My Teaching Style

 As a pre-service teacher, I do not have my own classroom, so my teaching style is still developing. I do believe that I have a learner centered style of teaching. At this point, I am particularly interested in the principles of Universal Design. I want to be able to adapt my teaching style, lesson plans and communication techniques to be able to reach each student, whether the student is gifted or has a specific learning or developmental need. I believe that Web 2.0 tools can help me to incorporate the principles of Universal Design into my classroom, and I hope to learn more about how to successfully integrate these ideas into my classroom as I continue my studies at OU.

What is one way in which you grew as an educator from this class and how will you continue it?

     I grew in many ways by taking this class. My confidence in my ability to use Web 2.0 tools in the classroom, and in general, greatly increased. I used to think that technology in the classroom was really only needed for a pre-service teacher who was hoping to become a computer/technology teacher. My views have COMPLETELY CHANGED. I know understand how valuable technology is for all teachers and that it is indeed necessary for ALL pre-service teachers to know how to integrate it into their classrooms. I believe that using Web 2.0 tools will help me as a pre-k teacher to excite my students about learning, and to reach them using a medium that they enjoy and are comfortable using. I also feel that it will enable me to better communicate with the parents of the students in my future classroom, and I fully intend on creating a comprehensive class web site that I will update regularly. In addition,l I firmly believe that these tools will help me to reach students in my classroom who may have exceptionalities. I can customize lesson plans and use them to help those who are struggling, as well as provide activities for those who are finish their work early. I find these Web 2.0 tools exciting and am glad I had the opportunity to learn to use them.

What did you learn about your teaching style in the OR project?

Did you learn about your teaching style in the OR project? - Discuss your teaching strengths and weaknesses from this on blog.


I learned from the OR project that I can be too detail oriented in my teaching style. In my efforts to try and cover as many issues as I could related to the Educreations app, I may have lost the interest of my students. When I am a teacher, I will need to remember this and not cause my students to be overloaded with details. I need to work on teaching the most important facets of a topic first- and make sure that those points are understood before losing the attention of the students with too many details.

Professional Development Goal

Design and Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences and Assessments

a. Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity.

  I would like to learn how to evaluate educational technology. I wish to effectively infuse lesson plans with technology, such as I-Books, I-Movies and educational apps. In doing so, I want to be certain that the inclusion of technology is purposeful and enriching. I do not want to use technology just to appear knowledgeable and tech savvy.

·     Skills I already have in this category.

      Through my studies at the University of Oklahoma over the last two years, I have learned how to create a basic lesson plan for a child in grades pre-k through 3. I am able to evaluate basic lesson plans that utilize traditional teaching mediums.

·     Issues in my classroom or daily work or my general skills as a teacher that relate to this             category (i.e. why do I need skills in this area.)

I need to be able to include technology in my lesson plans to inspire and excite young learners and to reach them in a medium that they are comfortable with and enjoy using. I am comfortable researching traditional lesson plans and worksheets. However, I do not yet know how to evaluate educational apps/games, etc. I also do not know of any web sites for teachers of young students that offer and/or assist in the evaluation of technology rich instruction.

·     Short- term professional development plans to address the needs. (Include a due date or time line for addressing the concern.)

      During the Summer of 2013 I will locate four web sites that offer ideas to teachers of pre-k and kindergarten students on how to evaluate lesson plans with technology. I will also find a book to read that provides guidance in this area.

·     Long- term professional development to address these needs. (Include a due date or timeline for addressing the concern.)

      During the Fall of 2013 and the Spring of 2014 I will identify five lesson plans that I would like to use in my future classroom. I will modify them so that they are technology rich and provide meaningful learning outcomes.

·     Self-Assessment or goal – How will you measure that you successfully achieved a goal.

      I will know I am successful in learning how to create effective, technology infused lessons for young students after I have created and tested at least five lesson plans incorporating different media.

Under Age Children and Social Networking

     This article was very eye opening for me both as a pre-service teacher, and as a parent. According to the the study,  children are joining social networks as early as the age of nine. I think that social networking services are totally inappropriate for any minors under the age of 13. I do not feel that children this young are capable of understanding the risks associated with this type of online activity. They are not fully aware of online predators and other nefarious individuals who may try to target them for identity theft, etc. I also think that social networking at such a young age could set the stage for online bullying amongst an even younger set of kids. Children at this young age cannot possibly comprehend the idea of an online footprint. You can try to explain it to them, but they may be unable to fully grasp the idea that anything they write or do online will follow them for the rest of their lives.
     I am not trying to say that technology or the web is inappropriate for children. As we have learned in our class, there are many tools that can help deepen children's learning and provide meaningful outcomes. Facebook is not one of them.
     I also agree that teachers need to work with children (especially young teenagers) about how to guard your privacy on the Internet and to help them understand the repercussions of  inappropriate online activity. Parents also need to become aware of their children's use of the Internet. They should monitor children's activity closely while the children are using the Internet. Allowing your children to browse the web with no parental guidance/monitoring is neglectful and inviting trouble.

Ertmer &Leftwich Article - Teacher Technology Change

     I found this article to be very applicable to the challenges facing educators today. Whether you have been teaching for many years, or are still seeking certification, learning to use technology to meet the needs of today's learners is a challenging goal. There are many factors influencing a teacher's successful integration of technology into the classroom. These factors include the teacher's beliefs of his or her own knowledge of technology, and the culture within the school and community. Self-efficacy plays a large role in the willingness of a teacher to use incorporate technology into the classroom. If the teacher does not feel confident in in or her own ability to use technology, then it is less likely that the technology will be used.

     Unfortunately, I can honestly relate to this issue. In the past I have been uncertain of my own capabilities using technology. However, I was able to learn to use all of the software I used in the corporate world for 14 years because I had no choice. Since I used it for 9 hours each day I became familiar with it quickly. Software was added and removed, and new systems were put in place with no employee input on a very frequent basis. Employees often had no training. It was sink or swim. The culture of my workplace forced me to adapt fast and embrace the change with a smile. Teachers have more freedom in what they choose to use in their classrooms, and may not be motivated to adapt quickly.

Taking this class has also helped to build my self-efficacy in using new technologies. I was able to learn how to use many to new tools that I plan on using in my personal life, as well as in my classroom.One of my goals in my professional development plan is to learn how to evaluate technologies for use in the classroom, and how to determine which technologies will best enhance the learning outcomes of my students. According to Ertmer and Leftwich, "To achieve the kinds of technology uses required for 21st century teaching and learning (Lai, 2008;Law, 2008; Thomas & Knezek, 2008), we need to help teachers understand how to use technology to facilitate meaningful learning (i.e., learning that enables students to construct deep and connected knowledge)." I intend to pursue this goal.

Professional development is largely personal. What can you do for free to enhance your technological  skills?

As a pre-service teacher seeking a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education, I am halfway through my program. However, I have room for one class in my program of my own choosing (as long as it relates to teaching small children). As such, I have thought of taking an additional technology class before I graduate to improve my skills. While taking a class is not free, it is something that I can incorporate into my educational plan before I even begin teaching.

In addition, when I am seeking employment, I intend to ask any potential employers what technologies are currently in use in their schools. If I am hired, I plan to search for opportunities to use the technology on my own before the school year begins. This may include contacting friends and acquaintances who are teachers for help. I can also research the tools online and study free tutorials.

I could also join online teacher groups/community web sites for information on what is new and upcoming in the world of technology.