Due to COVID-19, Fargo Public Schools chose to transition to online learning. I continued to assist my cooperating teacher during online learning and engaged in weekly zoom meetings with the students. Although learning is not face to face, it makes my day to interact with the students. While I was student teaching, I did not have many opportunities to integrate technology into student learning. But I did use a computer, projector, and a document camera daily. Applications such as YouTube and Mind Yeti were also frequently used. Students used computers about three times a week and CDs were used about four times a week. I learned the importance of being prepared when technology is used during learning. Devices need to be charged and readily available and expectations need to be stated to ensure that technology is being used appropriately.
I had multiple experiences with technology during substitute teaching. I learned how to use technology quickly in an unfamiliar classroom. Students were often engaged with technology to support their learning throughout the school day. I learned how to monitor student devices during small group rotations as I worked with other students. I am glad I had the opportunity to substitute teach in classrooms that used technology as I did not get the chance to integrate technology into student learning as much as I had planned to during student teaching.
If face to face student teaching would have continued, I would have had more opportunities to integrate technology for student learning. For example, I would have had the students continue to practice their typing skills on typing.com, use the internet to research their heritage, type a formal letter to a family member, and much more. Altogether, technology is a growing component of today's classrooms. Technology enhances student learning by creating more opportunities to research, practice, and present what they create with a click of a button.
Snap Circuits
I was introduced to this snap circuit kit in STEM ED 160. Using the provided materials, I explored simple circuits, series circuits, and parallel circuits. This snap circuit kit would be an excellent manipulative to use while introducing electricity to students. In the classroom, I would challenge my students to create a circuit that would produce a lit light bulb using the 5-E Model. This process would engage the students and allow them to elaborate on their explanations. I would also have my students experiment to find classroom objects that are insulators (oppose the flow of electricity) and conductors (allow an electric current to flow). This snap circuit kit would be an effective way to include STEM in the classroom. This kit could be used before school, after school, during indoor recess, or as an option when students finish their work.
QR Code Cube
I learned how to create QR codes in EDUC 300. QR codes are an effective way to quickly access information. I created a QR code cube with direct links to winter-themed read-aloud YouTube videos. In the classroom, QR codes could be used to access read-alouds for listen to reading during daily 5 rotations, display journal questions or math problems, and provide links to extra work for early finishers. Students could also use QR codes to showcase what they created using technology.
