Learning is a Team Effort!

Connecting Learning Experiences Inside and Outside of the Classroom through Technology

Now that we are implementing mobile learning into our classrooms, it is important to connect the idea that learning does not just happen within a classroom. I teach 7th grade mathematics and I have 60 minutes each day to teach my students new concepts and build upon their foundation. This is not enough! When I first started teaching at Clearview Regional Middle School, I went from teaching a 42 minute period to 60 minutes. I thought to myself how am I going to effectively fill another 18 minutes! After five years experience, I beg for more time! I want my students to be able to explore new concepts, not just hear lectures and perform rote mathematics. I want them to make connections with the ideas and form new questions of their own. In order to do this I need more time. Technology has allowed the learning experience to expand beyond the limitation of a 60 minute class period. Technology is helping the educational world to make the concept of learning a lifelong process for everyone happen sooner!

Over the last three years, I have integrated many forms of Google apps to help enhance the communication I have with my student's and their families. For example, I use Google Classroom as a learning management system for my students. They are able to access classroom resources, communicate via chat, turn in assignments, and more. I am starting to see my students take the responsibility upon themselves first to check Google Classroom if they have a question, before even asking me. They are using their resources to help become more independent. These are skills they will be able to use when they enter the real world, no matter the topic or job description. Another Google App that I use for communication is Google Sites. I have created a website similar to Google Classroom for parents and guardians to have access to. Click to view my website! This site allows for many of the same features the students have on google classroom. This site even includes a live google document where parents can see daily class reminders, additional practice with answer keys, and assignments like homework that is due. Check it out! I have received great feedback from parents saying this site helps them to monitor their child's work, while still allowing them the independence to complete the work on their own first. They also have commented that having answer keys allows them access to check to see if their child's additional practice is correct for more immediate feedback. This parent involvement allows for more reinforcement of the material at home.

When people find out I am a seventh grade math teacher I always get the same reaction.....UGH! Grown adults have a high tendency to cringe over my profession! This includes the parents of my students. I often hear from them that their children are starting to learn math that they do not remember how to do. This leads to an unintentional lack of support outside of the classroom. It halts learning! My goal over the next two years is to implement a flipped classroom! While I am still doing my own research on what a flipped classroom looks like, my vision is to allow students to have access to videos of me teaching them at home as their homework. This way when they come into class the next day, they have the ability to receive feedback with me. While having support at home is fantastic, not every student has access to that for many reasons. This will allow all students to have equal opportunities throughout the learning process. They are not struggling at home to practice a concept they learned in class. I am present for the struggle and can help them even reach beyond the level of the lesson if they are ready. "This classroom time may be dedicated to group work, comprehension tests, in-depth application of the subject matter, or just open time for individual assignments, all with the added benefit of having a teacher and fellow students nearby to respond when questions come up" (The Flipped Classroom, 2018). I believe this system of a flipped classroom benefits students of varying levels. Those students who need additional support, I am there to help more one on one and for those who are above grade level now have in class time to explore beyond what the curriculum has structured. A flipped classroom structures a more individual learning experience for all students. Flipped Classrooms also help parents re-learn the material if necessary to help their children with additional practice or studying. Having the lessons readily available to revisit at any time helps to connect the classroom with outside learning.

There are other ways that technology can be implemented to help communication inside and outside of the classroom that are on a smaller scale. I use a website called Remind. On this website, students and parents can signup to receive daily alerts that can be sent via text message on their phone or email. Personally, I have the two way messaging turned off, so they can not text message me back, but that is an option. All messages are filtered through the website and no personal phone numbers are used. Another form of communication could be via social media. My school is encouraging teachers to use Twitter to help share the positive things happening within the classrooms. Students can use this platform to showcase their work, start chats, or research current events. Social media when used correctly and appropriately can be a strong tool within the classroom. "The color, life, and interaction that computers and tablets can bring to a subject makes them more engaging" (Davis, 2017). By connecting subject matter to something students are interested in such as social media, they are more likely to retain the information.

The more help we can make available for our students both inside and outside of the classroom the greater possibility of higher level understanding and success! Technology has been changing the education world with the impact of how readily accessible it is to communicate outside the classroom walls with students and their families. Technology even allows us access to resources all around the world, but that's a story for another time!

Check out this Ted Talk about Pros and Cons of a flipped classroom.

*Do you have a flipped classroom? Share your Dos and Don'ts below to help me get started!!

**What are some ways you use technology to help your students outside of the classroom?


Resources

Davis, M. (2017, December 20). How Technology Improves Teacher Student Communication. Retrieved February 19, 2020, from https://www.macroconnect.net/technology-improves-teacher-student-communication-2/

Shepherd, N. (2012, August 1). TEDX Flipped Classroom . Retrieved February 19, 2020, from Flipped Classroom: Nick Shepherd at TEDxMCPSTeachers

The (Flipped) Classroom of the 21st Century - 5 Key Benefits. (2018, January 19). Retrieved February 19, 2020, from https://www.panopto.com/blog/the-classroom-of-the-21st-century/

