Digital
Learning Environment Inventory
Dana Van Tilborg
1.What tools, software, operating systems, and equipment are available in your school and classroom? (including but not limited to: videoconferencing, streaming, photos sharing sites, video sharing sites, document sharing sites, podcasts, blogs, wikis, social networking sites, etc.)
Each teacher has a desk top p.c., laptop and projector in their rooms. Some teachers have document cameras as well. For student use, we have two computer labs one with p.c.s and macs in another. We do have videoconferencing capabilities and streaming. For document sharing, we use DropBox for putting information into a database on our students who have IEPS.
2.How does your school make use of school and/or teacher websites?
Our school website is mainly informational. We have information on the school calendar, the administration and teachers including contact information. There are awards that the school has won and individual accolades. The website is not a portal into teacher websites or constantly updated for homework or class information. In fact, teachers have a short biography on the website but no websites of their own.
3.How are you currently utilizing technology for learning?
I use technology for current events and use internet access and a projector to look at the daily news. Last year I taught a class called World Events and we started everyday looking at world news and watching videos on breaking news stories. I also use technology to deliver lessons or lectures using videos or Powerpoints with a projector. I often use technology in projects for students and give students choices on how to present information. One of the last projects I did, I offered students four choices for how to present their content- poster, Powerpoint or Prezi, Facebook profile or Animoto video. I also use technology for research.
4.Which websites are blocked by your school's firewall?
Surprisingly none. I even used Facebook in my last project and none of the students had problems accessing the website.
5.What websites and tools are colleagues in your building using?
Most of my colleagues use less technology than me. One young science teacher does use a lot of technology and last year had students read scientific articles that he posted online and they entered into discussions like we do on Blackboard. I am not sure of the exact program he used but I know that students could access it with their smart phones.
6.Is there a system for evaluating student technology literacy in your school? If so, how effective or helpful have you found the assessment?
There is no system for evaluating student technology literacy. I would say that my current school does not emphasize technology use but more traditional ideas of literacy.
7. Gather suggestions from students on their ideas for integrating technology into their learning.
At the beginning of the year, I asked students about the kinds of projects and activities they would like to do this year. They suggested videos and creating music as well. I found a program called Animoto where they put images, music and words together to create a video that the students are really enjoying. Next, I would like to work with them making creative videos about historical topics. Many of my students are into rap music and have asked to construct more music and raps to different historical topics. We write to students (through PeacePal) in India and Uganda. Students have expressed interest in skyping with the students who they are writing to.
8.What tools that are not presently available would help to achieve district objectives?
Not sure about this. I really believe that I have little connection to my district objectives or even know what the objectives are from the district (more testing?). I guess overall I would ask for more updated and plentiful computers and internet access. We often fight amongst teachers for the two labs we have but it would be great if there were mobile laptops available to students. If we had more computers and internet available, I could take more risks with technology for projects and research.
9.Does your school promote BYOD (bring your own device) policies for students?
No, it does not. We don’t provide wifi for students and there is no encouragement for students to BYOD.
B. Using your Digital Learning Environment Inventory, develop a solution or suggest an improvement customized to your school/classroom circumstances. Include a paragraph describing:
1. The solution/suggestion
2. Reflect on what you learned from this process
It’s always been clear to me that my school has not emphasized technology or put emphasis into developing a technological infrastructure. Perhaps it is just a matter of resources and money and we don’t have a lot of either. After doing the readings and watching the videos for this week, I realized that I am using technology as an “add-on” to my curriculum. I often end a unit with a project that has some technology in it. A solution for me is to begin to think out of the box in integrating technology into my teaching everyday in some small way. I also heard in the resources from this week a lot about giving students problem-solving projects as they relate to technology and the larger subject being taught and this is definitely where I would like to head in my teaching. So my solution or improvement is to offer more problem-solving projects and allow students to use technology as more integrated to the whole subject and less of an add-on to a more literacy-based curriculum.
