For this assignment, I had the opportunity to explore a wide variety of digital tools, choose one to create an assignment, and complete the assignment as if I was a student.
I have zero prior experience working with apps related to education, and no schools that I work with use any either, so I was excited to explore. I weighed many different options. The internet is full of suggestions for digital tools for classroom use. Open Education Resources Commons is just one of many helpful sites.
I considered some Google apps as well as Trello for some more realistic use in classrooms based on their practicality in the type of work that I do (adult learners in maritime education). However, I am already familiar with these and wanted to try something new. I have heard a lot about Seesaw before, so I settled on working what that. I developed a small part of an assignment that asked students to draw, write, talk, etc to mark up an image with good and bad examples of safe work practices.
You can find the link to the assignment here.
I completed the assignment as if I were a student:
And I completed a Triple E App evaluation rubric for the web-based tool:
While I am glad I tried using something new, I do think Seesaw feels a bit juvenile for an adult learning environment. I could have developed something a little bit more age appropriate, such as flashcards, definition matching, etc. I also think choosing Google apps or Trello would have been safe choices because I know how to use them, and they would have scored higher in the Triple E evaluation. I probably wouldn’t have learned as much though.
Edutopia had an interesting article that showed many different ways to use Google in the classroom. The options are endless! CurrikiStudio also piqued my interest, as there seemed to be a lot of possible ways to utilize it in the classroom. However, I was admittedly intimidated opening up a new canvas to start something from scratch with no prior training.
All in all, I enjoyed exploring all of the different applications shared in the various resources. I appreciate that my level of awareness of certain applications (i.e., Adobe, Canva, Google, YouTube) expands when I see different examples or templates that other teachers or the apps themselves shared to demonstrate the capabilities.
On a larger scale, I can see the benefits of some applications that include nearly an entire course within an application. Exploring these apps and their practicality within the courses and classrooms I work with is an exciting new development in my understanding of curriculum development and technology’s role in learning.
ISTE Standards for Educators
- 2.4.b Learn Alongside Students: Collaborate and co-learn with students to discover and use new digital resources, and diagnose and troubleshoot technology issues.
- 2.6.b Foster Classroom Management of Tech: Manage the use of technology and student learning strategies in digital platforms, virtual environments, hands-on makerspaces and in the field.
- 2.6.d Model and Nurture Creativity: Model and nurture creativity and creative expression to communicate ideas, knowledge or connections.
ISTE Standards for Students
- 1.1.d Technology Fundamentals: Students understand fundamental concepts of how technology works, demonstrate the ability to choose and use current technologies effectively, and are adept at thoughtfully exploring emerging technologies.
- 1.6.d Customize the Message: Students publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences.
Resources
- Davis, V. (2012, December 13). 12 awesome edtech apps. Edutopia. Retrieved October 16, 2024, from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/12-awesome-edtech-apps-vicki-davis
- OER Commons. (n.d.). OER Commons. Retrieved October 16, 2024, from https://oercommons.org/