Blog 1

When I signed up for this class, I believed it would be a breeze.  I know I am tech-savvy because I thought technology was just about using computers. I had no real understanding of the definition of educational technology.  I assumed that it meant using computers.  I need to learn how to use this technology in my classroom.  I also did not think about the different types of technology.  Our definition of technology is a very broad one, reminding me of being in fourth grade learning that an alternate definition of “work” can be as little as moving your finger. 

One of the most important things I have learned this week is the NETS for teachers and students.  Having absolutely no background in education, I had no idea that there are technological standards that teachers need to partake in.  The standard that caught me by surprise was “Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity”.  Creativity threw me for a loop.  My goal is to become a high school mathematics teacher, so where does technology and creativity fit in with math?  It did not take long to imagine numerous activities I will immediately implement.  I plan on having my students use Excel to do projects, such as calculating if Skittles flavors are normally distributed.  If Mathematica is available in my classroom, I will show my students the 3D graphs of functions they are integrating.  This will help spark their creativity.

          To implement technology, I will first have a sample project for the students to use as an example.  Then my students will come up with their own project.  They will be able to execute their own project, using programs like Excel, to organize and plot their data.  They will have the creative freedom they desire and I will have distinguished projects from my students.
          A challenge associated with students doing their own project is the required guidelines.  There are many websites that have completed projects that my students will probably decide to do.  One of the problems of the Internet is the rise in plagiarism.  It would be very easy for a student to copy and paste their projects.  Another challenge is that many students will not be on the same technological level as others.  A student who excels at math might not excel at using technology, and vice versa.  I would rather the student who is struggling in my class get a better grade because of the project, than a student get a worse grade because they lack the required technological skills.
          To overcome these challenges, I will have strict guidelines of the types of Excel commands I want my students to use.  There will also be written instructions available detailing how to use those commands.  This will help my students who have never used technology for mathematical situations.  The way I will overcome plagiarism is that I will oversee all of the students’ research and they must site any and all websites they use.