Throughout my teaching career in a partially urban district outside of Cleveland, Ohio, I have tried to inspire my students to achieve more by bringing my knowledge and passion for social studies into my classroom. History, however, is a topic that simply does not grab most 21st century learners. Today's students are accustomed to working with mobile devices, glancing at quick headlines, doing Internet-only research for projects, watching short YouTube videos, and reading and composing social media buzz. When today's tech-savvy students are presented with traditional textbooks, worksheets, and magazines that are older than they are, they quickly become disengaged learners. For this reason, I began a personal quest several years ago to "redefine" my instructional strategies, methods, and materials for modern learners.
The SAMR model of technology integration, developed by Ruben Puentedura, has four stages of how technology integration can affect teaching and learning: substitution augmentation, modification, and redefinition. With the SAMR model in mind, I have challenged myself, and many of my colleagues, to use technology in ways that redefine teaching and learning. Here is one example.
The War of 1812 Redefined
I recently had the considerable task of getting my 8th grade students excited to learn about America's forgotten war, the War of 1812. I began with a pre-assessment activity that used my Mimio Vote Classroom Assessment System. The system provides all of my students with a handheld device on which they are able to complete several different types of assessments. A gradebook program records student responses automatically and allows me to easily access data and item analysis. Using the voting system, I asked students five pre-assessment questions about the War of 1812. I controlled the pace of these questions as they appeared on my interactive white board. I used the questions not only to gauge student knowledge of the topic but also to preview the content and spark student interest. Although most students responded incorrectly to the questions, I could easily gather this data and use it to plan future lessons and differentiated activities.
Using the pre-assessment activity as a launch pad for inquiry, students next began working in small groups with an iPad to generate their own list of five questions to investigate about the War of 1812. I used the Mimio mobile app to push a blank document to each group's iPad. As students worked in groups, I could monitor each group's progress from my desktop. When the groups completed their lists of questions, the software enabled them to share their questions with the entire class, leading to even more discussion and questions. Throughout the unit, we were able to refer back to, refine, and resolve these student-generated questions.
At the end of the unit, I conducted a summative assessment using clickers. This time, the technology allowed students to engage in a self-paced summative exam covering all of the learning targets, as well as many of the student-created questions we had answered. My gradebook software automatically scored the student responses. I was then able to easily compare this summative data with the pre-assessment data I gathered to measure student growth at the end of the unit.
On the surface, technology has helped my classroom go paperless. (Check out our essential class website at www.mrgigliotti.com.) On a deeper level, technology has helped me and my students redefine teaching and learning. I no longer solely rely on my passion for history to muster student engagement. I use technology to create spaces for student collaboration and inquiry that lead to activities, assessments, and achievement.
Tips for Getting Started
This process is an ongoing journey, so don't expect overnight success. It can be messy. Consider this advice.
- Inventory the technology available in your classroom.
- Choose a topic within your curriculum. Plan a traditional lesson that's based on the topic's learning targets and standards.
- Choose an instructional technology that is available to you and your students. Brainstorm ways this technology can help enhance and transform how your students will learn about the topic beyond traditional means.
- Take time practicing the task you will ask students to perform.
- When necessary, teach your students how to use the technology. I always tell my students (and myself!) not to stress over mastering every device because sometimes technology can be frustrating.
- Often, students find the resolution to tech problems from their peers, so give students the opportunity to direct learning when integrating new educational technology in your classroom. As students teach each other how to use the technology, they will also be teaching one another about the content.
- Don't be afraid of the technology or give up. Online technology forums, YouTube tutorials, and teacher communities on social media are great resources for troubleshooting.