INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA RESOURCES

Ashlee Dillingham

UED 496 Field Experience/E-Portfolio

Integration of Technology and Media Resources Rationale

Regent University
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Introduction

The integration of technology and media resources within the classroom environment is

becoming more prevalent as advancements continue to develop. It is becoming more apparent

that utilizing technology in the classroom can produce positive outcomes on the academic

growth of each student. Reports have found that “The ability to use technology within a school

or class environment engages students in active learning and establishes a foundation for the

development of independent learning” (Skinner, 2015). Technological use for instruction and

classroom organization and student learning can assist students in grasping a better conceptual

understanding of the subject matter and whole or small group lessons. Online resources that

foster student growth and provide each child with a high-quality education while maintaining

engagement can produce effective comprehension.

Rationale and Selected Artifacts

Artifact One

I chose the interactive Kahoot activity integrated into a Social Studies lesson as my first

artifact. As the students learned about the innovative lifestyles and culture of America’s earliest

inhabitants, I noticed that some students exhibited a sense of confusion with noting

characteristics of the three main Indian tribes. I utilized Kahoot as a means of effective

technology to encourage and enhance comprehension of the subjects while keeping the students

engaged in an enjoyable learning activity. This activity was ideal for educating students as

“digital games provide the most far-reaching influence across different types of student

engagement” (Schindler, 2017). The Kahoot interactive quiz game consisted of five questions

that were directly related to the notes the students had recorded beforehand, as well as the

mental notes they had recalled from prior knowledge of previous American Indian lessons. Each

question was worded and formatted in the manner in which students would see on standardized

tests. The students were given ample time to answer one question at a time and view the correct

answer once the timer ran out. As I analyzed the answers my students chose, whether correct or
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incorrect, I utilized the time to break down each answer by asking students why they chose

them. Together, we reviewed incorrect answer choices and described reasons why they were not

the best fit for what the question asked. The Kahoot activity I created and conducted verifies the

utilization of technology, in a simplistic manner, as a means for assessing overall

comprehension and reviewing imperative information students will see again.

Article Two

The second artifact I chose was an ‘Adjective Candy Bowl Sort’ I created as an entrance

ticket quiz for morning work. Over the course of my initial evaluations and my teaching, I

noticed that a large majority of my students experienced difficulty with recognizing the different

parts of speech, two of which were most notably adjectives and adverbs. The adjective sorting

activity was created in Google Slides as a practical tool to assess students on their knowledge of

common adjectives they may have seen and heard before. The students were to drag the candy

that has an adjective inside of it into the bowl and leave the other words, some of which were

nouns or adverbs, outside of the bowl. We would review on the SmartBoard which words would

correctly be placed in the bowl to understand why the term is called an adjective as well as what

an adjective does. I used this source of technology to assist my students in an overall

understanding through an interactive informal assessment.

Reflection on Theory and Practice

Technology-integrated education has become an imperative part of effective learning,

and I have learned a plethora of ways to utilize technology to my students’ academic benefits.

For my students who are better apt in learning through technology and can comprehend concepts

that arise in online assessments, the technology integration assists greatly in their overall

academic success. It also provides them with an opportunity to acquire information in a less

traditional manner, which can be beneficial to some of my students. Because a large portion of

learning is assisted with technology, such as the use of Chromebooks or the Schoology and
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Achieve3000 applications, I have a better understanding as to how effective the resources can

be for each child’s academic success, especially when the resources are used in an engaging, yet

educational way. The creation of the Kahoot activity as well as the Adjective Candy bowl Sort

demonstrates mastery of technological integration by providing a means of effective assessment

through interactive engagement and online enrichment. Based on the insight and experience I am

gaining so far; I undoubtedly plan to utilize the Kahoot online quiz game as well as the idea of

creating an interactive sort in my future classroom.

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References

Liberty University. (2015, September 28). Embracing technology in today's

classrooms. Liberty Journal. https://www.liberty.edu/journal/article/embracing-technology-

in-todays classrooms/

Schindler, L. A. (2017, October 2). Computer-Based Technology and Student

Engagement: A Critical Review of the Literature. International Journal of Educational

Technology in Higher Education.

https://educationaltechnologyjournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s41239-017- 0063-0