Technology Reflection Assignment


Description/Experience
The technology presented in the seminar was the IPad. This technology is a tablet that provides a variety of "applications" such as flash cards etc. In order to provide educational context. Being very familiar with this device and its capabilities already, little came as a surprise to me during this demonstration.

Application
 An application in the classroom for this technology would be using a map application to route routes taken by famous explorers in the 15th and 16th centuries, and compare them with later trade routes. The learners are 10th grade students, and outcomes would be a better understanding of geography, distances, and time periods in history regarding the age of exploration. Assessment would be simple, as I could walk around the room and check each map for completeness while using learning probe questions to assess knowledge of the period. Each group of students given different explorers to research with the iPad, and will present them to the class.

First, students would be introduced to iPads, how they work, and how to use them effectively. Then, they would be passed out to the class.

Students would be broken up into groups of 4.

Next, students could orient themselves with the iPad in a short 2-3 minute span.

Then, I will give a short explanation of the assignment, and instruct students to begin. Students will be given different explorers to research with the iPad

While students work, I will walk around the room in order to see if students are on task, help students in need, and check maps of finished students.

Student groups present their explorer/trade system and the associated map.



Reflection


--Pedagogy-Content:
I would represent the information in the lesson about explorers by calling it a mapquest, since students use cartography to find information. As for explaining the iPad, I would explain how essentially it is a little computer, but with a touch screen.
For this content, many students will automatically lose motivation because this think the topic (explorers) is avery boring due to prior experience with it. obviously, this will be a large barrier to learning for them, so the iPad activity will be used to generate interest in the topic.

--Technology-Pedagogy:
The technology would be used in my activity by serving as a research tool and displaying visual spatial data in a map.
This technology and its use in this lesson supports my teaching philosophy in that one must learn in order to teach. Essentially, students much use the ipad to gather information To present to the class, learning along the way.
Students must stay on task, so the educator must constantly checking for this, as the iPad is a very powerful yet distracting tool.

--Technology-Content:
This technology helps make this content more interesting, as students can visually see and creae the maps before their very eyes.
Since students are forced to research and develop the maps, the chances are higher they will learn the information at a higher rate than if they were simply to listen to me lecture or read it out of a textbook.

--Technology-Pedagogy-Content:
My teaching strategy, which is constructivist, is great for this activity since students work in groups and i act as a facilitator rather than administrator.
This technology will help me get through to student with its fun appearance, visual displays, and researching power. Therefore, this device could give a lot of steam to my lesson.
I would assess the activity and choose what strategies to employ afterwards. for example, cooperative learning is a great idea for this activity due to the limited availability of iPads and the complexity of the assignment.