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STEAM Class Reflection

As this course comes to an end, I have quite a bit of reflecting to do. I feel as though I am leaving with a multitude of different tech resources that I was not exposed to before. I want to hit the ground running and implement as many as I can, but I know that is not practical for many different reasons.

In my opinion, the most difficult aspect of incorporating tech into a classroom is figuring out which tech would increase engagement rather than decrease it. In my experience, students at our school love using their computers to play games, or are engaged at the wrong times. For example, during the first five minutes of class, I have students complete an opening routine that consists of taking out needed materials, answering a warm up question, and then getting to the correct spot to start class, which could mean opening their computer to a site. After this, I always have kids tilt their laptops down because if I don't, I notice them looking at their screens while I am talking. I have no real way of knowing if they are trying to get to the correct spot, or if they are playing a game. The reason this is a problem is because kids at our school have found a way to download games and get around our internet filters. I also think they are not used to using computers so often in class, so they get excited and want to explore.

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After adding more resources to my tool box, there are a few that I want to start using in my classroom, the first being Thinglink. I like this resource because it can be used as an interactive image or video. Students can click on the different icons on the page to see a description, take a tour, or it'll take them to a separate website. I think I would use this as a "one stop shop" for conducting research because middle school kids have a hard time finding good sources and pulling information from them. It could also be used as a virtual field trip for different topics!

In order for kids to feel comfortable using different technology, I think technology can be introduced at a young age so that students develop basic skills before moving on. I think it could be introduced to kids as young as kindergarten or first grade. Obviously, this would require basic apps and easy to use tools, such as iPads. Kids today have access to technology at home so it is probably easier to show them new technology than it was when I was a kid.

Although technology is useful, I don't think technology always needs to be used in a STEAM class. Technology can be powerful if used authentically, like we learned with the SAMR Model, but it is not always necessary. Kids need to build with physical tools in order to explore and problem solve. This idea is important when it comes to engineering and science. Without labs and experiences to create physical objects, ideas and concepts don't always seem "real world," especially if kids only see them online. The simulations kids experience in my class are very useful, but they are only one tool in my toolbox for teaching!

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