I've recently been reading about the flipped classroom and its effectiveness in the classroom. There are a number of things that must be considered when deciding whether or not to implement the flipped classroom with your students. One study in particular, written by Gough, DeJong, Grundmeyer, and Baron (2017) looks at teachers' perceptions of the flipped classroom. The purpose of this research study was to identify teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the flipped classroom approach in the K-12 classroom. As noted by the researchers, there is a significant lack of research pertaining to the use of the flipped classroom approach in the K-12 classroom. The researchers utilized a survey and administered it to a total of forty-four teachers who utilize a flipped classroom approach. The findings of the study indicated that there were benefits to using this approach with regards to absent students or those who are struggling. Additionally, the results from this study indicated that students’ varying levels of accessibility to technology were a concern, with middle school teachers being more considered about this aspect than their colleagues teaching at the high school level. However, the flipped classroom did allow for learning activities to be more “transparent” to the parents. While the study also indicated that there was an increase in student and teacher interaction when the flipped classroom approach was employed, the study participants did not indicate that there was any improvement in the discipline of students. This study also indicated that, according to the teacher participants, that students did not necessarily prefer the flipped classroom approach to traditional learning, nor did they find that they were necessarily more responsible. At the conclusion of the article, the researchers offer three considerations with regards to teachers looking to implement a flipped classroom. First, teachers must assess what technology is available to their students outside of the classroom. Second, teachers and administrators must understand that a flipped classroom does not necessarily lead to an increase in student learning; however, it does allow for an increase of opportunities for active learning activities in the classroom. Lastly, teachers should recognize the benefits to using the flipped classroom approach to aid absent students and promote its use for those situations. I really enjoyed reading this study, and although it seems like a rather simple study in its design, I believe it provides the reader and other educators with a wealth of valuable information. The flipped classroom is still rather new to many educators. As educators, when we can share our experiences and what we have learned with other educators--particularly with regards to implementing new teaching strategies in the classroom--we can continue to improve our strategies and learning activities and provide our students with the best learning environment possible. One aspect of the article that I found particularly interesting was the short discussion regarding student accessibility to technology. In my experience, this is one of the most significant considerations with regards to whether or not the flipped classroom can be implemented. The article mentions that students could be provided with DVDs of lectures to watch for the flipped classroom. However, in my opinion, the flipped classroom can employ low- or no-tech options for those students who may not have access to certain technologies so that they can still experience the flipped classroom, because the goal of the flipped classroom is to allow for the class time to consist of learning activities, rather than direct instruction. This does not always have to happen by utilizing technology. With that being said, in your opinion, can the flipped classroom be utilized with low- or no-tech tools? How might you apply the flipped classroom approach utilizing only low- or no-tech tools? I'd love to hear from you! You can also check out the video below to see an example of what a flipped classroom looks like! Keep Calm & Teach On, @ms_romine Source:
Gough, E., DeJong, D., Grundmeyer, T., & Baron, M. (2017). K-12 teacher perceptions regarding the flipped classroom model for teaching and learning. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 45(3), 390–423.
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Canva is a web-based tool that allows you to create stunning graphics using any number of their free templates, or you can even create your own design! Canva is a tool that I use quite frequently--probably every day--to make any number of graphics, including weekly newsletters, Instagram graphics, and more! All you need to create a free account with Canva is an e-mail address, and that's it! Many of the templates and graphics are free to use with a basic account, although there are some options that cost money. Check out my screencast presentation below to see a short introduction to using Canva!
Here's a peek at an infographic that I created using Canva, too! The possibilities are endless!
Are there any creator tools or photo editing tools that you love? Bonus points if they're free or low-cost! Let me know in the comments! Keep Calm & Teach On, @ms_romine Technology has become a part of the culture in many classrooms; however, it's important that the technology is being utilized appropriately and responsibly for activities that help our students develop their 21st century skills as digital citizens. The International Society for Technology in Education, also known as ISTE, has established a set of standards for students to meet in the classroom with regards to educational technology. Similarly, many states have also adopted technology standards that their students must meet at each grade level. In Alabama, that set of standards is located in the course of study for Digital Literacy and Computer Science.
The Alabama Course of Study and the ISTE Standards for Students have many similarities, as the Alabama standards were based largely on the standards established by ISTE. However, there are still some differences between the two sets of standards. Check out the graphic organizer below to see in more detail some of the similarities and differences between the two sets of standards, Has your state adopted a set of technology standards? What are some similarities and differences between the ISTE standards, the Alabama standards, and your state's standards? I'd love to hear from you below! Keep Calm & Teach On, @ms_romine Symbaloo is a like a web-based bookmarks folder. The folders, called "webmixes." house your bookmarks, making it easy to access your favorite websites, no matter what device you are using! I really enjoy utilizing Symbaloo for this reason, as it is particularly useful when I frequently switch between using a desktop computer at work and my personal computer at home. With Symbaloo, all I have to do is set my webmix as my homepage on my web browser, and I have all the bookmarks that I need. In the classroom, it is great to use with students because it can be set as the homepage for each of their devices, and they don’t have to worry about forgetting to bookmark a page or remembering a URL.
