Self-Evaluation

1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity:

Novice:  
1. Promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness.
2. Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources.

I did not use these two criteria, but I could see how I can look and find resources that would promote understanding of animals and adaptations.  Older students could look up videos about animals in their different environments and use these resources to give presentations.

3. Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes.

I am still working on integrating technology into the lessons that I create.  But I do feel that I can augment my lessons with technology to help young students re-enforce what was being taught and to help them think further about specific processes.

For example, the lesson on desert adaptation had a center that used a Smart Table activities.  Students worked as a collaborative group, categorizing different species with the region each animal inhabits.  It delves into the color of the animal, the different animal parts (long neck, long nose, beak, thick fur, scales) go with what animal and even camouflage. This activity will help the students understand what is needed and necessary for survival in different regions thus promoting their understanding when creating their own unique animal.

4. Model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments.

Although I did not add this element into my lesson, I did look into virtual field trips.  Students can be in the classroom while they video conference with a professional at their work place. With the science lesson unit, the class could visit with a zoo, an aquarium, or some type of vet to learn more about those animals and elevate the learning.


2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments:

Novice:

1. Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity.

Although the Smart Table activity was a good tool to expand the students understanding, there are so many more things that could have been used.  Letting students use the computer to generate their unique animal or finding an iPad app that lets them to explore animals and their enviroment.

2. Develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress. 

There are so many activities that could be used that I didn't address.  If the classroom has access to iPads, there is an app that is called Animals! This activity follow animals in their appearance, habitat, and living habits.  The app will send updates to the teacher so they can follow the progress that they are making.
  

3. Customize and personalize learning activities to address students' diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources.

If using iTunes U, the teacher can customize videos and activities for individual students that may meet the needs of diverse learners.  The student can show success or mastery of the lesson by putting together a poster or glogster to show a more visual approach.  They could video themselves for a presentation.  I like this idea to help a student who may be more anxious about talking in front of large groups.  They could video themselves in a quiet corner of the room or at home away from others.

4. Provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching.

With the adaptation lesson, I could have used a clicker to poll the class about past lessons and to assess background knowledge.  There are many ways to assess with the lesson.  I chose to use an informal assessment at the end of this particular unit, but at the end I can find a quiz generator to see if they have understood what was taught was understood. 

3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning:

Novice:

1. Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situation. 

I find that I am very tech savvy.  I have been able to keep up with the new technology that is available and to learn how different devices work within the classroom.  I do know that I will probable have to take more classes to be able to keep up with the fast paced growth of new technology to help the students work and use those devices and programs to help them in the classroom.

2. Collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation.

I learned about the many different tools to use to help keep the student, teacher, and parent all working together.
There are also many different web sites that can be accessed at home.  Students would be able to to extra work to help re-enforce ideas or even to explore something they found interesting at home.  Sites such as Khan Academy or if an iTunes U was set up for the student to work on at home.  It is an idea for flipped learning.  I'm not sure if flipped learning would work with primary grades but if parents are involved and willing, some aspects of flipped learning could be incorporated.  An example with this lesson would be to have the student come to class with three details about an assigned animal or environment. Then when the student is in class, they can present their ideas to the class and allow discussion of which animals belong to which environment.

3. Communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats.

Many classes now have web pages that are only accessible to those students and their parents.  Many of them have web sites to help students work on basic skills to advanced sites to accelerate any learning.   They are also a great way to keep parents informed of what is going on in the classroom.  If willing, the class can make a Facebook page that students can use in a collaborative way.  There is also Google Drive to allow students to work together if they are unable to get together outside of class time.

4. Model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, ananlyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning.  

The Smart Table activity was a very basic tool to help students use information they have learned during the lesson.  The teacher has many effective tools at their disposal to model how to find primary sources and understand the difference between secondary sources.  During this lesson, I did not use the computer to research animals, but I could see doing a class project together and find and compare different environments and animals.


4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility:

Novice:

1.  Advocate, model and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources.
2. Address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources.
3. Promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information.
4. Develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools.

All though I do not believe that I addressed any of these issues directly in my lesson, I can see how I could if my lesson was geared toward an older, intermediate class.  I would take the time to explain how they can not just copy and paste from other sites.  That everything used must be cited and explain the consequences of stealing.  Having good models for the students to follow would be key for the students to understand how to responsibly use other sources, especially when doing reports.

If we were able to do a virtual field trip, many rules would be discussed on how we talk with others and behave to allow the class to enjoy this unique visit.  If it was possible to visit with a class on another continent, it would provide an opportunity for the students to first research the country and culture and to come up with questions about that particular area.

Although I am just starting out as a teacher, the opportunities that technology allows will broaden my lessons and broaden the minds of my students. Teaching them to be responsible when using technology is just as important as teaching them how to use it in their reports or research.   I am really excited to begin this journey and to see where it will go in the future and how it will effect the classroom.