Tech Tool Lesson Example

The lesson I chose to use for my technology integration is in my family unit in German 1. The objective of the lesson is to teach family vocabulary, have students describe their family members using third person narration and to compare German and American families. The culmination of the lesson includes a project using Adobe Spark Video, where students orally describe their eight family members using five sentences each, creating a video that includes pictures of their family members and their own voice recording.

The inner circle of the TPACK model is present in this lesson, as it combines sound content knowledge with the art of teaching and technological knowledge. The technology used in this lesson is not used just for the sake of using the technology, but rather enhances the lesson. The TPACK model emphasizes that technology is just a part of great teaching, it is not the focus.

This lesson incorporates four of the five ACTFL standards: communication, cultures, connections and comparisons. Students have the opportunity to practice all three forms of communication: interpersonal, interpretive and presentational. Culture is examined when we discuss the differences between German and American families using the charts, and through the same activity, students are able to make connections and comparisons.

Here is an example of the Adobe Spark Video that I made for students to use as a guide, along with the project description.

This lesson will be taught in the third or fourth week of level one German instruction. The lesson will occur near the end of the unit, as it pulls together the content they have been working on for the whole unit. Additionally, this will serve as the unit assessment, in addition to a vocabulary quiz.

SAMR vs. TPACK

Today I’m going to review and compare / contrast two models of technology integration. Both models are new to me as an educator.

SAMR stands for Substitution Augmentation Modification and Redefinition. This model was created by Dr. Ruben Puentedura. He likens the SAMR model to moving up a ladder as you use technology in the classroom, progressing from enhancing learning with substitution and augmentation to transforming learning through modification and redefinition. The goal is to reflect on your teaching to move up the ladder to redefinition.

TPACK stands for Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge and it demonstrates its model through three overlapping circles: Content Knowledge, Pedagogical Knowledge, and Technological Knowledge. TPACK is the arc in the center where all three circles overlap, combining what teachers know with how they teach and how they use technology in their classrooms.

Personally, the TPACK model resonates with me most, as it combines sound content knowledge (in this case, world language content knowledge), with the art of teaching (including know how to assess and appropriately use instructional strategies) and technological knowledge (knowing how to select, use and integrate technology into the curriculum).  I feel that the SAMR focuses too much solely on technology, whereas the TPACK model emphasizes that technology is just a part of great teaching.

Using the TPACK model to reflect on my own teaching and practices, I feel like I have had quite the journey over the past 14 years of teaching. I came into the profession with strong content knowledge in my languages (German & Spanish), and some basic pedagogical knowledge. I advanced to combine the two and then add technological content as the years progressed and technology became more available. I now feel like I try hard to balance all three, but perhaps I’m still not quite in the middle; I balance two at a time. I hope to continue on the path to have a nice balance between all three.

One activity that do in class that I would like to enhance is writing. Many years ago I transitioned into using GoogleDocs with my students so that they can collaborate and I can give live feedback on their writing. I would like to take it a step further though. When students work individually on a writing prompt, I would like to try having them share with a peer for initial feedback and correction. I would also like to utilize an online portfolio where students can keep all of their work over their (up to) four years of learning German or Spanish so that they can see progress. I would use a tool like SeeSaw.  As far as I know, my district does not have a district-wide account, but I am not sure. I will have the opportunity to train on this tool later this summer, so I am interested in its use.

I don’t believe that this tool will take a particularly long time to use. Adding an extra peer edit to a writing prompt will add some time, but having my students house their final writing drafts in SeeSaw should be relatively simple. The only issues I foresee is sometimes going from GoogleDocs to another program. So, I believe that trying it out myself as a student the first time would proactively mitigate any issues that might arise.

My residual question is whether students will see value in having an online portfolio for all of their writing. I guess I’ll never know unless I try.

Tech Tool Reflection: Snapchat

If there’s one tech application that my students use the most right now, it is Snapchat. It has taken me a while to catch on and understand this tool, but my students use it in excess. When I read about a project using Snapchat on Madame Techie’s blog, I knew I needed to read further. Snapchat is a camera application where images or videos are only available for a limited amount of time. Users can send direct messages but also add images and videos to their own personal story.

Madame Techie was initially of the opinion that Snapchat could not be used in the classroom, as was I. However, upon further examination, she decided that the uses are limitless. Possibilities include interpretive listening, interpersonal communication, presentational writing and presentational speaking. Due to the editing options, filters and lenses can be added to pictures, including images, writing and animal faces. A new feature is the ability to archive snaps. Snaps can also be saved and downloaded, and turned into memes. These images can be used in conjunction with Thinglink, Google Maps, EdPuzzle, etc.

I believe that this tool will be useful in my classroom due to its versatility and high student interest level. All aspects of language learning can be achieved using Snapchat as a starting point. Students can even collaborate using this tool.

Tech Tool Reflection: SeeSaw

Prior to exploring this tool, I had heard of it, but couldn’t tell you about its use or purpose. SeeSaw is an online portfolio tool where students can collect or even create a variety of work in one tidy place. Other students in the class and even parents can view the portfolio. Through the PBL in the TL, I was able to gain more insight into this versatile tool.

