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1. Pre-Assessment
Not to be completed

2. Reflect on Two Trends from the NMC's Horizon Report

Trend 1 (#3 from NMC Report): Despite being the member of a generation raised on digital devices, I am still rather leery of bringing smart phones into the classroom. In my experience, they are more likely to be used to access Facebook or send text messages than for educational purposes. Nevertheless, the trend of smart phones in the classroom is not going to fade any time soon. While I do not deny this trend, or the fact that smart phones and tablets have applications and uses that complement the classroom environment, I believe they are a resource that must be integrated with care. There is a delicate balance between reaping the benefits of technology and disadvantaging those not lucky enough to have access to it that must be respected. Forty-four percent of Americans over the age of twelve may have smart phones, but that does not mean that forty-four percent of any given class will have smart phones. Either way, not all students, maybe even less than half, will have access to a smart phone. I didn't get one myself until traveling to Germany forced me to upgrade my phone to a smart model. BYOD programs may be helpful to students who already have such devices stowed away in lockers, book bags, or jacket pockets, but if the devices are not implemented into the curriculum carefully, they could wind up being just another means of widening the educational divide between well-off and financially struggling students.

While I believe tablets and smart phones can be implemented in the classroom to the benefit of all, I am still wary of incorporating them into my own curriculum.

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Trend 2 (#5 from NMC Report): Students need to be fluent in technology. Knowing how to operate a computer, navigate the web, and utilize many other technological tools is quickly becoming a prerequisite for being a functioning member of society. For most this is a nonissue. Many teens have grown up using computers, surfing the net, and playing with a number of other devices; others, however, are not so fortunate. As hard as it is to believe, there will be students in your class who, due to any number of factors, have had limited access to technology. I attended school with students whose only available computer was whichever one happened to be available at the local library, and one of my good friends had only a single computer in her house, one that was to be used for homework purposes and homework only. Such students will likely have only passing familiarity with programs such as Microsoft Word, and likely no experience using wireless devices such as tablets and smart phones. These students may even lack the schemas for technology that make many of the "intuitive" devices intuitive. With technology becoming the key to success in many areas of our world, it is nearly as essential that students learn to use technology as that they to write well, to problem solve, and to think critically.

The state of Michigan made a good start in recognizing the necessity of technological proficiency by requiring students to take one computer class to graduate from high school, but learning how to use Microsoft Excel or build a website does not constitute the entire technological repertoire students will be expected to have upon entering the workforce. By integrating technology into all curriculums, however, schools can help to ensure that even

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disadvantaged students can gain the experience with technology and the technology skills necessary for success.

3. Select Five Apps that Would Benefit Your Classroom

1. MindMash: For students who prefer taking notes on a tablet as opposed to a traditional notebook, MindMash is a helpful tool for the math classroom. Because one can utilize various shapes and a drawing tool, graphs, figures, and formulas that would be very difficult to recreate in a many other programs can easily and quickly be incorporated into the notes page, saving time and frustration.

2. iCardSort: Because this app lets you create, share, and rearrange decks of cards, it could easily be integrated into the foreign language classroom. Decks of cards featuring words from a sentence to be placed in order, vocabulary to be sorted into various categories, vocabulary to be matched with their definitions, and many others could easily be created and shared with students. Physical cards could be made for students without access to a tablet, but letting those with access perform the tasks on their device saves not only time, but paper as well.

3. Audioboo: Speaking ability is a key part of learning a foreign language, but it can often be difficult for a teacher to assess the speaking ability of all twenty or more students in a classroom without some logistical issues. With Audioboo, however, students can record a short speaking assignment on their own and share it with their teacher. Audioboo could also be used

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by the teacher to create quick listening comprehension activities to be shared with the students.

4. Educreations Interactive Whiteboard: The name itself tells you this app is perfect for teachers. Using the interactive whiteboard one can easily create and share sample problems with students. In this way, students not only have their notes from class to rely on, but they can practically have the lesson repeated for them on their smart phone or tablet.

5. Animoto: Animoto is an app that I have actually seen used in a German classroom before. By allowing students to create a presentation, they practice their storytelling and narration skills as well as any desired grammar skills the presentation targets. It allows one to create a more finished presentation more quickly and easier than a PowerPoint presentation would.

4. Start an RSS Feed

I started collecting news sites I visit in my Google Reader.

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5. Post-Assessment
Not to be completed