Technology: Personalized Learning

Jessica Ciolkosz

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota

Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs

EDUW 699 Independent Study

James Sauter

Summer 2018
 Targeted Descriptors from Wisconsin Teacher Standards

Wisconsin Teacher Standard (WTS) 4: Teachers know how to teach.

The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students’

development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.

Knowledge. The teacher knows how to enhance learning through the use of a wide variety of

materials as well as human and technological resources (e. g. computers, audio-visual technologies,

videotapes and discs, local experts, primary documents and artifacts, texts, reference books, literature, and

other print resources).

Dispositions. The teacher values flexibility and reciprocity in the teaching process as necessary

for adapting instruction to student responses, ideas, and needs.

Performances. The teacher uses multiple teaching and learning strategies to engage students in

active learning opportunities that promote the development of critical thinking, problem solving, and

performance capabilities and that help students assume responsibility for identifying and using learning

resources.
 Pre-assessments

Self-assessment of Instruction Related to WTS and Targeted Student Learning

Objectives

I would like to incorporate technology in the classroom to enhance different

learning strategies to engage my students in more active learning. By including technology, the

students can see themselves how variables can change, that vocabulary can be fun, and that

participating in class can be enjoyable for each and every student.

I have a limited use of technology right now in the classroom, so I took the

opportunity to attend a technology class during the summer. By attending the class, I hoped to

be able to experience more applications or web sites the high school students that I teach would

value or enjoy to enhance their learning.

I have my students for 43 minutes a day per class period. My classes include all learners

and I need to enhance their learning through the use of a wide variety of materials, including

computers. I need to be able to get through to all the students which is why I chose the

descriptor: “The teacher values flexibility and reciprocity in the teaching process as necessary for

adapting instruction to student responses, ideas, and needs.”

“The teacher uses multiple teaching and learning strategies to engage students in

active learning opportunities that promote the development of thinking, problem solving, and

performance capabilities and that help the students assume responsibility for identifying and

using learning resources.” I picked this descriptor to acknowledge the higher level of learning

that I would like to establish with my students by incorporating the technology. As teachers,

three-quarters of us decided that incorporating technology in the classroom had a positive impact

on learning. (Nagel, 7-11-18)

 Assessment of Student Performance Related to Standardized Expectations

Students have a difficult time understanding math concepts especially when there

are titles given to the area of study, examples of algebra, functions, and graphing particularly

come to mind. Typically 80% of the students understand 80% of the material taught. The other

20% are the students that struggle either with the concept itself or the idea of doing math.

Regardless, the necessity is there for the students to know the information which requires the

teacher to be fruitless and adventurous when trying to make the lessons so that all students can

learn the concepts.

Assessment of Learning Environment While Learning Targeted Objective

In a usual day of instruction, the students are actively taking notes and listening to

a lecture about the particular concept of the day. While writing down the notes, students are

really multitasking which makes it hard to learn. About 30% of the students are still writing

down part of the previous set of notes while another 45% are ready to continue. The remaining

25% are either still looking for the writing materials or are not taking notes at all. As much as

this could be considered engaging, the goal of teaching is to have everyone involved at all times.

Analysis Conclusion and Essential Question to Guide Research

I know by really looking over what I include with my instruction, I need to change my

ways. I am lead to the question which stems from the WTS 4: How will incorporating

technology in the classroom enhance student learning?

 Research Summary

This summer I attended a two day Technology Conference hosted by the Owen-Withee

High School (Artifact G). At the conference we were separated into two groups- middle/high

school and elementary school. If at any time we felt the other group work pertained more to our

desired outcome for the conference, we were able to go to the other group. I stayed in the high

school group and was glad I did. There were a couple ideas that proved to be helpful for my

classes that I would be teaching.

The first thing that was shown to the group was Thinglink. Thinglink is a site where the

teacher/student can upload a picture and attach informative tags to different parts of the picture

that might show importance to the learning. When the mouse hovers over the picture the tags

show up. When the tags are touched the information will appear. I did not have the time or the

technology to play with this site at the conference and honestly forgot about this amazing

website until I looked back in my notes. I decided to look into the site and play around a little. I

created a couple Thinglink family pictures. While tinkering with my family pictures, I wondered

how I could use Thinglink in my class. I decided that this website could be used by my students

as a study or review type activity. I could also use Thinglink as an assessment tool by sending

the same picture to all my students and ask them to label the “important pieces on the graph.” Of

course, this would have some trial and error included in the implementation side of things, but

with extra effort and determination to make the tool useful, it could certainly be a wonderful,

hands-on, out-of-the-box thinking type tool.

While I was tinkering, I thought of fellow teachers, especially the in the science

department, and how they could potentially use Thinglink. With enthusiasm, I decided to share

my information. The ease of this web tool makes the usefulness attractive to implement in class.
Right away, the two science teachers thought of a time they could possibly use Thinglink. One

of the teachers thought of using Thinglink while detailing the periodic table. The other was

going to try to use Thinglink while labeling the parts of the abdomen in Biology.

A popular topic at the conference was the use of the Google applications. I agree that

these can be useful tools, but am not one hundred percent convinced that this is the only way to

go. There are many pros- automatic saving, sharing, quick responses with Google Forms, ability

to make posters in Google Slides, and the ability to set up classrooms with information that can

be used over again. A couple cons to Google applications would be the time needed to set

everything up and the future usability for the students. Most every place that I talk with uses

Microsoft products which are not quite compatible with Google. Teaching and using the Google

applications are not a waste of time, they are useful. The future of the Google applications for

our students is just more uncertain.

