A textbook is no longer required for this course. Tech changes occur rapidly, outdating print within a short time. The heart of this course remains; assisting newer tech-using teachers or teachers wanting to reacquaint themselves with use of tech, to get up to speed with cool tech tools.
Course Overview:
Embrace 21st-Century Learning by exploring a variety of tech tools and online resources for teachers and students. Enhance your technology integration whether you are just getting started or wish to stay current with cutting-edge tools. Explore current digital tools and resources as well as examples of their application to curriculum. Investigate classroom management tools and tech-infused teaching practices. Participate in hands-on collaborative and creative experiences using blogs, cloud documents, digital presentations and publications and more!
There are 11 course assignments plus a Course Reflection Forum posting. Before you begin the first assignment review the following assignment information from the How To Proceed document.
Assignments require you review tools, give examples use and may ask you to perform specific tasks such as posting work or completing simple projects. In order to complete some tasks, you may need to register at a tool’s websites. Some assignments ask that you post work on specific websites. These websites may require that you set up a user account. If you are concerned with using your personal email to set up an account, I suggest creating an alternative account to use rather than your personal email account.
Assignment Organization:
Use the 6 Assignment Response Topics below when responding to each assignment unless otherwise indicated.
Assignment Response Topics:
- Summarize the tool(s) in your own words
- Give an example of its relevance in education
- Give an example of how it can be used to differentiate curriculum
- Use the tool to post a product example online (if one is assigned)
- Tell how this tool could be used with your students. If the tool just doesn’t fit the needs of your students, explain why not and give an example of students it would work with.
- Develop a conclusion based on 1-5.
Prologue to Assignments
Before starting assignments, I suggest you read the following four online articles and opinions on using technology in classrooms. Their content will help you get various perspectives on the value, the struggles and the excitement of
effectively using from simple to complex levels of cool technology tools.
- Robots Won’t Take Our Jobs, or Why Teachers Need to Relax About Technology
- 3 questions to ask when using new technology in the classroom
Instructor
Joe Herz
B.S., M.A. in Educational TechnologyK-8 General Ed; K-12 Technology 30+ years.
Site and District Tech Coordinator; Technology Program Planner; Conference Presenter; Author.
"My current educational goal is to aid in the development of effective and responsible technology use by all students and innovative technology implementation by teachers."
Joe’s personal interests include: Music (guitar/drums), his classic VW bus and helping with local animal rescues.