In my school district I am the only German teacher. In my German classroom, I see the same students for up to four consecutive semesters. I think that using a tool like SeeSaw would be a great way to collect and save work from all levels of German. Additionally, SeeSaw would be a great tool for communicating with families. The possibilities appear to be endless, including the ability to draw, write a note, take a picture and add any file you wish. PBL in the TL suggests two great project ideas: Making Memes inSpanish and Casting Call Selfies. Both would be interesting topics for me to pursue with my students.

I believe this is a worthwhile tool due to the portfolio aspect and the variety of tools that are included. Students are able to collect or create projects all in one spot that can travel across courses and levels. Additionally, parents can access the tool to view their child’s work.

Tech Tool Reflection: Quizlet Live

I first discovered Quizlet Live this past semester while collaborating with an English teacher colleague. I had been making sets in Quizlet for my students to study and realized how easy it was to make it a collaborative whole class activity. To use Quizlet Live, you need at least 6 students and an existing Quizlet set. Students are given a code, similar to in Kahoot, and then automatically placed into teams. The teams are given animal names in the target language too! The students have to work together to match the answers.

This blog post, by Kristy Placido, helped give me further ideas about how to use Quizlet Live in the classroom. I also thought about defining the vocabulary in the target language to avoid the use of English. It could also be used to match states or countries and capitals or to identify tenses. The set possibilities are endless and can be more complex than just English to target language.

I feel that this is a worthwhile tool to use in my class for a variety of reasons: students don’t need to know the vocabulary very well in advance, the games go quickly and students are highly motivated by the competition. Students must also work together, which promotes collaboration among peers.

Tech Tool Reflection: Story Bird

I learned about Story Bird via the blog, World Language Classroom. This tool can be used to publish a story in the target language, including pictures. The final product resembles an online book and the book can be embedded in a class website or LMS.

In German 3 I have my students write their own fairy tales after reading many authentic texts from the Brothers Grimm. In German 4, they also write their own “moral stories” after reading Struwwelpeter. Utilizing this tool, I believe my students would really enjoy having a finished project to represent their stories as opposed to just a story on paper with pictures. I think that any creative open-ended writing piece would tie in well with this tool. It would also be fun for students to write their own children’s books using Story Bird.

I believe that this tool is worthwhile in my classroom because it gives students a final product of which they can be proud. They can also add it to a digital portfolio that follows them through and after high school. 

Tech Tool Reflection: Wheel Decide

I first learned about Wheel Decide from the blog, World Language Classroom. This tool can be used as an interactive speaking and writing activity for practice in the target language. The site is free and the wheels can be saved and even embedded in a classroom learning management system, like Schoology.

In my classroom, I can see using Wheel Decide to practice rote verb conjugation, as suggested on the blog. It would give my students a different way to approach the subject and give struggling students extra practice while perhaps still engaging advanced learners. Additionally, I could see using it in reverse, by giving a conjugated verb and asking the students to choose a subject that matches. I teach geography in German 1, both of the federal states and capitals in Germany, and also the countries and capitals of central Europe. To review or practice these topics, I would list either the state/country or the capital and ask students to identify the other. When facilitating these types of practice/review activities, I would use whole group instruction, while having students work in pairs to think/pair/share.

I believe this tool is a worthwhile tool to utilize in my classroom for brief periods of practice and review, especially useful to break up the long 85-minute block. It would also allow my students to formcollaborative relationships with their peers.

Incorporating Instagram Selfies in the Classroom

I was intrigued at the prospect of using Instagram in the classroom for educational purposes. I currently have a teacherInstagram account where I post activities that we do, field trip memories and German related images. Instagram is one of my students’ favorite social media sites, and as I am always look for ways to meaningfully engage students in the technology age, I think this will be the perfect fit.

Instagram is a social media platform where users can capture, edit and share photos with friends and family. It is easy to use and wildly popular with the teenage population. The project, created byRachel Sabre, has the focus of using Instagram selfies to teach and practice reflexive verbs and also the past tense in French. In her unit, she completes a variety of activities prior to having students create their selfies, such as examining famous self-portraits from the French-speaking world and having students engage in conversations regarding their opinions surrounding selfies.

When I teach reflexive verbs in German 2, I often have students describe their daily routine using PhotoStory. I am getting really bored with PhotoStory, and am always looking for new ways to engage students through different tools. Instagram would be a creative solution to this conundrum. Keeping this current project in mind, I would tweak it by using Instagram, and perhaps incorporating the past tense as a great spiraling review tool for the course. I would also include the hashtag in German requirement, as I believe students would really enjoy that. Instead of 20 pictures, I would require 10. Additionally, I would require students to screenshot their selfies (including required comments) and place them into a  tool like Adobe Spark Page to create a Storyboard that is easy to grade and easy to follow. As a last step, having students place these Pages in a class Padlet would give students the opportunity to see each other’s final product in a linear fashion and even comment on the projects as a whole, instead of picture by picture.

Incorporating Instagram in the classroom could be challenging, but Ms. Sabre provides solutions to common hurdles, including having students create alternative school-based Instagram accounts, and having all students follow each other and the teacher in one class period. She even suggest alternative project guidelines for students who wish not to or are not allowed (by their parents) to use Instagram. In such cases, students may create selfies using images and simply present the requirements using a presentational format of their choice (GoogleSlides, Adobe Spark, Prezi, etc.).

I believe that this project would be engaging and worthwhile in the classroom, as students will be able to access their project via Instagram for many years to come and likely reflect upon it fondly.