Running head: INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA RESOURCES 1

Integration of Technology and Media Resources

Kira Lynn Madison

Regent University

In partial fulfillment of UED 495 Field Experience ePortfolio, Fall 2019

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Introduction

Technology is essential in the society that we live in today. Children grow up knowing how to

work an iPhone or an Android device. Chromebooks and laptops are becoming easier for

students to use in the classroom, as well. Allowing our students to have access to multiple types

of resources is beneficial for growth. Technology is an effective way of having these resources.

Having access to working internet helps prompt student learning. Allow students to have

different forms of education is also beneficial. For example, my students have audio textbooks

as well as a regular online textbook. By having access to these types of resources, we can

differentiate learning to meet the needs of our students. Technology allows students to not only

grow in their learning, but it also helps them with learning proper cyber citizenship.

Rationale for Selection of Artifacts

My first artifact is a picture of me conducting a small group and using our View Sonic

board. During this small group, I was teaching the students how to dissect and answer word

problems. I would use technology as well as a whiteboard and marker for each student. The

View Sonic board is not only helpful during small groups, but it is also extremely beneficial

during whole group lessons. When trying to explain and teach word problems to my students,

the interactive board was helpful. I was able to attach my laptop to the board while I used a

Google document that I created the problems on. This use of technology was beneficial due to

the length and multitude of steps that are required to answer word problems.

My second artifact is a picture of one of my students playing a Kahoot game on their

Chromebook. I created a Kahoot game for the students to have after we completed an objective

in Virginia Studies. In my Kahoot, I asked questions to review material from the past objective.
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The students were able to have a mini competition while having fun all at the same time. Many

of the students were passionate about getting the answers correct and cheering on their

classmates along the way. This proved to be an effective way not only to incorporate the use of

their Chromebooks but the use of another technology resource. Kahoot is not only an interactive

game that students love to play, but it can also be used as an informal assessment to gauge which

students do not understand the concept well. Kahoot’s are fun to make and allow the students to

have fun and learn at the same time.

Reflection on Theory and Practice

Throughout my courses at Regent, I have learned a lot about incorporating technology in the

classroom. I think that technology is beneficial for the students to have another outlet to search

on. It also allows our teachers, students, parents, and school to be connected. Our world is

rapidly growing with technology every day; nearly every year, Apple and Android products are

releasing new phones and other gear for consumers. Our students are playing with children's

tablets, parent's cell phones, and other electronics before they could probably talk. Children

today are used to having this technology that they can learn from, why not have this as a resource

for them in the schools as well. Students have the world at the click of a button these days.

Teachers can incorporate “some science lessons now use virtual labs from companies such as

Labster. These give students the freedom to experiment without the safety and financial

constraints of the real world” (Owens, 2018, p.3). Students can use technology to experience

more and do more in the classroom.

One interesting idea that I learned in a class was the idea of the backward classroom.

This is when “the teacher 'flips’ the traditional learning model, assigning their class video lessons

using YouTube or Vimeo and saving the classroom for group projects and individualized
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instruction," and with technology, this is possible (Technology in… education, 2014, p. 6). I

have personally liked the idea of the flipped classroom. I believe that my students learn best by

doing hands-on or interactive learning. This can be done using manipulatives in the classroom or

experiencing virtual ones on their computers. By allowing students to go home and to learn the

necessary knowledge about a subject, they can spend time in class, showing that they can

complete the problem or experiment without merely remembering facts. Even being a college

student, it was hard to stay engaged during the course. When we used technology in the

classroom, it helped me stay engaged and enjoy learning even more. I believe that our young

students experience the same struggles. By allowing our students to have the internet and

electronic resources at their fingertips, technology becomes “a personal tool in the hands of the

learner to challenge, motivate and engage” (Goldberg, 2018, pg. 1). From my experience in a

classroom with 1-1 Chromebooks, technology can be exciting and useful, as well as challenging

at the same time. Students can quickly get distracted and not use computers as they should. I

believe that despite those challenges, technology is essential and should be utilized in the

classroom to promote learning.

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References

Goldberg, A. (2018). Technology in education. Cape Town: SyndiGate Media Inc.

Owens, B. (2018). SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION. Nature, 562(7725).

Technology in... education. (2014, Sep 15). PR Newswire.