Running Head: INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA RESOURCES 1

Integration of Technology and Media Resources

Elizabeth Rohr

Regent University

In Partial fulfillment of UED 496 Field Experience ePortfolio, Spring 2018

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Introduction

Living in twenty-eighteen, technology holds our world together. It is everywhere and just

about everyone has a smart phone, laptop, or iPad and is fully connected to information at the

click of a button. To keep up with ever changing technological advantages of the twenty-first

century and to keep students engaged in the classroom, technology and media needs to be

integrated in such a way that is beneficial and meaningful to all students. To achieve using

technology in the classroom seamlessly, teachers need to proactively understand technology and

plan for integrating technology in such a way that is an aid in the classroom, rather than a

hindrance. Through my student teaching, I have had the opportunity to be fully immersed in the

world of technology within the classroom and have gained new resources that will be beneficial

in my own classroom.

Rationale for Selection of Artifacts

The first artifact that I choose for integration of technology and media resources was a

website called Nearpod. Nearpod is online resource that is somewhat similar to a live version of

PowerPoint. Within Nearpod you can create slides, polls, multiple choice questions, and more

that are interactive for students. Students have the ability to join a live lesson by way of a code

and can answer questions, draw pictures, watch video, all through their laptops. As the teacher, I

control the pace of the lesson and also have the ability to share students work with the rest of the

class.

I choose Nearpod as my first artifact because of all of the new technology I have been

introduced to during student teaching, Nearpod has impressed me the most. I have also seen

positive results from using this technology within the classroom. The students can use their

laptops and work out the answers for themselves first and then I can share work for the rest of
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the class to discuss. The great thing about sharing students work is that the teacher is the only

one who knows who completed the work and when you share students work, the students have

no way of knowing who completed it. This is a great way to share work that is both correct and

incorrect and is a great starting point for having students discover for themselves how to

critically think through and work out problems.

The second artifact that I choose is a website called Kahoot! Kahoot! is a live quiz site

that has the ability for students to join through a code. Once students have joined the teacher

starts the Kahoot! and the students answer questions on their laptops from the main board in the

classroom. Kahoot! is primarily a quiz tool that is interactive and competitive for the students.

Within my student teaching classroom, we use Kahoot! about once a week for reviews before

assessments.

I choose this as my second artifact because it seamlessly integrates technology and media

in the classroom while also encouraging learning and understanding. One of the benefits of

Kahoot! is that it immediately shows the students results and it allows me the opportunity to

correct or dive deeper into information. Not only does Kahoot! encourage learning, but it is also

engaging and fun for the students. Whenever we used Kahoot! in the classroom, I never had to

worry about students being off task or distracted because they loved Kahoot! so much.

Reflection on Theory and Practice

As useful as technology and media can be within the classroom, it is also important to

remember that the integration of technology means, “enabling our students to think more broadly

and become aware of the vast number of interrelated technologies around them” (2013). The

integration of technology and media cannot just be on a basic level, students need to have the
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understanding that technology exists everywhere and being able to relate technologies to one

another is key in creating a learning environment that is efficient and beneficial for all.

The olds ways of teaching are no longer relevant and as teachers, it is our responsibility

to keep up with new technological advances the can be integrated into the classroom. Today’s

students have known nothing other than a world filled with technology and media and by

continuing to teach with practices that are not up-to-date, we are doing a disservice to our

students.

While beneficially integrated media and technology within the classroom can seem like a

daunting task, tools such as Nearpod and Kahoot! make this a little easier. Technology cannot

just be used to fill the time, it must be used in a way that is encouraging and building learning.

“…As educators, we have to continually reexamine, reflect on, and adapt our teaching practices

to suit our students’ needs. Adding technology to our classroom isn’t optional; it’s a must if

we’re to equip our students for their futures” (2015).

Interactive technological programs such as Nearpod, Kahoot!, Quizziz, Google

Classroom, and many more engage students to learn in a way that is familiar to them. When

students are actively being engaged, they are more likely to want to learn. Other programs such

as LearnZillion, Achieve 3000, and IXL have the ability to differentiate learning for each

student. Differentiation ensures that all students are working at their own level and allows

students to take responsibly for their progress.

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References

Vasquez, J. A., Sneider, C., & Comer, M. (2013). STEM Lesson Essentials, Grades 3-8:

Integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Portsmouth, NH:

Heinemann.

Keeler, A., & Miller, L. (2015). 50 Things You Can do With Google Classroom. San Diego, CA:

Dave Burgess Consulting.