not automatically think of is Microsoft Word. Rather than using it simply as typing software, it can be used as a tool for research. Students can use Microsoft Word’s research tool to search for definitions and synonyms to provide support while completing an assignment.

Another tremendous benefit of technology is the ability to create multimedia products, since, as Pitler et al. (2007) explained, “multimedia homework is an opportunity to deepen understanding and gain proficiency.” One benefit that I have witnessed is the ability of multimedia technology to engage students and increase their excitement. In general, students enjoy utilizing technology to create multimedia presentations and are extremely creative in their use of technology. Finally, students can also use web technology for practice with important concepts. There are tremendous web resources available that reinforce content. One of my favorite web resources is BrainPOP, which includes movies on many of the social studies topics we study. Students enjoy viewing the videos, and have the option to take a quiz at the end to gauge their understanding of the topic. Homework does not mean using pencil and paper to complete a worksheet; there are so many possibilities that involve technology, yet still reinforce the content that students need to know. In the end, students not only practice concepts, but also become more proficient in 21^st century skills.

Resources

Lever-Duffy, J., & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical foundations (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Looking Back and Moving Forward

This has been the most beneficial course I have taken thus far for my master’s degree. I really appreciated the hands-on aspect of it and the fact that we were able to work with 21^st century technologies rather than simply reading and writing about them. Prior to this course, I had created a blog at one point that was used simply for posting homework. I enjoyed creating this blog for the purpose of this class, though, and learned more about using blogs for student use. I am eager to implement blogs in this way within my classroom, and plan to incorporate blogging into my classroom so that students can blog on their own, and also respond to their classmates’ blogs.

Prior to this course, I had no experience with podcasting and most likely would not have attempted to use it had it not been a requirement of this course. Creating my own podcast was one of the best learning experiences of this course. I learned that it is not overly complicated and if I can create a podcast, my students certainly can as well. This is another technology I will be using in the near future. I already have a number of ideas of ways I can incorporate podcasts into my lessons.

From the time I began teaching just four years ago up to today, my perspective has changed a great deal and I have continually tried to find ways to make my classroom more learner-centered. I have found new and better ways to implement cooperative learning. In addition, I have tried to improve my projects to promote further collaboration and communication amongst my students. I have also learned that allowing student choices in how they display their learning motivates them. Education is changing and the roles of teachers and students are evolving. As Richardson (2010) stated, “unlike the traditional student-teacher relationship, the student no longer just consumes the content provided by the teacher.” Again, learning must be centered on collaboration, and the incredible technologies now available to us make that more possible than ever before. I hope to now use my knowledge of 21^st century technologies such as wikis and podcasts to further engage my students.

One of the most beneficial discoveries I have made during this course is that there are tremendous internet resources available for educators. I found numerous blogs that have already led me to discover new social studies and technology resources that I may never have known about otherwise. The internet not only increases our access to content, but also to other teachers and other experts in our field (Richardson, 2010). Blogs are also terrific for garnering feedback from other educators not only from the United States, but across the world. In order to teach using blogs, podcasts, and other 21^st century technologies, I must learn to use theses technologies effectively and will continue to explore the many possibilities they offer I will also continue to take advantage of all professional development opportunities that come along so I remain abreast of new technologies and pedagogy.

I have high hopes for my classroom in the coming years in terms of technology. Technology is motivating and, as Thornburg (2010) asserted, can actually be fun for both teachers and students. My first goal is to establish a class blog to be utilized throughout the school year for discussions relating to the content we are studying. More specifically, for each unit or civilization we study, I will find current event articles, supplemental websites, etc., and post them to our classroom blog. Then, throughout the unit, students will explore these materials, post their reactions to them, and respond to one another. I feel strongly that this is a way to increase their interest in the content we cover and will promote higher level thinking. I continually find very interesting articles and websites that relate to our content, but have not yet found a successful way to share these with students. I have noticed that when I do share them, my students are extremely eager to discuss these topics. This will be a perfect opportunity to encourage discussion and collaboration and will also be simple to do. Students can access blogs either from school or home, so all students will be able to participate.

My second goal is to incorporate a 21^st century technology into each unit I teach throughout the year. For example, when we study China, students might be assigned the task of creating a podcast. During our study of Greece, students could use a wiki to collaborate with one another on a project. My students could even utilize blogging in a different way from what I described earlier—perhaps they could create a product, post it to our blog, and then provide feedback to one another via the blog. This is an important goal for me because it is realistic. Each unit lasts a few weeks, so I can easily incorporate at least one technology per unit. One difficulty I will face is lack of technology availability at my school. There simply are not enough computers for the very large number of students in my building. Most students have access to computers at home, but I will have to take in to consideration the fact that some students will have to work at school to complete an assignment involving a podcast, for example. I will begin slowly and work my way toward incorporating one of these technologies in each unit.

In reflecting back on the survey I took in week one of this course, my answers have not changed drastically yet. However, I am confident going forward that I will incorporate technology more often and will continue to learn more about the new technologies I explored during this course. Teachers need to become collaborators with each other and their students (Richardson, 2010). I am looking forward to using the new tools and ideas I acquired over the last seven weeks and am eager learn even more about 21^st century skills  to ensure that my classroom is a place where collaboration and communication via technology are commonplace.

References

Richardson W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms. (3rd. ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press

Thornburg, D. (2010). " Bringing the fun into teaching with technology". Laureate Education.

My First Podcast!

