Final Reflection 7718

Monica Hayes

ED 7720

Unit: Socialand Familial Relationships

After reflecting on this technology-heavy unit and thinking about issues brought up during our face to face meeting, I was left with this question; Did the focus of online reading comprehension and assignments positively impact my students' understanding?

I think I have found that while students' grades may not necessarily reflect an overwhelming "Yes!" I believe that it did positively impact student learning.

Here's what I found:

1. Students were exposed to numerous opportunities to read online. Whether it was being read to them, as in one of the lessons, or if they were reading independently, students had multiple opportunities to read online.

2. Students were provided with many chances to express themselves online. Google groups and online research gave students a platform to share thoughts, ideas, and insights into what they learned while reading both fiction and nonfiction materials throughout the unit. They dove into researching whether or not teens should be tried as adults via online research, while others voiced opinions about character from the novel Monster, in the Google group. They also used 21-century research skills and practiced answering Smarter-Balanced-like questions.

3. Students were given opportunities to collaborate online. Using Storify provided students another avenue to be engaged and express themselves, while also learning collaboratively. Students shared stories about themselves using this platform and eventually expressed appropriate teems for Monster using social media outlets in Storify.

I feel as if I gave students numerous opportunities to express themselves and learn using 21-century skills. Understanding I teach freshman, I found that expecting students to perfect these skills in the fall is not a proper expectation. I have found the more I use these technology tools and expose students to these opportunities, they are becoming more successful. So, while students at this point are not as successful as I want them to be, I have faith that these skills are being developed and it has given me confidence to continue creating online reading comprehension opportunities for students.

Using technology is benefitting my students' ability to communicate and collaborate. Students who are absent are starting to email me for assignments! Many email me assignments and share documents. I know this is a result of the teachings' of this unit's lessons. I think also I was too hung up on the idea that students were gettig used to Chromebooks. I've realized that is a familiarity issue. Once students are used to continually using these devices, those issues will decrease!

In my original reflection I was not confident the technology truly made a difference, yet our discussion in class posed this question to me and I went back to school these past coupe weeks and thought specifically about this question. The answers came at me from many directions!

As my original reflection states, I still believe evaluating sources and continuing to use technology will be a focus moving forward. This extended inquiry has only re-affirmed my belief that those statements are true!