Integration of Technology "System"

I did walk away from this assignment with some insight but I am sure it was not the lesson that was intended to be taught. I was completely confused by the assignment; in the beginning I tried to get clarification and thought I somewhat go the “jest” of the assignment. As I sat down in the beginning it became a clear reality that I was pretty confused. I read several articles with great ideas on how to ensure successful technology integration and inhibitors to be aware of when trying to help teachers integrate technology. The barrier for me is placing value on these items in order to create a system that can be altered.

I tried to brainstorm a concept map to start my project but quickly realized that that just further confused me. So I did the next best thing I procrastinated, I told myself that tomorrow I would get it. After last week’s class I started to panic, there was no way I was going to get this project completed. Completed? What exactly was I trying to complete, accomplish? I emailed my concept map to Craig to see if I was any track and after receiving his email on Sunday was convinced I was totally off track. Any hope that I understood what a system in tales - vanished.

So I for the past 24 hours I tried to rework this system using the direction I received from Craig. I first tried to input a finite number of influences into excel, giving them values. I believe that maybe (because if I have learned nothing from this class, I have learned I am not sure of anything) being able to change values will help see how influences effect the outcome. Therefore, I have to be able to change the effect of the influences in order to see how the outcome may change. After many revisions of the excel worksheet I abandoned that idea and decided to try Stella to create a system.

This proved to be a pretty good idea; I believe it helped me to see the flow of influences. I enjoyed learning to use this software, although I am far from mastering it. I did learn what I wanted to get out of this model of the system; I am interested in what factors make a teacher integrate technology successfully into their curriculum and what factors hinder that success.

So what did I learn, procrastinated is not the way to go, it just leads to more frustration. I needed to look to all possibilities for help, classmates, reading material… Face uncertainty head on instead of avoiding it. I have not completed my system but feel that I am on my way to completing it. I hope to use the experience from this class to make me a better teacher and student. I found a lot of information about helping teachers integrate technology into their curriculum, the trouble I had was converting that information to be used into the “system”

So below you will find my first concept map being scattered and juxtaposition.



I moved to excel to try after reading Craig's suggestions:



I tried to narrow the factors of my system and see if there was a way to weigh their importance.

I then tried to use Stella to create a flowchart.




Here are some resources I used:
Technology Integration and Educational Change: Is it Possible?
What is Effective Technology Integration?
Why Integrate Technology into the Curriculum? The Reasons Are Many
Thinking Through The Technology Puzzle
Successfully Integrating Technology. ERIC Digest.
Increasing preservice teachers' capacity for technology integration through …purdue.edu [PDF]

Problem-Based Lesson Reflection

Ultimately this experience with my co-teacher, Marty Behm, and my students was rewarding. I believe that the students created wonderful models and walked away with a worthwhile knowledge.

The process of creating the lesson plan was frustrating. I read the required reading, which I did find somewhat helpful – especially Barrell but having so many websites and extra material to sift though was daunting. I found discussing the process with my peers and colleagues was much more productive. I also found that sending my unit plan to Craig and his responses led me in the right direction. In the end, it was trial and error to get to a final product.

The lesson itself was exciting and rewarding. The students found the topic interesting and liked the freedom of choice motivating. I noticed many of the students who usually are “bored” were engaged during this assignment.

When introducing concept mapping and the program, Inspiration, I found it helpful to give student examples. Most important was letting the students know that the way I would create my concept map, model, might (and probably should) be very different from the way they would create their model. Also, that to look at their neighbor’s, may sway the way they create their concept map, model, which does not necessary help them. We all think differently and these models are supposed to help us clarify the concepts. There was a sigh of relief from the students that there was no “right” way to create their model. Not having the pressure of “doing it the teacher’s way” I found them more open to the problem solving process.

I found Barrell’s
• Know
• What/Need
• How
• Learn
• Apply
• Question
to be very helpful when thinking out my unit. It broke down the process for me and gave me a structure to work from, which is important especially the first time trying to create a lesson.

I was pleasantly surprised after the students finished their models on their own but the students really amazed me when they were put into their groups and started to pick their “problem for today”. In the second part of my unit, students were to use their model with the models from the others in their group to solve (or begin to solve) a problem the students are facing today. Many groups came up with interesting problems and create ways for their hero to move towards solving them. The groups then shared their group models with the class by creating a Wiki. This gives the students the opportunity to look at each other’s models and to comment. Unfortunately, this lesson was introduced close to ISATs and the students have not yet had the chance to do their comments.

In conclusion, with all the frustration I experienced, I have to say that the final unit was worthwhile and I plan to do it again. Now that I have created a problem-solving lesson plan, I believe I will continue to try and create more units using this method. I found that my students were very engaged during this process and believe it will enhance my teaching and my student’s learning.