While at the conference we were able to share information, particularly in the high school

group, that we already use in the classroom with the rest of the group. I shared the DESMOS

graphing utility (Artifact D). There are many options for DESMOS. The first being just the

graphing application itself. By opening DESMOS on the web, a person is able to input a

function without solving for y first and DESMOS will graph it! With most other graphing tools,

the y must be solved for in order to graph. Each line graphed in DESMOS will be graphed in a

different color. The color and the type of line can also be individually altered.

There is also a teacher/student side to DESMOS (Artifacts E and F respectively). I have

really gotten excited about this feature. Inside this part, there are some premade activities to help

the students explore different math ideas and concepts while “playing” in DESMOS. There are

polygraph, catch the stars, bundles, and other premade activities to use. While the students are
participating in the activity, the teacher can see what they are doing and how far they have gotten

in the activity. The teacher can also make the students famous scientists/mathematicians by

tapping the anonymize button on the teacher side. A nice feature especially when the teacher

would like to also participate in the activity. Then, the students do not get as nervous playing

against the teacher because they do not know who they are playing against. This site is free and

very good for all high school math grades. In order for the students to play, the teacher has to

select and activity and create a class code. The students then log in themselves and enter the

code. By those actions, the teacher can see what the students are working on and how they are

working.

Research Implications

My question to guide research is, “How will incorporating technology in the classroom

enhance student learning?

I learned there are many free resources that can benefit both student performance and

learning atmosphere. I can start with DESMOS as I am most familiar with that website. I can

also include the Thinglink as an extra in-class activity to see what the students are learning.

Research-based Action Plan

Action Plan Summary

1. Include DESMOS graphing applications when related to the concept.

2. Envision the students using the student DESMOS site in engaging math

vocabulary filled discussions.

3. Assess and improve lesson plan from assessing the envisioned delivery.

Targeted Student Learning Objective

 The Wisconsin DPI resource on Common Core State Standards for Mathematics

Guiding Principles for Teaching and Learning: Research, Probing, Questions, Resources, and

References number one: Every student has the right to learn; by incorporating the use of more

technology in the classroom each student should be able to learn and to their ability.

Post-assessments

Self-assessment of Instruction Related to WTS and Targeted Student Learning

Objectives

Incorporating the use of technology that I learned this summer and continue

learning will no doubt enhance the learning of each and every student in the class. The students

are willing to try new ways to learn the concepts that need to be taught and understood. If the

information can be presented in a number of different interactive ways, there is certain to be a

great amount of learning and energy happening in the classroom. Each student would be capable

of learning at their level and have a greater understanding of the material, while learning the

computer application or web site that ties the concept and the learning together.

Assessment of Student Performance Related to Standardized Expectations

Expectations

I anticipate the classroom becoming more interactive and a little less quiet. I expect

many questions not only in respect to the concept the students are trying to learn, but also with

the particular web site or application that is being used.

I envision struggle. Learning is not always easy, there will be frustration and joy. A lot

of emotion to work through while still being engaged in learning the desired concept.
 Comparison of Learning Environment While Learning Targeted Objective

Participation in the class should rise. Everyone should be working on the task at hand,

not necessarily at the same speed, but on the same concept. There will be a sharing of math

vocabulary to accomplish the given task. There should be an air of excitement, maybe some

frustration, but mostly eyes aglow with knowledge.

Reflection of Entire Learning Process

I am not confident in the area of technology myself. Opening up to the students honestly

not only teaches them that everyone can struggle at times, but perseverance always wins.

Showing enthusiasm about gaining knowledge and no matter what putting their needs first, will

make the teacher/student relationship that will promote the reciprocity in the teaching process

necessary for adapting instruction to the student responses, ideas, and needs.

I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to go to the conference. I learned about a

few ideas and web tools that I will try to incorporate in my classes as well as share to the other

teachers in the building. What a wonderful way to keep the network of learning available for all

teachers.

What worked or should work

1. Learning will happen because of the time put into the study of the

application/web site.

2. Time to teach the concept should shorten a little as the students are teaching

each other the vocabulary by using the words repeatedly.

3. Frustration on my part will lessen the more the application/web site is used.

What did not work or may not work

1. Not every students’ Chromebook will be charged and ready to go.

 2. The site itself may not work depending on the amount of students on the

Chromebooks at the same time throughout the school.

My next steps

1. Continue to try different uses of technology to incorporate in the classroom.

2. Make the time to better my understanding of the technology so that I can help the

students learn to their best ability.

 References

Nagel, D. (2010). Teaching with Technology in 2018. THE Journal. Retrieved

from http://thejournal.com/Articles/2018/07/11/Teaching-with-Technology-in-2018.aspx?p=1

Wisconsin Standards for Common Core Mathematics. Retrieved from

https://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/standards/pdf/common-core-math-standards.pdf
 Artifacts

Arifact A My Family

Arifact B Our Milk Truck

Arifact C Math Example

Arifact D DESMOS Graphing (try graphing x^2+y^2=4 copy & paste the equation)

Arifact E DESMOS (teacher side)

Arifact F DESMOS Student

Artifact G