Dana Van Tilborg
1.What tools, software, operating systems, and equipment are available in your school and classroom? (including but not limited to: videoconferencing, streaming, photos sharing sites, video sharing sites, document sharing sites, podcasts, blogs, wikis, social networking sites, etc.)
Each teacher has a desk top p.c., laptop and projector in their rooms. Some teachers have document cameras as well. For student use, we have two computer labs one with p.c.s and macs in another. We do have videoconferencing capabilities and streaming. For document sharing, we use DropBox for putting information into a database on our students who have IEPS.
2.How does your school make use of school and/or teacher websites?
Our school website is mainly informational. We have information on the school calendar, the administration and teachers including contact information. There are awards that the school has won and individual accolades. The website is not a portal into teacher websites or constantly updated for homework or class information. In fact, teachers have a short biography on the website but no websites of their own.
3.How are you currently utilizing technology for learning?
I use technology for current events and use internet access and a projector to look at the daily news. Last year I taught a class called World Events and we started everyday looking at world news and watching videos on breaking news stories. I also use technology to deliver lessons or lectures using videos or Powerpoints with a projector. I often use technology in projects for students and give students choices on how to present information. One of the last projects I did, I offered students four choices for how to present their content- poster, Powerpoint or Prezi, Facebook profile or Animoto video. I also use technology for research.
4.Which websites are blocked by your school's firewall?
Surprisingly none. I even used Facebook in my last project and none of the students had problems accessing the website.
5.What websites and tools are colleagues in your building using?
Most of my colleagues use less technology than me. One young science teacher does use a lot of technology and last year had students read scientific articles that he posted online and they entered into discussions like we do on Blackboard. I am not sure of the exact program he used but I know that students could access it with their smart phones.
6.Is there a system for evaluating student technology literacy in your school? If so, how effective or helpful have you found the assessment?
There is no system for evaluating student technology literacy. I would say that my current school does not emphasize technology use but more traditional ideas of literacy.
7. Gather suggestions from students on their ideas for integrating technology into their learning.
At the beginning of the year, I asked students about the kinds of projects and activities they would like to do this year. They suggested videos and creating music as well. I found a program called Animoto where they put images, music and words together to create a video that the students are really enjoying. Next, I would like to work with them making creative videos about historical topics. Many of my students are into rap music and have asked to construct more music and raps to different historical topics. We write to students (through PeacePal) in India and Uganda. Students have expressed interest in skyping with the students who they are writing to.
8.What tools that are not presently available would help to achieve district objectives?
Not sure about this. I really believe that I have little connection to my district objectives or even know what the objectives are from the district (more testing?). I guess overall I would ask for more updated and plentiful computers and internet access. We often fight amongst teachers for the two labs we have but it would be great if there were mobile laptops available to students. If we had more computers and internet available, I could take more risks with technology for projects and research.
9.Does your school promote BYOD (bring your own device) policies for students?
No, it does not. We don’t provide wifi for students and there is no encouragement for students to BYOD.
B. Using your Digital Learning Environment Inventory, develop a solution or suggest an improvement customized to your school/classroom circumstances. Include a paragraph describing:
1. The solution/suggestion
2. Reflect on what you learned from this process
It’s always been clear to me that my school has not emphasized technology or put emphasis into developing a technological infrastructure. Perhaps it is just a matter of resources and money and we don’t have a lot of either. After doing the readings and watching the videos for this week, I realized that I am using technology as an “add-on” to my curriculum. I often end a unit with a project that has some technology in it. A solution for me is to begin to think out of the box in integrating technology into my teaching everyday in some small way. I also heard in the resources from this week a lot about giving students problem-solving projects as they relate to technology and the larger subject being taught and this is definitely where I would like to head in my teaching. So my solution or improvement is to offer more problem-solving projects and allow students to use technology as more integrated to the whole subject and less of an add-on to a more literacy-based curriculum.