Running Head: INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA RESOURCES 1

Integration of Technology and Media Resources

Jessica A. Moran

Regent University

In partial fulfillment of EFND 595 Field Experience/Student Teaching ePortfolio, Spring 2017
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Introduction

In the modern world, it is nearly impossible to go anywhere or do anything without

technology. People of all ages are not only using computers, but interactive smart phones, tablets,

televisions, home operating systems, and more, to simplify and streamline basic tasks. Schools

are not shying away from this reality as students rely on iPads, personal laptops, Interactive

White Boards (IWB), and other devices or applications as a springboard for education. However,

children should not be using these tools for meaningless activities, but to initiate, shape, and as a

mode of learning itself (Hillman, 2014). As an educator, I may certainly leverage the use of this

technology, but students are also users and so must also play a role (Hillman, 2014, p.170).

Thus, I must seek to [use] technology as one among several tools for providing good

instruction (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012, p.2). The following artifacts demonstrate platforms I

designed and incorporated for student use of technology and evidence of student operation of

devices within daily centers; this helped facilitate the personal development of their

understanding and overall learning per measures instated by the curriculum.

Rationale for Selection of Artifacts

The first artifact is an example of a math lesson plan from a three-week unit where the

students gathered and displayed data using tallies and graphs (SOL K.13/K.14, VDOE, 2009).

The attached pictures are from the same unit where the students recorded and visualized the data

independently on the Promethean Board using the highlighter, pen, and graphing tools

(Computer Technology SOL K-2.1, VDOE, 2012); students frequently used this strategy to

gather data. Thus, they could gain a sense of ownership over their vote, immediately apply their

knowledge of the data to record tally marks and create a graph, and finally to ask and answer

questions about the data. After each survey was completed, I placed a blank version in their
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centers folder for the Promethean Board. The students demonstrated excitement over each

addition and continued to use it during their time at centers to survey their classmates, gather,

and display their data.

Secondly, I selected photographs of how the students used technology daily in the

classroom, specifically iPads and the Promethean Board (Computer Technology SOL K-2.1

(VDOE, 2012); students had access to these devices and the computer daily during student

centers. iPads were utilized for students to independently select Language Arts applications in

the morning and Mathematics applications in the afternoon; examples included Little Writer,

Touch and Learn, Montessori Rhyme Time, Number Rack, Geoboard, and Undersea Math. This

allowed for the practice, remediation, and refinement of specific skills such as letter and sound

recognition, phonemic awareness, word and sentence segmentation, counting on and backwards,

shape recognition, and skip counting. The students would use time on the Promethean Board to

practice reading comprehension by rereading poems and stories used in class, sentence

composition, along with recently learned math skills or strategies such as placing objects in the

correct ordinal position (SOL K.3, VDOE, 2009). The computers were used for the program

Imagine Learning, an adaptive literacy program which uses games and interactive

lessons to develop language and literacy scores for Pre-K through sixth grade students (Imagine

Learning, Inc., 2017); the program automatically sends scores to the teacher. The students are

made aware of the scores to increase motivation and drive to move up and acquire the next

lesson. Overall, the students exhibited a high level of comfort with personal use of technology

and a desire to use it in making further connections to and improvements within their learning.

Reflection on Theory and Practice

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The above artifacts are indicative of how technology in schools has become a part of

educations daily rhythm. While its potential to increase student learning and achievement is

immense, this is true only if it is used appropriately (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 2000,

p.206). The devices and applications must be consistently modeled, used as intended to ensure

student safety, and the learning goalsclearly articulated beforehand (Pitler, Hubbell &

Kuhn, 2012, p. 3); this will result in a proper construction of meaning, evidence of learning, and

as a catalyst for student excitement (Schacter & Fagnano as cited in Pitler, Hubbell & Kuhn,

2012, p.3). Thus, the likelihood of transfer from school to non-school settings (Bransford,

Brown, & Cocking, 2000, p. 207) will rise as real-life connections are made. For this to be

implemented successfully, the technological resources must be regularly available, appropriately

differentiated, and frequently in use (Tomlinson, 2015). Developmentally, children become more

competent in society when they have ready access to what Bergin and Bergin term cultural

tools (2015, p.126), permitting learning to occur as an instinctive Piagetian constructiv[ist]

process (2015, p. 120). It is up to me to first ensure the lessons and strategies are designed with

the end in mind and around learning objectives, and secondly to identify which technology

would most appropriate[ly] support that lesson (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005; Pitler, Hubbell,

& Kuhn, 2012, p. 221).

