Home Resources Standards Inspiration About the Author
Literature Review Problem Analysis Community
Glazed Eyes Convert to Bright Eyes
After fifteen years of teaching, it became abundantly clear to me that the needs of the students have changed. First, I had begun to hear about 21st century skills, but still wasn’t sure what that meant for my classroom. In addition, my students’ waning interest in my coursework also alerted me that change was necessary. Glazed eyes.
This change was validated the day that I presented a five-minute YouTube video on how to complete an advanced Google search. Not a riveting topic, yet, to my surprise, all 36 students were glued to the screen and even chose to take notes. It was then that I realized I could leverage technology as a tool to engage my students in the language arts curriculum. Bright eyes.
Although I was aware of the general changes to integrate into my classroom, I didn’t have a clear understanding of explicitly what I needed to change. Nor did I have a firm grasp of how and where I could make these positive changes within the curriculum. This burgeoning awareness of the value of technology spurred my action research. Specifically, I addressed how I could increase student engagement using blogs and a Webquest. And, with better engagement, would I yield better success related to my objectives? Yes. One easy switch and I'd awakened a whole group of students.
This change was validated the day that I presented a five-minute YouTube video on how to complete an advanced Google search. Not a riveting topic, yet, to my surprise, all 36 students were glued to the screen and even chose to take notes. It was then that I realized I could leverage technology as a tool to engage my students in the language arts curriculum. Bright eyes.
Although I was aware of the general changes to integrate into my classroom, I didn’t have a clear understanding of explicitly what I needed to change. Nor did I have a firm grasp of how and where I could make these positive changes within the curriculum. This burgeoning awareness of the value of technology spurred my action research. Specifically, I addressed how I could increase student engagement using blogs and a Webquest. And, with better engagement, would I yield better success related to my objectives? Yes. One easy switch and I'd awakened a whole group of students.
