I really enjoyed being a part of an implementation plan at my school. We did not use any technology for science or social studies, plus the students were not engaged in the lessons. I really enjoyed learning about two technology platforms that I did not even know existed until this project, Makers Empire and Tinybop Schools. I thought the most positive aspect of this plan was learning the new platforms and seeing how the students went from zero engagement to complete engagement with science and social studies. I am very proud of our team because all of us, classroom teacher and three instructional aides, went out of our comfort zones to try something new with our students. We were able to collaborate and communicate more than we ever have this year. The students really enjoyed Makers Empire because they were able to create their own animal with the guidelines that we provided them with. The challenge that we did face was when we tried to have our students try Tinybop Schools independently. The students were becoming frustrated and we could see their engagement drop. However, we quickly thought about a whole group lesson, which really pulled the students back into our lesson. When we did Tinybop Schools as a whole group, the students were able to verbalize their thinking while using this platform. Overall, I really did not think we had too many challenges besides switching our one platform to a whole group lesson rather than independent work.
I love that I was able to learn more about my topic of incorporating more technology into our classroom. I believe that it is so important to have the technology because it allows students to have real-world experiences. I believe that if we choose to include/look into new platforms, we can use the same approach to implement different platforms with our students.
As a future Technology Leader/Change Agent, I realized that there is tons of planning that goes into an implementation plan. This was a simple new technology addition to our classroom, but it made me realize that we had to learn about these platforms, make sure they were going to support our students in more ways than one, if we needed to pay for them, etc. This project has given me a bigger appreciation for the role of Technology Leader/Change Agent.
One of the next steps that I need to take for my journey in the Technology Specialist Program is to complete two more courses with confidence and pride when I think about my dream job. I want to make sure I am continuing to pursue my passion of teaching students about technology and the importance of how teachers can utilize technology in their classrooms. One of the steps that I am nervous about is to take the Technology Content Exam. That being said, I know that if I focus on my passion for my dream career, I know that I will pass my exam!