After some hard work and lots of learning about how to use Audacity throughout the past week, I finally created my first podcast. Check it out!

http://andrealemmer.podbean.com/

21st Century Skills and Our Students

I am very impressed with the Partnership for 21^st Century Skills website. It contains a wealth of information for educators interested in developing 21^st century skills in their students. One aspect that I really liked was that it described the significance of core subjects, such as English, math, and geography, along with interdisciplinary themes such as global awareness, civic literacy, and health literacy. In addition, the Partnership for 21^st Century Skills also emphasizes learning and thinking skills. This is an area I constantly try to address in my classroom. While I realize it is not specifically in the Ohio Academic Content Standards, I feel it is my responsibility as an educator to encourage the development of these skills in my students. These learning and thinking skills include critical thinking and problem solving, communication, and collaboration skills. While it is important for our students to know their content, it is also critical that they master 21^st century skills to ensure their success in the workplace as adults. In the workplace today, projects are more often done by teams; therefore, we must teach our students how to collaborate with and learn from others (Laureate, 2010). Creativity and collaboration will be key as our society progresses forward.

It was interesting to read through the expected competencies listed for particular grade levels. They are listed at 4^th, 8^th, and 12^th grade, so I focused my attention on 8^th grade because it is closest to the grade I teach (7^th). I agree that my students are competent and proficient in most of the skills listed. For example, a high majority of my students know how to properly use search engines to gather information on a given topic. They also are extremely proficient in presentation software, such as PowerPoint, along with being talented in publishing and multimedia creation.

I do not feel, however, that a majority of my students are proficient in the use of simulation software, nor do I feel that many of my students have experienced videoconferencing or interactive TV. While this is incorporated into 21^st Century Skills for 8^th graders, the reality is that many schools (including mine) do not have the necessary resources to provide students with truly proper training in these areas. In my school, we do as much as we can with the technology and time available to us. Therefore, while my students are proficient in most of the areas listed for 8^th graders, there are certainly areas we are not able to provide appropriate instruction in (for example, as mentioned earlier, videoconferencing).

So, what does this mean for me as a 7^th grade social studies teacher? It reinforces the fact that I must take advantage of every opportunity to prepare my students for the world they will enter in to. Twenty-first century skills are an absolute necessity, and while I may not have as much time or as many resources as I would like, in order to do what is best for my students I must provide them with opportunities to further develop these competencies. It might take collaboration with other teachers and administrators on my part, along with great creativity…but isn’t that what 21^st century skills are all about? My students must understand history but also be able to collaborate with others and display their knowledge in exciting and innovate ways.

References

Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (n.d.). Retrieved September 28, 2010 from http://www.p21.org/

Thornburg, D. (2010). "Skills for the 21st Century" [Video file]. Laureate Education. Unknown.

A Grade Level Blog--So Many Possibilites!

The ease with which I created this blog has showed me that a blog can easily be created for and implemented in my 7th grade social studies classroom. I already can envision blogging being a meaningful addition to my classes. I want to be sure to implement a classroom blog properly, and therefore will be "practicing" with this blog. As stated by Richardson (2010), "teachers should blog to show students that it is something of value and to model appropriate ways of doing it." I hope to be able to show my students the benefits of blogging through the use of my own classroom blog. On a basic level, a classroom blog would be a great place to post assignments and important class links; this is the best way to start (Richardson, 2010).

I teach in a large middle school. Each grade level is divided into three different teams of about 100-140 students (depending on the number of teachers). I work very closely with the other social studies teachers in my grade level, however, and we create projects and lessons together. As a department, I would like to set up a social studies blog containing videos, webquests, and other resources we all use. This would benefit the teachers, but also the students, as they would all have access to the same materials. It would be convenient for students who have been absent as well, as they would be able to visit the blog at their convenience to view videos or complete other activites they may have missed. While my eventual goal is to have a grade-level blog, I will start small and work towards this goal.

Blogging is a way we could allow our students to interact with students from other teams. I would like to see students from my class post their work (videos, PowerPoints, etc.) for students from the other teams to view and comment on. A grade level social studies blog could become a very interactive tool, with students commenting on other students' work and hopefully learning new things or looking at material in different ways. A social studies blog would encourage discussion and interaction amongst students, and also hopefully increase interest in social studies.

Before extending this to the entire grade, though, I will practice blogging with my students and hopefully begin by allowing them to respond to discussion questions, links, or videos. Once they are comfortable with this, smaller groups of students can then create their own posts relating to the topics we study. It will be very important for me to make my expectations clear to my students and spend time teaching them the process of blogging (Richardson, 2010). I am really looking forward to the possibilities that lie ahead with blogging and am excited to have my students become experienced social studies bloggers.

References

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin

Getting started...

I teach 7th grade social studies in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. In Ohio, the focus of 7th grade social studies is world history from 1000 B.C. to 1750 A.D. We focus heavily on geography and its impact on early cultures, along with the many contributions these ancient civilizations have made to the world we know today. We study Egypt, India, China, Greece, Rome, Islamic Empires, African Empires, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and Reformation, and Explorers. My goal is to help my students appreciate the uniqueness of each civilization we study and understand the relevance of these ancient civilizations to the world we live in. I want my students to be excited about and fascinated by history.

Technology plays a tremendous role in bringing history to life in my classroom. Through the use of interactive websites such as http://www.thebeijingguide.com/great_wall_of_china/index.html and http://www.vatican.va/various/cappelle/sistina_vr/index.html, history can be explored in a way that was not possible in the past. The excitement that I see in my students when technology allows them this type of connection to history is incredible, and I hope to continue to find ways to build their enthusiasm about world history. I feel I have only begun to explore the many ways in which this is possible and am eager to learn more about how I can continue to do different things with technology, rather than simply doing things differently.