Advocate for Education

  I choose kahoot because I thought it would be a fun and interactive game for my students. Also, since we are currently learning virtually my students have either access to a phone, tablet, or laptop. This gives them further practice with working with technology. This was effective because it’s a review of the exact quiz they will be taking. I would keep using kahoot as long as we are virtual because this is something that my students loved and it was effective.

  Individual learners play a central role in a technology-enhanced learning environment (Jonassen et al, 2008). The benefits of gaming increases overall motivation within the classroom. Students are more engaged and willing to participate in the lesson. They encourage one another and they can get a bit competitive. At the end of my unit for history class, I divide the students into two-three teams and they have to work together to find the answer. The challenge of gaming is that students might not understand the gaming process. For example, I played jeopardy as a review and it took some students a little longer to get the concept, which annoyed those who did. Roblyer & Hughes (2019) states that games may be inappropriate for children if they are not designed with a respectful outlook.   Reference Hughes, J., & Roblyer, M.D. (2019). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching: Transforming Learning Across Disciplines (8 ed.). New York City: Pearson. Jonassen, D. (Ed

  Professional organizations help guide you into the direction of your calling. It is an extra tool that you can use throughout your entire career. ISTE is specially designed to give educators a way to grow professionally. By joining ISTE, I would have access to perks like ideas on lesson plans,  Edtech  expert connections, and advancement opportunities within the field of education. There is a ton of information about professional learning networks, conferences, and  ebooks . As a newly beginning teacher, this organization can defiantly take the stress and anxiety I feel at times  when I prepare for my lessons.          

  Fortunately, being a special education teacher requires me to collect data on my students. I use teacher made test, parental input, other colleagues that teach the student, and curriculum-based assessments. I then use the assessments to integrate the area the student is struggling in and apply it to my lesson plans. So, far I have not taught my students how to collect and organize data. My students struggle with keeping record of their in school and community hours. They tend to forget to write them down when they come back from their job site. I think it would be a good idea for them to learn how to collect data because it would give them a chance to see what area they struggle in and it will teach them organizational skills. Often times students just hear the teacher state what area they need help in. According to (Ornstein et al, 2017) the hidden curriculum a term used by many critics of contemporary school is what students learn, other than academic content, from what they do or

      Teachers need to be ale to provide the right level of support for each individual student. Teachers need to adjust their teaching strategies to support the students learning needs. They can use scaffolding and cooperative learning when giving instruction on some task. According to (Spector et al, 2008) another reason to adapt content to learners relates to demographic and social cultural differences among students, which can affect learning outcomes and ultimately achievement. Summative and formative assessments are tools at our disposal we could use to show our students growth. I teach special education so I am not a fan of standardized test. However, standardized test is a way to guide teachers with helping the student achieve their goals. I gather feedback within my lessons. I use surveys/polls to engage my students. I use nearpod for active learning. I find the students will be more willing to share if we work as a whole group rather than working independently. Social l