As a future educator, I plan on teaching social studies to adolescent-young adult students. My main goals are to involve technology to class content in appropriate ways, serve as an approachable source of guidance and information, and provide students with useful tools in order to succeed. The main technological device that I plan on using in the classroom is digital story telling. History itself is like telling a story from the past. Using this tool can help students understand that social studies does not have to be just information, dates, and events, but collective parts of a chronicle that shows us where and why the world is the way it is today. Digital story telling may be in the best interest of student learning because students tend to enjoy electronic use in class work, rather than listening to me lecture in front of the class. Using a combination of sounds and pictures, story telling can be effective and beneficial.
Using digital story telling, I can create a teaching plan that will help the students understand the material. For example, the students can first listen/watch the digital story, then write notes on the significance of the lesson, then create a project using the information that they gathered in order to present it to the class. The project could be a group section of the assignment, that way the students have the opportunity to brain storm individually, then collaborate on the presentation. This will help students understand what are important concepts to remember from a historical event.
When assigning the students with this lesson, I would give them a rubric underlining what I expect of them and how they can achieve a good grade. This rubric will help me see if the instructions are clear. If most of the students do well on the assignment, this means that they understand its relevance. Another way to help assess the assignment, is to have the students tested on the information. If most students are competent with the class unit then this means that I have helped them in succeeding with the content.
When it comes time to meet with schools and go through the interview process, I can journal some ideas and plans that are designed for students to not only know the content, but to be able to apply the information in future purposes such as other classes, job opportunities, etc. Writing a resume that displays my experiences as a teacher and how technology plays a big part in education will also help me to do well in interviews.
In the fast-paced world that we live in, technology plays a vital role in students' education. Being able to use technology adequately and keep updated on new electronic devices, the students will be able to use them in their class assignments. Personally, technology can be a source to help me become a exceptional teacher. Being knowledgeable with industrial science will assist in accomplishing my goals. For example, give students the capability of creativeness, present material efficiently, and provide students with equal opportunity with devices such as computers in order to have a well established, friendly community for the class.
