PROJECT PLAN

INQUIRY MODULE
MADISON SUMAN 9-11-19

DESCRIPTION
As a future elementary education teacher, I want to become more
aware of new technologies that might be used in the classroom in
the future. I want to explore more technology like educational
gaming that could be integrated in the classroom.

SUBJECT AREA OF INTEREST

I believe that students get more out of learning when they are able
to do it in a fun way that interests them. This is why I would want
to explore more about educational gaming technology so that way I
can teach in a way that is fun for students.

IGNITED LABS TECHNOLOGY AREA (AI)

After reading an article about a boy with autism who made friends
with Siri, I gained a new perspective on “intelligent personal
assistant” devices. I have always seen all the negative sides to this
type of technology until I read this article. In this article, it talks
about how Siri taught the boy many things that humans aren’t able
to teach. Siri taught the boy patience when most people didn’t have
patience to give the boy. Siri also taught the boy social norms that
the boy never picked up on. After reading this, I can see how
intelligent personal assistant devices can be beneficial to the
classroom.

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/19/fashion/how-apples-siri-became-one-autistic-
boys-bff.html

For each prompt – provide 1 – 2 paragraphs on your research

experience using each technology.

1. How do you think this technology will (or will not)

change the way people learn within your subject area?
Intelligent personal assistant devices can be helpful in the
classroom when a student has a question and the teachers is
too busy at the moment to be able to help the student out.
The device could be used in these moments to help answer the
students’ questions. This device would be able to help even
more if it were to have a screen so that way the student can
watch as the device assists him or her with the question.
Another way the technology can be useful in the classroom is
by playing music. A lot of students are able to focus better
with calming music in the background.
2. What are some of the shortfalls of this technology
currently? What advancements (technologic or
otherwise) are needed for this technology to reach its
potential to transform the way we learn?
One major issue with using this type of technology in a
classroom would be that students would be able to get all the
answers from the device. Students would no longer have to
think for themselves if they could just walk two feet and ask
the device: “what is 57x62?”. If this type of technology starts
being used in classrooms, then there would have to be a lot of
restrictions on what the device would be able to answer.

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 Another issue that some people have with this type of
technology is that the device has to be listening at all times so
that way it can respond when you shout its name. A lot of
people feel uncomfortable because they feel like the device is
always listening in on every conversation. In order for this
device to be put in a classroom, this problem would either have
to be fixed or clarified to the public.
3. Describe how this technology might be utilized (for
good or bad) outside of its original intended purpose?
Do you foresee anything we should be wary of?
If this technology gets used in the right way, it will be good for
helping students understand educational content better and
would also help clarify any questions that students may have.
If it doesn’t get used in the right way, then students would be
able to cheat on all the tests and homework assignments just
by asking the device a simple question. One thing that people
need to be wary about is the fact that people believe that the
device can listen in at any point.

IGNITED LABS TECHNOLOGY AREA (XR)

I chose to look into virtual reality more because it is the most
popular type of extended reality in out society today. I have never
tried virtual reality before but it is something that interests me and I
would like to know more about it.

For each prompt – provide 1 – 2 paragraphs on your research

experience using each technology.

1. How do you think this technology will (or will not)

change the way people learn within your subject area?
Already there is a disconnect between children learning in
school because of the lack of student engagement. Virtual

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 reality devices will help students become more engaged in
class and will help students have a positive experience when it
comes to learning. By including virtual reality in the classroom,
students will be able to play educational games to learn new
things. Learning to children will be an experience like “The
Magic School Bus”. Virtual reality technology will be useful in
many ways. It can be used in a high school Drivers’ Education
class where students can learn how to drive without putting
themselves and the director in danger. This can also be
effectively used for topics such as science, where students can
have more of a hands-on experience learning such as mixing
chemicals in a chemistry lab or learning about space.
2. What are some of the shortfalls of this technology
currently? What advancements (technologic or
otherwise) are needed for this technology to reach its
potential to transform the way we learn?
Virtual reality could be hard to include in classrooms because
of the cost. As of now, virtual reality cost roughly $1,600;
however, the cost should be going down in the next couple
years. Another negative asset to this technology is the
deterioration in human connections. If students become too
involved with this technology and always has a head set on
them at all times, then they are missing out on making
connections with real people.

