To fully understand the process of making an evaluation form for digital tools, I knew that I needed to go and talk to my school's Site Technology Coordinator (STC). When talking to her I learned that there is a process and evaluation form to use made by the district. Several of my questions reflect the questions from the district survey. However, my STC told me some other things that needed to be paid attention to when requesting the purchase of technolog resources and tools in our building. She said that security, the ability to use it throughout the school in multiple grade levels (getting our bang for our buck), and student data and growth evidence are really important, in our school's choice to use and/or purchase a program.
I feel like the evaluation form that I created really makes evaluators study a program, tool, or site very thoroughly before asking the school or district to purchase it. With the lack of funding and budget cuts in our schools, it is important that the money that school's spend is going to be reflected with student growth. I feel if teachers are interested in a program or are trying out a program they should be required to complete this form. The administrator should then decide if the information on this form reflects enough about the program, tool, or site to be purchased. I also think it would be really helpful if these completed evaluation forms were put on a data base for other educators to access. This could help educators to see feedback on a resource, and see how it aided to student achievement,
These forms help prevent waisted money in the budget, but also gives information about programs and resources that could help impact large amounts of student growth. As more feedback comes on different evaluations of forms, it can help other educators know what technology programs and resources have been beneficial and have shown positve impacts through data.
I have used numerous free resources in my classroom, without ever completing an evaluation form. However, after creating this form, I do see the importance in seeing how beneficial a resource is before using it. I also understand why there is a process in place to evaluate tools for purchase. WIth limited funds, concentrating on tech tools and resources that are known to best to reflect student growth must be a large concentration.
I feel like the evaluation form that I created really makes evaluators study a program, tool, or site very thoroughly before asking the school or district to purchase it. With the lack of funding and budget cuts in our schools, it is important that the money that school's spend is going to be reflected with student growth. I feel if teachers are interested in a program or are trying out a program they should be required to complete this form. The administrator should then decide if the information on this form reflects enough about the program, tool, or site to be purchased. I also think it would be really helpful if these completed evaluation forms were put on a data base for other educators to access. This could help educators to see feedback on a resource, and see how it aided to student achievement,
These forms help prevent waisted money in the budget, but also gives information about programs and resources that could help impact large amounts of student growth. As more feedback comes on different evaluations of forms, it can help other educators know what technology programs and resources have been beneficial and have shown positve impacts through data.
I have used numerous free resources in my classroom, without ever completing an evaluation form. However, after creating this form, I do see the importance in seeing how beneficial a resource is before using it. I also understand why there is a process in place to evaluate tools for purchase. WIth limited funds, concentrating on tech tools and resources that are known to best to reflect student growth must be a large concentration.
Module 17- Technology Toolbox
One new tool that I found was NewsELA. It is a great site that students can use to read news articles. The really great thing about this site is that it is a great source for differentiation. It gives students articles and text on their reading level. So students in one class could all be reading the same text, but it is on each individual reading level.
Another great resource that I found was UTEllStory. I really like this program because students can create their own stories. They can add music to their stories and make it their own. There are also stories already on the site that people have made. Students can follow along with these stories as someone reads it to them. This could help struggling readers learn from these texts.
This symbaloo toolbox is a great resource for me to use in my classroom. I could have my students use the resources in my toolbox to help them learn. This toolbox has also given me ideas of ways that students can use the levels of Blooms to show their learning. I try to find higher order thinking work quite often. This is a resource I can keep coming back to.
Another great resource that I found was UTEllStory. I really like this program because students can create their own stories. They can add music to their stories and make it their own. There are also stories already on the site that people have made. Students can follow along with these stories as someone reads it to them. This could help struggling readers learn from these texts.
This symbaloo toolbox is a great resource for me to use in my classroom. I could have my students use the resources in my toolbox to help them learn. This toolbox has also given me ideas of ways that students can use the levels of Blooms to show their learning. I try to find higher order thinking work quite often. This is a resource I can keep coming back to.
Module 18 - SAMR Lesson
I plan to use SAMR in my classroom to differentiate and integrate technology in my lessons. In my classroom we have 5 IPADS and one computer, so the assignments that are done with everyone on a technology device would need to be done in the computer lab at a scheduled time, but I could model it in our classroom as well ahead of time. I feel that the lesson below is very doable with first graders, and I think the technological knowledge they would learn from this lesson would be very beneficial! I feel like students would definitely be more engaged, with the feeling of a published piece through the process below. Therefore, I plan to start SAMR in my classroom with this lesson.
I plan to share the SAMR model with the other teachers in my building by sharing examples of SAMR lessons. I will show them research on how this model can improve student achievement. This information will be given in one of the staff meetings that I teach about technology in education. The feedback in my Technology Assessment, as well as conversations with others, let me know that the teachers in my building are very interested in learning new ways to deliver instruction through technology. I will use my lesson below as an example in the staff meeting training.
I plan to share the SAMR model with the other teachers in my building by sharing examples of SAMR lessons. I will show them research on how this model can improve student achievement. This information will be given in one of the staff meetings that I teach about technology in education. The feedback in my Technology Assessment, as well as conversations with others, let me know that the teachers in my building are very interested in learning new ways to deliver instruction through technology. I will use my lesson below as an example in the staff meeting training.