The Hi-Tech Teacher

  Do You See What I See?      It is imperative that the educational technology coordinator has a vision for the types of technology and how that technology will be used in their school system. It is also imperative that their vision is shared with all applicable stakeholders (Frazier and Hearington, 2017). Without an established and shared vision, technology cannot positively impact teaching and learning. Isn’t student learning the ultimate goal in education? “Technology coordinators are key players in fostering, supporting, and sustaining the use of technology for teaching and learning” (Frazier and Hearington, 2017, p. 32). Technology coordinators understand that technology provides both teachers and students with great resources, new opportunities for learning, as well as ways to collaborate and create (Jain, 2021). How Can Technology Improve Instruction?      Delivery of instruction can take place in a traditional face-to-face classroom setting, co...

 "The effectiveness of professional developers is directly related to how well they know the material they share" (Knight, 2018, p. 102) I believe this quote made by Jim Knight wholeheartedly. Personally, I trust and "buy-in" when instructional coaches seem to really know their stuff. When they have a solid understanding and confidence about instructional strategies, it makes me more willing to try new things. It's even better if they have personal experience using the strategy they are suggesting!  Instructional coaches must have both a broad variety of instructional strategies, but also a deep understand of each of them (Knight, 2018). The coach's toolbox of instructional strategies must be like a river, deep and wide.                                          Photo by Jack Anstey on Unsplash Instructional coaches can partner with teachers to help identify a goal that the...

What Is Instructional Coaching?      For me, the word "coach" calls to mind the image of a football coach. I guess that is because we live in the South where our football coaches are paid big bucks to produce winning teams. Sports coaches analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the individuals and the team as a whole in order to develop a plan of action that can be implemented to get that big win. Their playbooks contain both tried and true plays that have worked in the past. Coaches also develop new plays in response to how their team is performing. Instructional coaching is very much the same, but also has several differences.                                              Photo by Akash Rai on Unsplash      When I first began reading about the process of instructional coaching, I found it interesting to learn about the goals of an instru...

At the beginning of this class, I was a little confused about exactly what instructional design was. As I learned more about the concept of instructional design, I began to realize that as an elementary school teacher, I have been using instructional design all along. What is instructional design? Instructional design is " the systematic development of instructional specifications using learning and instructional theory to ensure the quality of instruction" (Brown & Green, 2020, p.7). The learning experience is specifically designed for the learner to acquire new information or how to perform a new skill. The key word that stands out in the definition is "systematic". When developing effective instruction, it must be done in a systematic process to yield quality results. The needs of the participants and the desired outcomes must be consider during the design process. In order to increase the effectiveness of the instruction, designers need to create opportuniti...

Lively Learning It's happened to all of us. You attend a professional development, and about a half hour into it both your brain and your bottom are asleep. Now imagine how an elementary student must be feeling in a similar situation. I think we can all agree that the traditional "sit and get" method of delivery is not very engaging for students of any age!  So, what can we do about it? Well, one idea is to use instructional strategies that encourage engagement with others. "Instructional strategies contribute to effective teaching and learning" (Thompson, 2017, p. 1199). What are instructional strategies? Instructional strategies are effective teaching practices that have a positive impact on learner achievement, and can be used with a variety of subjects (Brown & Green, 2020).  Nine "instructional strategies are proven through research to have a strong effect on student achievement" (Brown & Green, 2020, p. 148). identify similarities and dif...

 The InterACTIVE Class Let's take a trip back in time.     I want you to think back to the most boring class you have ever had. Was it in elementary school, high school, or college? What made it so boring?      For me, it was my 5th grade science class. I LOVED science, but I cannot remember anything we covered in that class. The reason why? My teacher had us independently read a lesson from our book and answer the questions at the end of each section. That was it...everyday!      I think we can all agree what I just described is NOT the most effective way to teach students! My teacher really should have read the book The Interactive Class by Joe and Kristen Merrill. The reason I was drawn to this book was because its description promised to help teachers use technology to make lessons more engaging for elementary students.       As a 3rd grade teacher, I struggle with finding appropriate ways to use technology other...

 Digital Argument in Social Media      I don't know about you, but I often feel weighed down by social media. Sometimes I have to force myself take a break from it. It's my own fault because I have chosen to take part. Honestly, I feel like it is a necessary evil. I know I am being a little harsh about social media, but it is because I believe so many people use it in what I consider a negative way. For example, let's think about a random Facebook post. Maybe it's a picture of your family enjoying a day at the pool. You might get some "likes" or a comment about how much fun your family must be having. Then it happens. Someone makes a comment that you and your family are being selfish and wasteful because there is a drought going on. What a waste of water!       I know this is a silly example, but similar situations happen like this all the time. I believe that as much as social media connects us, there is still that distance between users in the c...