I found some really great resources through simple Google searches and searches through existing Symbaloo webmix tiles. One resource in particular that I found through a Google search was “The Kid Should See This” (located under my Science & Social Studies webmix). It has hundreds of videos archived for kids in different categories, such as science and technology. The videos cover a wide variety of topics but are appropriate and engaging for students. Check out my different webmixes below, and share yours with me in the comments! Class Bookmarks Math Resources Reading Resources Language Resources Science & Social Studies Resources Keep Calm & Teach On, @ms_romine Have you ever wanted to travel to a far away place in a different country, a different state, or maybe even a different city? Have you ever wanted to take your class on a field trip to an ancient land, a rainforest, or even an aquarium, but you didn't have a way to do so? Then virtual field trips may be a great option for you to incorporate in to your class activities!
Virtual field trips "Virtual field trips allow learners to engage with and to learn about authentic artifacts and to explore places important to their discipline of study and consistent with their individual learning needs. During a virtual field trip students can be guided through museums, historical documents, national monuments and agencies or organizations specific to the course content. As mentioned on the Online Learning Consortium website, "virtual field trips allow learners to engage with and to learn about authentic artifacts and to explore places important to their discipline of study and consistent with their individual learning needs. During a virtual field trip students can be guided through museums, historical documents, national monuments and agencies or organizations specific to the course content." When searching for virtual field trip options, I came across Nature Works Everywhere. This site has a number of different options for field trips that deal with natural environments around the world. One thing in particular that I like about this website is that most all of the videos have teacher handouts and/or student handouts to go along with the videos. Some of the student handouts include items like graphic organizers that the students complete while watching the videos in order to help them remain engaged throughout the duration of the virtual field trip. I found this website through a simple Google search, and it caught my eye, as I'm always looking for ways to incorporate science standards in the classroom. With this type of virtual field trip, the students could view the video while having snack or before the end of the day, or you could even do a full classroom transformation turn your classroom into a rainforest or under the sea! The possibilities are really endless with this type of field trip. How might you incorporate virtual field trips in your classroom? I'd love to hear from you! Keep Calm & Teach On, @ms_romine
Copyright and Fair Use is an extremely important topic, but in my experience, it's one that not many individuals understand. In the presentation below, I discuss more about Copyright and Fair Use.
For this presentation, I used AdobeSpark, which is a free, web-based tool that you can use to create a variety of different presentations, graphics, and videos! I encourage you to create an account, and start creating! How might you use AdobeSpark in the classroom, or how could you teach your students about Copyright and Fair Use laws? I look forward to hearing from you below!
Keep Calm & Teach On, @ms_romine Video games in education? Are there actually any benefits? According to a research study conducted by Thierry Karsenti and Julien Bugmann (2017), yes, there are! In their action research study, Karsenti and Bugmann (2017) seek to explore the educational benefits of utilizing the popular video game, Minecraft, in the classroom. Before we dive in to the research study, let's learn more about what Minecraft is exactly for those who may be unfamiliar with the game. Now that we know more about what Minecraft is, let's talk about some of the benefits that were found in Karsenti and Bugmann's (2017) research study. This study was conducted in two schools in Canada, with 118 students in grades 3 through 6 participating. The researchers gathered data through the forms of surveys, individual and group interviews with students, teacher interviews, journals, direct observations, and student products. After collecting and analyzing the data, the researchers outlined a list of twenty-five benefits that were a result of Minecraft being utilized as an educational tool in the classrooms. Some of those benefits included “increased overall motivation toward school, . . . greater creativity, . . . improved reading skills, improved writing skills, . . . improved problem-solving skills, . . . development of math concepts, . . . improved social skills, . . . [and] improved inductive and deductive reasoning” (Karsenti & Bugmann, 2017, p. 178). However, the researchers did note that there were some obstacles to overcome in the utilization of Minecraft as an educational tool. Some of those obstacles faced included glitches in the technology, random disconnection of gaming devices, and students who did not have experience in playing the game previously. I have been fascinated with the prospect of using Minecraft to aid students in developing academic and 21st century skills in the classroom since I first heard the idea a couple years ago. While I have personally never played the game before, I do know that it remains an extremely popular game with students across various age and grade levels. I believe that any time educators can implement strategies and activities that their students find engaging and fun, that there will be an increase in positive effects in the students’ learning. Although I would need to study more about Minecraft and its functions and how to play, I think it would be a valuable and engaging tool to utilize in the classroom. Video games, like any other educational technology, should be a tool that is used in the classroom, not a replacement for instruction. As long as the game were to be used as a tool in the classroom, I can foresee the positive effects it