Week Four Journal Three

The beginning of the year at an elementary school can be very hectic, my school is no exception. The teachers begin testing all of their students using the baseline test for the Reading Street Curriculum during the first couple weeks of school. They also test students to find their reading level using the Star test through the Accelerated Reader program. Next, my team tests all of the students in the school for reading fluency using DIBELS testing. And finally, near the end of September all of the students are tested on all reading and English skills through MAP testing.

After all of the testing was complete, my team and the third grade teachers noticed a need within the third grade; the need was phonics. During our monthly data meeting, at the end of last month, we were looking over our students' recent scores. Through this process we came up with quite a few students that needed at least some support in phonics. My team volunteered to start some pull-out groups to meet this need.

Before we could start pulling students, we needed to do further testing. This testing would show us how much and what kind of phonics support these students would need. We chose our curriculum, and used their placement test to find out what level each child was at.

After we finished our testing we looked at the students scores again. This time we were able to divide the students up according to their level. We created three phonics classes low, medium and high. We also created a Lexia group and a Read Naturally group. The Read Naturally and Lexia groups would need further testing to place them; this was taken on by their teacher.

Looking back on this process, I have to admit that it was a long and tedious one, but it was effective. I was asked how I thought that technology might have enhanced the gathering and use of the data. To answer that question, first I need to tell you that half of these tests did use technology to test and collect data. We as a staff have also started a system where we input all of our students scores in the same place so that we can see them side-by-side. However, the collection of data for both the DIBELS test and the Placement test for the curriculum we use has to be done by a person. We have to listen to the students read for these tests; using a computer to check for reading fluency and accuracy would not be a good idea.

The only way that I see the computer being an effective tool is if the DIBELS had testing on the computer and that we were able to test the readers using a program similar to Read Naturally's. Read Naturally is set up to time the students while they read for one minute. While they read, when they miss as word you click on it so that it counts against the students score. Later you can access the students' scores under their teacher's account. This process would definitely speed up the data entry step, but it wouldn't speed up the testing portion, in fact, it would probably slow it down considerably.

Week Three Journal Two: Technology Integration

This week I had the opportunity to examine the Technology Integration Matrix. This matrix shows how students and teachers being comfortable with technology can change the way we use it in education.

As of right now I am both a student and a teacher/teacher in training. I am working on my degree in Library Science and Media at Ashford University. I also work as a LAP paraeducator in the school district near where I live. As a student at Ashford I am continually preparing to teach my own lessons using technology. As a paraeducator, I am constantly looking for new ways that technology can supplement the things that my students are learning.

The Technology Integration Matrix looks like this:

As a student I would say that my learning environment reflects a authentic characteristic "Students use technology tools to solve real-world problems meaningful to them rather than working on artificial assignments." In my classes I am consistently creating and finding lesson plans and tools to use in my future library classroom.

As a paraeducator I feel that I fall somewhere between Adoption and Adaption. The main difference between the two is the independence level of the students. At the beginning of the year I have to direct my 3rd grade students in the use of technology. Many of my students have not had much access to a computer beforehand. By the end of the year however, my students become more independent and are sometimes able to choose the tool by which they will learn a skill.

As a teacher in training however, I have found so many resources that I a dying to start using in my future classroom. Many of these resources will make it possible for me to Transform my curriculum into a fully technology integrated curriculum. The students will be encouraged to use the technology available to them in many creative ways. I will also be able to teach many lessons that I may not have previously had access to before the use of technology. Visit my Pinterest page for many ways to use technology in education.