My 21st Century Classroom...

I think the most important thing to think about when designing a digital classroom is creating ways to make collaboration happen. Collaboration in a classroom where students are seated alone and not able to communicate easily is obviously not going to work. So when I thought about designing my 21st century classroom, I imagined places where students can work together to create new things. I think working in groups is incredibly important. Having the desks in pods would be a great way to fulfill the need for collaboration. Another thing I think is important is to have other seating (bean bag chairs, carpet areas, moveable chairs, places to hide out) to create a moveable and cozy classroom. Students should be able to move around the classroom and still be productive.

Along with collaboration accessibility, the main things I thought about in my classroom, is opportunities to create. By this I mean, that students should have access to a variety of tools in the classroom to create meaningful learning experiences. I hope to have chromebooks for each student to use in the classroom and at home. I think this would make learning more accessible and allow for students to become familiar with having their own device. With the chromebooks, I would find a projector and reliable internet access necessary in my classroom. One thing that I did not find necessary was an interactive whiteboard. I do not have a lot of experience with interactive whiteboards but from what I seen, they are not necessary in a classroom. Maybe as I learn more about interactive whiteboard my opinion might change. As I learn and grow as an educator my vision of a 21st century classroom will also grow.

*I created a prezi presentation about my 21st century classroom. Check it out here! 

Tech Review #1

The tool I decided to review is the ReadWriteThink timeline tool. The tool can be located by clicking on this link: ReadWriteThink timeline tool. The tool’s purpose is to create a digital timeline. This is a free online tool that you can access through any kind of internet browser. I like this timeline tool because you can easily save your work. It is very easy to use and you don’t have to make an account to use it. Students can download their final work and share with the teacher as well. To use this tool you simply enter your name and the project title to get started. Once you have done this, you are able to start creating your timeline. To create a “date” you simply click on the timeline and add in the information you want in the box provided. You can also add in photos if you would like. If you want to delete something you can just drag it up to the trash can on the upper left corner. This online timeline tool is fairly easy to use and very kid friendly. The other online timeline tools I looked at were too detailed and students would have to create an account to create one. This tool could be used for things other than timelines as well.

Substitution: This tool could easily replace a simple written timeline. The students could easily create their own timeline about a historic event. For example, if the students were asked to create a timeline on the revolutionary war, they could easily substitute creating a timeline on paper to a digital timeline.  

Modification: Instead of using this tool to create a standard timeline, they could create a storyboard on a book they have read. This lesson could be used in a 3rd grade and beyond classroom. For example, if we were reading story as a whole class, the students could create a storyboard of what happened in the book. They then could share their timelines with other students. Each students timelines would look different because it would be up to the students to include what they thought was important to include in the timeline.

Redefinition: This tool could be used to create a timeline of the seasons of the year. This lesson could be used in a 1st grade classroom. We then could compare the timelines to other classes timeline who lives in another state who has different seasons and weather as us in Iowa. I think it would be really cool to compare seasons with people who are close and far away, far away meaning, out of country! I think this tool could be used to even compare different cultural norms, such as eating times and what we eat.

ISTE Standards for Students

My first impressions of the new ISTE standards were that they were a lot more detailed. Once I started reading the standards I caught myself shaking my head in approval. In class, when we were doing the activity were we had to compare the two ISTE standards, I found myself liking the new standards more and more. The old ISTE standards seemed out of date and focused on only using technology and not growing as a person. I think the new ISTE standards really make it a point that the students should use technology not just for their purposes but to use technology to allow your student to grow, learn, and become a better citizen. I think the new ISTE standards are also more relevant to working on skills that the students will use in the real world. As a future teacher I I would prefer to use the new ISTE standards because they are easier to understand and they are much more detailed. I also really like what the new standards focus on and I believe they are much more relevant for students today. Below are my ratings of the new ISTE standards.