In my future teaching, I anticipate asking myself how to effectively address the above in

accordance with the new needs of modern learners (Richardson, 2013) while maintaining a

fresh perspective and pedagogy. Rather than adhering to the familiar, I must intentionally seek

professional growth and development opportunities; this will keep me abreast of the latest

available technology platforms to better serve my students, school, and community. This

knowledge should be used and applied in a purposeful manner that connects students and myself
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to the real world beyond the days lesson (Tomlinson, 2015; Bransford, Brown, & Cocking,

2000). For this to occur, I must consider technology in the classroom a student-centered

extension (Prensky, 2013) of cognitive functions and an improvement to the efficiency of

education; this includes not only the real-time collection and analysis of student data and

development, but the resulting differentiation of student learning and potential for growth

(Tomlinson, 2015). I look forward to further opportunities for student-centered instruction

through technological advances. However, it is significant to be mindful, for as Paul writes, So,

whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31,

ESV). While technology presents an exciting time for the world and in education, it must

ultimately serve a greater purpose outside the classroom walls. As an educator, I aspire to meet

my students needs in providing a foundation for their use and application of technology toward

societys greater good, enabling them to become active citizens of the world and thus His

Kingdom.

References

Bergin, C.C. and Bergin, D.A. (2015). Child and Adolescent Development in Your Classroom
(2nd ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.
Bransford, J.D., Brown, A.L., & Cocking, R.R. (2000). Technology to support learning. In J.D.

Bransford, A.L. Brown & R.R. Cocking (Eds.), How people learn: brain, mind,

experience, and school (pp. 206-230). Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.

Imagine Learning, Inc. (2017). Imagine Learning. Imagine Learning Inc. Retrieved from

https://www.edsurge.com/product-reviews/imagine-learning
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Hillman, T. (2014). Finding space for student innovative practices with technology in the

classroom. Learning, Media, and Technology, 39(2), pp.169-183. Retrieved from http://0-

www.tandfonline.com.library.regent.edu/doi/pdf/10.1080/17439884.2013.803256

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E.R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using technology with classroom instruction that

works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Prensky, M. (March 2013). Our brains extended. Educational Leadership, 70(6), pp. 22-27.

Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-

leadership/mar13/vol70/num06/Our-Brains-Extended.aspx

Richardson, W. (March, 2013). Students first, not stuff. Educational Leadership, 70(6), pp.10-14.

Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-

leadership/mar13/vol70/num06/Students-First,-Not-Stuff.aspx

Schacter, J. & Fagnano, C. (1999). Does computer technology improve student learning and

achievement? How, when, and under what conditions? Journal of Educational

Computing Research, 20(4), pp. 329-343.

Tomlinson, C.A. (May 2015). One to grow on/mobile tech: great potential, great challenges.

Educational Leadership, 72(8), pp. 86-87. Retrieved from

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/may15/vol72/num08/Mobile-

Tech@-Great-Potential,-Great-Challenges.aspx

VDOE. (2012). Computer technology standards of learning for Virginias public schools, grades

k-2. Board of Education: Commonwealth of Virginia. Retrieved from

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/computer_technology/2012/stds_

comptech_k-2.pdf
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VDOE. (2009). Mathematics standards of learning: curriculum framework, kindergarten. Board

of Education: Commonwealth of Virginia. Retrieved from

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/frameworks/mathematics_framewks/2009/frame

wk_mathk.pdf