3. Describe how this technology might be utilized (for

good or bad) outside of its original intended purpose?
Do you foresee anything we should be wary of?
A useful way that virtual reality can be used is for kids who are
sick and can’t make it to school. This gives them a chance to
virtually be in the classroom learning without getting anyone
else sick. A couple things that schools need to be wary about

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 if this technology gets brought into schools, is user addiction to
the virtual world. Teachers and schools need to limit the
amount of time students spend on this technology to avoid
user addiction. Another issue that can occur with virtual reality
is the high energy of gamma rays. By using this technology
frequently, the gamma rays can cause problems such as
destroying living cells and creating gene mutations.

IGNITED LABS TECHNOLOGY AREA (IOT)

I chose to explore more about wifi because it is a type of technology
that we will always need. Most of the new technology coming out
will all need wifi to function.

For each prompt – provide 1 – 2 paragraphs on your research

experience using each technology.

1. How do you think this technology will (or will not)

change the way people learn within your subject area?
By using wifi in the classroom, it will provide students the
available tools needed to research educational topics. If
schools didn’t have wifi, then schools wouldn’t be able to have
all the educational resources that they have today.
Educational tools such as Moodle, Study Island, and Kahoot
wouldn’t be available to students if wifi wasn’t available.
2. What are some of the shortfalls of this technology
currently? What advancements (technologic or
otherwise) are needed for this technology to reach its
potential to transform the way we learn?
Since most technology we use is supported by wifi, it is very
important that the wifi works. Without wifi, teachers wouldn’t
be able to use their laptops to send out emails to parents, send
out grades, or access any educational sources. We are so

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 dependent on wifi that if it were to go out, we wouldn’t be able
to do everyday tasks. Unfortunately, it is common for the wifi
to go out. This can be caused by Weather, Power outages,
and a break in the circuit. Wifi needs to be improved by
getting better signals so that classes would be able to function
better.

3. Describe how this technology might be utilized (for

good or bad) outside of its original intended purpose?
Do you foresee anything we should be wary of?

After researching more about wifi, I found out that it can

impair brain functioning. Another issue that wifi can create is
insomnia. The radiation that is caused by wifi can significantly
affect sleep patterns. Schools need to be aware of this and
make sure this doesn’t become in issues in the schools.
Especially in the younger grades, students need to be getting
plenty of sleep in order to get a good education.

RESEARCH CONCLUSIONS
Although I think that all three of these technologies are very useful, I
would be very interested to see how well intelligent personal
assistants and virtual reality would work in a classroom setting. I
wouldn’t be surprised if these types of technology negatively impact
the classroom more than it positively impacts it. However, I think if
these types of technology can be used correctly in the classroom,
then it can transform the way students learn in classrooms
tremendously.

If these technologies get used appropriately, students will no longer

be bored in classrooms every day. Students will become excited to
go to school because of the fun ways that they will be able to learn

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in the classroom. Not only will students enjoy learning with these
technologies, they will be able to retain their knowledge better than
just memorizing words on a piece of paper.

PERSONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE

I have never tried virtual reality technologies before but through

researching more about it, I think that I would be able to learn
better by using it. I have never owned a “intelligent personal
assistant” device but I have used both Alexa and Google Home
several times at friend’s and family’s house. I think they are very
useful in a home and in a classroom setting. I think I would benefit
from this technology because you can look things up quicker on
these devices. Instead of spending more time trying to search
something up yourself, all you need to do is ask the device a
question and it will give you an answer within seconds. This could
be very useful when learning. Lastly, I have learned a lot about
dangers of wifi radiation from researching that topic. I know wifi is
needed for many devices in the classroom so if wifi isn’t available
then a lot of other technology won’t be available. This is why we
need to be cautious with the dangers of wifi.