5317 Compilation Post

With the ratio of devices to students constantly increasing in today's classrooms, teachers are finding new ways to use technology in education. New resources, apps, and websites come out everyday. Presented with an abundance of choices, how can educators be sure to use the right tools for learning? Course 5317: Resources for Digital Learning allowed me to explore, in depth, and communicate key points to keep in mind when choosing digital tools.

In my Publication Outline, I was able to organize my ideas to help teachers transition from teacher-centered practices to more student-centered environments. I chose this topic because many teachers have voiced frustrations with feeling overwhelmed with so much information with little time to explore options that work best when implementing blended learning. This article plans to share my experience in adopting a blended learning model to enhance collaboration and personalized learning, while providing students with choice and voice. My hope is that educator's will find relatable stories of setbacks and can be inspired from strategies I have found successful when putting my Innovation Project in action in an elementary school setting.

In order to generate interest to my publication article, I collaborated with my peers to discuss various tech trends in education with our Tech Talks Podcast. Together we were able to share our perspectives, identify common themes, comment on each other's struggles and celebrations with using technology education. As an introvert, open conversations with others is not my favorite activity. However, I am always energized with given the opportunity to speak with others about topics I am passionate about; Technology in education is one of these topics. This core group of my peer educators was also vital in pushing me forward with my publication article. With their feedback using our Publication Rubric, I was able to clarify my message and finalize my article for sharing with others.

With receiving feedback from others, I now feel confident in submitting my Final Publication Draft to either Edutopia or ISTE. Edutopia is a website that highlights innovative practices to inspire educators working in a K-12 setting. ISTE is a blog which focuses on technology in the classroom to support educators. Being invited to develop an idea for publication was a refreshing experience that allowed me to reflect on my journey with implementing blended learning in a primary elementary classroom. With my reflections, I was also inspired to continue to find ways to refine my practices in using technology to elevate learning for your young learners.

References for 5317

Alvarez, A. (2020). Learning from the problems and challenges in blended learning:

basis for faculty development and program enhancement. Asian Journal of Distance

Education. 15(2), 112-132. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1285361.pdf

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Edutopia. (n.d.) Edutopia: Your turn: write for us. Retrieved October 27, 2024,

     from https://www.edutopia.org/about/your-turn-write-us

Eslit, E. (2023). 21st Century Teaching: Updates, Challenges, and Best Practices.

10.13140/RG.2.2.21864.65284.

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Horn, M. & Staker H. (2015). Blended. Using disruptive innovation to improve schools.

Jossey-Bass.

ISTE. (n.d.) ISTE: ISTE blog submission guidelines. Retrieved October 27, 2024,

     from https://iste.org/blog-post-submission-guidelines

Klein, A. (2021, September 14). The future of blended learning: what educators need to

know. EducationWeek. https://www.edweek.org/technology/the-future-of-blended-

learning-what-educators-need-to-know/2021/09

Llego, M. A. (2022, September 14). 21st-Century Learning: What It Is and Why It’s

Important. TeacherPH. Retrieved September 14, 2022 from

https://www.teacherph.com/21st-century-learning/

Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (1999). Building learning communities in cyberspace: Effective

strategies for the online classroom. Jossey-Bass.

Sanpanich, N. (2021). Investigating factors affecting students’ attitudes toward hybrid

learning. rEFLections, 28(2), 208-227.

Thomas, D., & Brown, J. (2011). A new culture of learning: cultivating the imagination for

a world of constant change.