1. Empowered Learner ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• I gave this standard a five start rating because I think this standard does a great job at allowing the students to be in charge of their learning. I think it is great that the students would be almost in charge of their own learning goals and using digital tools to reflect, plan, and meet those goals. One recommendation I have is to maybe have the students become a leader in someway. Maybe the students must present what they have learned and teach some else how to do something.
2. Knowledge Constructor ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• This standard is very similar to the old ISTE standard number three. I think this standard is important to include because students will be gathering information from digital tools very frequently. I gave this standard a four star rating because it is so similar to the old ISTE standard. I was hoping to find something more in the new ISTE standards. One recommendation I have is to create a standard that focuses on citing sources and giving credit when needed.
3. Innovative Designer/maker ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• I really like this standard because it focuses on using the technology beyond its original purpose. The students are focusing on creating, inventing, and utilizing digital tools. I really like the last standard because it focuses on perseverance and working through failure. This is an important skill in all subject areas and in life in general. One recommendation I have is to create a standard that has the students reflect on their journey of creating or inventing. 
4. Computational Thinker ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• I gave this standard a rating of four because it is a good standard. I think having the students learn how to solve a problem with digital tools is very important. In their generation, their world revolves around technology and it's important for them to be able to solve authentic problems with the use of digital tools. One recommendation I have for this standard is for it to get rid of the second standard (b). This standard is already addressed under the knowledge constructor standards. The only part that is different is that they are finding patterns within the data. So maybe create a standard that focuses just on finding patterns. 
5. Creative communicator/Creative learner/Creator and communicator ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• First, they should really decide on a name for this standard. I think they should pick Creative communicator. I like this standard because it focuses on the students expressing ideas through digital tools. Digital tools allow for creative ideas to come to life. One recommendation I have is to create a standard that focuses on reflecting and learning from their experiences. 
6. Global Collaborator ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• I think this standard is great. I love that it focuses not only collaborating but it focuses on solving issues and looking at the multiple viewpoints of other people. Learning how to be a team and sharing work equally is hard so I like that this standard focuses on that. I also really like that it has a standard just about learning and collaborating with others globally to understand their culture. One recommendation I have is to change the name. I don't like that is Global Collaborator because this standard does not just focus on collaborating globally. Maybe change it to something like Collaboratively Learning or Collaborative Learner 
7. Digital Citizen ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• I like this standard because it is extremely relevant to students. Students need to understand the rules of technology. I think one recommendation I have for this standard is to create a standard that focuses on students realizing and reflecting on the positive and negative effects of technology. 

I like... the detail of each standard and what the standards stand for.

I wish... that some of the standards had ideas related to reflection. 

I wonder... how other teachers are implementing these standards into the classroom. 

SAMR...

The SAMR model does a great job at simplifying what level your teaching is at. As a teacher I think it is important to “teach above the line” when teaching. I think it is important that if you are going to use technology, that you use it in a way that is meaningful and purposeful. Realistically, you are not always going to “teach above the line” but it is important that you are using technology in a meaningful way. I like the SAMR model because it allows for teachers to evaluate their teaching and see which level they are at. They can then reflect about their lesson and think of ways to make it better. The SAMR model doesn't want you to choose your technology first but it shows that your technology should be used in a new and meaningful way. It is related to the Grounded Integration approach because you are not creating a lesson plan around a technology, instead you are choosing a technology that  will help guide your students to a better understanding.

I evaluated the Arizona Technology Integration Matrix (TIM). I thought this model was very detailed and had the same idea as the SAMR model. I like that this model provided two lesson plans in each cell to show you what a lesson would look like at that level. I think the biggest differences is that the TIM model did provided those lesson plans which allowed for teachers to see the model in effect. In my opinion, the SAMR model is easier to understand and to use. For me, when I am lesson planning I think I would use the SAMR model to see where my lesson is at and then see how I can improve it. These frameworks both have one goal in common. They are trying to get to that center piece of the TPACK model. These models are trying to help guide teachers to successfully achieve the TPACK model.