Standard I

Artifacts

Google Document

Concept Map

WordPress Blogfolio

Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity

Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments.

Promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness.

Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources.

Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes.

Model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments.

Reflection

Many of the projects I completed in the MSIT program helped inspire me to integrate projects that would promote a more innovative approach to student learning. One approach that I had not used much before was collaborative learning between students. To access the linked projects, you can either click on the picture in the artifacts box on the left side or on the paragraph heading in the list below.

WordPress Blogfolio. When the students collaborate by the use of a blog, they can exercise their creativity by customizing their blog as well as exercise their point of view by posting on their blog sites and commenting on their peers' blog sites. By using a blog, students can be introduced to current technology that can help give them a different experience than what a regular classroom experience would offer them. I believe the standard has been met by engaging the students in a way that they can use the blog both inside and outside the classroom to learn more about their field of study or about life in general. I believe the standard has also been met by allowing the students to reflect on their previous or current learning experiences as well as what they plan to learn about in the future.

Concept Map. Sometimes students need a visual presentation of a concept. A concept map can be a fun, innovative way for students to explore a topic. Teachers can use them to unfold details about a topic. Students can build them to show research they have done on a particular person or topic. Media can be added to each point to add interest, and different designs can be chosen to show the creativity of the student. I believe this standard has been met by modeling creative thinking and inventiveness to the students.

Google Docs. Another collaborative tool that can be used is Google Docs. As long as students have a gmail account, they can have access to several useful collaborative tools. Google Docs allows users to be able to work on a document together at the same time, and the users do not have to be in the same location. Students can work on group projects with only needing access to the internet. Google Docs can be in the form of a text document, data worksheet, or slide presentation. All of these documents can be shared via Google Drive (an online document storage system). I believe this standard has been met by involving collaborative work through letting students work together on documents via Google docs.

Future Learning Goals

Standard I holds teachers to a high standard making sure that students are offered the opportunity to collaborate together and experience new innovation. In the future, I plan to use blogs in my classroom to let students show their personality and creativity. I can also use Google Docs for group projects in my classes. The concept maps can be used to give students an opportunity to show a research project instead of in the form of a paper. The concept map can also be used in the classroom to show different facts about a person or concept. In the future there may be other ways for students to use collaboration in learning, and I am excited to find other ways to incorporate it into my classes to inspire student learning.

Image courtesy of Wix