Implementing Mobile Learning within the Classroom

Have you ever been apart of a conversation where you felt trapped? You may not have been interested in the topic or felt as though you had nothing to contribute? This is a common feeling for students within a classroom. I teach 7th grade mathematics and hear comments such as math is like another language. Lack of interest or contribution can be limiting to a students’ learning experience. To help overcome this barrier, it helps to adapt teaching to the new skills that our students experience everyday in their lives. This blog will cover the emerging trend of mobile learning that teachers can implement to increase student understanding. By connecting what is happening outside the classroom, to what they are learning inside the classroom will help push students to new levels of success. If there is something you are passionate about, you are more likely to share your thoughts and open your mind to learning new concepts. This is the same for within the classroom. When students have the confidence in a skill or technique, they are more willing to learn the material. I have seen so many of my students get excited to show me a new way to use a digital resource during my teaching. Students have grown up with technology and are comfortable with it. Implementing something they are comfortable within our teaching allows for excitement and more engagement among our students. The educational world is constantly developing new tools and resources to use digitally within the classrooms that benefit student learning greatly. Technology allows teachers the role of guiding student learning, rather than lecturing for learning.

Within my 7th grade classroom, just about every child has their own mobile device. Mobile devices are becoming more common over the years. “Between 2015 and 2019, the age at which a majority of kids have a smartphone dropped from roughly 13-14 to 11, according to new research” (Pinon, 2019). Still uncomfortable with students using their devices in class? Many schools are now supplying classrooms with sets of tablets or Chromebooks to use. School policies are shifting from no devices allowed, to using them as tools for learning. Many textbook companies are also going digital or implementing digital resources alongside a physical textbook. When students learn how to use them properly for educational purposes, we tend to see a decline in students fighting the policy. Mobile learning is the process of learning through integration of devices such as smartphones and tablets. This device can be used for more than just a texting machine, it can be used for enhancing learning within the classroom and extending learning beyond the classroom walls. 

The act of learning is beginning to go beyond just rote learning and practicing for hours to gain a concept. Students are becoming creators with the help of new forms of technology. Some ways students become the creators in my classroom is through apps such as Flipgrid. Flipgrid is a site where students can create videos. I love using Flipgrid for presentations. Students can express themselves creatively and comfortably. I have a selective mute within one of my classes who will not talk at all throughout the school day, but will go home a create an amazing Flipgrid to share with our class! It is such a great feeling seeing him light up on the videos he creates. My absolute favorite digital tool to use within my classroom is Google Suites. I use google forms for exit slips, surveys, assessments, and so much more! Students can receive immediate feedback on concepts through google forms. I used google documents and google slides for classroom group projects. Students can work together without having to actually be in the same room! They develop papers and presentations, being sure to participate equally. Google even allows me to see all edits, times, and participants on a share document. As their teacher, I can monitor and guide their learning digital, while still giving them control and responsibility for their learning. Collaboration is not limited to just other students in the classroom. Students can work with other students all around the world. Social media is a major contributor to helping in collaboration within the classroom. For example, Twitter has become a major component for teachers and students. Twitter allows for students to follow and learn from influential people, as well as share and express their own thoughts. Hashtags make research on relevant topics more productive and opinions from all over the world to be shared. Creating a safe digital environment will be a lesson that students can use throughout all facets of their lives. 

Mobile learning is accessible for all levels of learners. “Mobile learning is personalized, learner-centered, situated, collaborative, ubiquitous, and contextual” (Cisco, 2013). Through mobile learning, students have access to additional resources and the tip of their fingers. Many times parents express to me that they struggle remembering the material their child is learning, which inhabits them from helping at home. This problem can be eliminated through mobile resources that are available to students. For example, a flipped classroom allows students to learn lessons at home and come into school for practice and exploring. This provides them the resources for growth in the learning and doesn’t limit them for whether they have help at home. Check out a video I made for my students on Edpuzzle regarding adding integers! Other resources that are available for students in mathematics include Khan Academy, YAY Math, and Youtube. Mobile learning also helps students with language barriers, such as sites like google translate. The opportunities are endless with mobile learning. 

Learning should be fun! I always wanted to become a teacher so I can show kids that learning is exciting, fun, and a life-long process. When students have the opportunity to explore their creative thoughts, they have more fun in learning. For example, I like to use a website called Desmos. Within Desmos I can create activities for students to share their thoughts live to the class in a safe way. They can share drawings, verbal explanations, drag and drop options. The website even gives students names of famous mathematicians, to protect their identity. Once this happens, my students almost immediately google their new name to see what that mathematician did. They find it so exciting! This site allows students to proceed through a lesson at their own pace. They can read what their classmates say, they can contribute ideas at all levels and still be successful. Another way I like to make learning fun in my classroom is through competitions! There are websites that allow for randomizing group competitions where students have to work together to be successful or within independent competitions. Websites such as Quizlet, Quizizz, and Kahoot bring learning to life while still supporting accuracy and conceptual understanding. I have found it’s even better when they win candy! 


I’d love to hear from you! What mobile learning tools do you use within your classrooms to help improve engagement and learning? Comment Below!

Check out my info-graphic on mobile learning!

Resources

Cisco. (2013). The Mobile Learning Phenomenon in Education. Retrieved February 9, 2020, from https://info.hbcommunications.com/hubfs/content/MobileLearning.pdf 

Jarmon, E. (2013, September 22). Mobile Learning: Mobile Tech in the Classroom. Retrieved February 9, 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2Ly1FOHIa4

Pinon, N. (2019, October 29). A Majority of Kids have Smartphones by Middle School. Retrieved February 9, 2020, from https://mashable.com/article/teen-smartphone-usage/