could have on students’ academic learning, as well as in their development of 21st century skills, such critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaborating. The video below from Edutopia discusses some ways in which Minecraft can be used as an educational tool. How might you use or how are you currently utilizing Minecraft, or video games in general, as educational tools in the classroom? I'd love to hear from you below! Keep Calm & Teach On, @ms_romine Hello, everyone! My name is Lexie Romine, and I am a teacher, student, dreamer, and world changer. I currently work as the Pre-Employment Transition Services Coordinator for a non-profit agency in north Alabama. With this position, I go to different high schools in the area, and I teach transition classes for students in the special education programs. Some of the lessons I teach deal with social skills, workplace and job readiness, and self-advocacy. I love having the opportunity to visit different schools and meet and work with so many different students. Additionally, I am currently a graduate student at the University of North Alabama studying Collaborative (K-6) Education. As you may see from browsing previous blog posts, I have used this blog to share things and discuss topics that I have learned and studied throughout my previous college courses. I initially created this website and blog as part of an assignment in an educational technology course that I completed as part of my undergraduate program. When searching for host sites to house my class website and blog, I was initially drawn to Weebly because of its simplistic, yet comprehensive, design process, and--if we're being honest--the fact that it is free. Additionally, because of Weebly's website and blog design process, there is no knowledge of coding required. The design process is incredibly user-friendly and perfect for those who are new to or even well-versed in utilizing a classroom blog or website. All of these factors put together make it a great option for teachers and teacher candidates to share ideas they have and lessons they have learned with other educators around the world.
Outside of this college course, I hope to utilize this blog to share my own ideas and resources with other educators and stakeholders. I truly believe that sharing with other professionals is a vital aspect of ensuring our own professional growth, as well as continuing to provide the greatest educational opportunities to our students. Additionally, not only do I hope to share my own ideas, but I hope to share ideas and resources I have found from other professionals that I have found to be useful in my own teaching experiences. I hope you enjoy browsing my blog and classroom website. I look forward to changing the world together! Keep Calm & Teach On, @ms_romine In ED 307, we just completed an investigation into our assigned partnering pedagogy. My assigned pedagogy was action learning. According to the World Institute for Action Learning, "Action Learning is a process that involves a small group working on real problems, taking action, and learning as individuals, as a team, and as an organization. It helps organizations develop creative, flexible and successful strategies to pressing problems."
With action learning, the classroom teacher serves as a guide for the students, and the students are the problem solvers. While there are some potential obstacles to face with this approach, action learning is beneficial to students, as the process closely resembles the situations they will find themselves in when they leave school and enter the 21st century workplace. With action learning, students work towards developing the problem solving and critical thinking skills needed to be successful in the 21st century workplace. In this sense, with action learning, students are also responsible for their own learning. Today's students desire to see how what they are learning in the classroom can be applied to their world outside of school. Action learning allows students allow for authentic learning to take place and makes it easier to illustrate to students the relevancy of what they are learning in the classroom. Check out my video for a more in-depth look at action learning. Marc Prensky's book Teaching Digital Natives: Partnering for Real Learning discusses several key ideas when it comes to teaching in this new, digital age. Students are growing up in a society which is fast=paced and driven by technology. Many teachers are finding it difficult to keep up. In his book, Prensky suggests a new method of teaching and learning: partnering.
Partnering essentially has to deal with teachers and students forming a partnership for learning. Rather than following the traditional view of the teacher being the all-knowing authority figure in the classroom, their role now shifts to becoming a guide or a coach. The teacher asks questions to inspire students to discuss and discover information, rather than telling them what they should know. There were two key themes which I found to be very beneficial as I embark on my own journey towards becoming a teacher. The first is the idea to make learning real. Students desire authentic learning experiences. They want to know how what they are learning in the classroom today will affect them when they are out in the real world tomorrow. They want to see the real world application. When I begin teaching in the classroom, I will strive to ensure that my students know what makes the concepts and ideas that they are learning about real. The other theme I found beneficial is the idea of nouns versus verbs. Prensky goes into great detail in his text about thinking of technologies/tools and skills as nouns and verbs. The technologies are nouns; they are tools. The skills that the students are learning and developing are verbs. The tools should never replace the skills that the students are to be learning. Rather, they should be utilized in such a manner that it enhances the learning experience while the students and practicing and developing the skills. Overall, Prensky's book is one I would recommend to anyone working in the education field. Just as society is evolving, so should our teaching in order to meet the needs of our students. |
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