3.6 Selecting and Evaluating Digital Tools & Resources
Candidates collaborate with teachers and administrators to select and evaluate digital tools and resources for accuracy, suitability, and compatibility with the school technology infrastructure. (PSC 3.6/ISTE 3f)
Artifact:ITEC 7445 Evaluating Emerging Technology Project
Reflection:
I created this presentation over a digital tool by the name of Flocabulary. Flocabulary is a website filled with hip-hop educational songs that cover educational content for grades Kindergarten to twelfth. The online learning found in this online tool is like no other because the songs and activities evolved around hip -hop music that gravitates the attention of the students to be motivated on the content. I contributed by creating this artifact and sharing the information learned with the technology committee in my building.
The artifact that is aligned with this standard is the Emerging Technology project. The project was created to evaluate an emerging technology such as Flocabulary, that could be used in various ways at my school. While completing this assignment, I researched the technology thoroughly and determined that it is aligned with my school’s vision and could be implemented to improve teaching and learning. I collaborated with my fourth-grade team and instructional coach to help narrow down the emerging technology to research.
Another way this artifact demonstrates mastery of the standard 3.6 because I was able to discuss the need for this technology with the technology team and evaluate the effectiveness of the digital tool. I found that Flocabulary is suitable for my school’s technology plan because it provides teachers with the resources and platform to engage students in authentic learning experiences. The technology at my school is compatible with platform of Flocabulary. Grades K-1st grade have access to 1:1 Ipads, while 2nd-5th grade has 1:1 Chromebooks. The access my school has to technology devices makes it compatible to the resources Flocabulary has online. Flocabulary is also a very engaging online tool that can help increase the academic vocabulary that our ESOL students suffer year after year in the area of speaking.
After completing this artifact, I learned that Flocabulary is a great platform to use with students Kindergarten through Twelfth grade. Administrators and district office personnel could also use Flocabulary in various ways. Flocabulary can be used to provide reading, writing, math, science, and social studies instruction. Additionally, students can create their own songs in a section of the website called the Lyric Lab. The main goal of Flocabulary is to help increase academic vocabulary that many students around the country struggle attaining.
The work that went into creating this artifact will impact school improvement, faculty development, and student learning. The impact will be measured through the implementation plan. This plan will take a few years to complete, but it has three important phases. The phases include the approval phase, the early adopter phase, and the school wide implementation phase. If I were to have a chance to complete this assignment over again, I would like to do it at the beginning of the year. I would like to have implemented the phases of the plan. I would also include completing a trial with a class to observe how the students respond to Flocabulary and obtaining their opinions regarding the online tool.