The transformation I would like to see in my students
In 2007 our district decided to move biology to a freshman level course because it required less math skills than the previous required science class. Since then our numbers of students who perform poorly in biology has increased dramatically. The content that has been taught has been the same and the teachers who taught the content has not changed either, the only variable is the grade level of the students. We have noticed reading levels are well below grade level and that has negatively affected their performance. Thus our problem is; how do we increase student performance while we continue to have the barriers to their understanding? I plan on using interactive white boards and their software to develop understanding through transfer. Because biology is a sequenced course the knowledge obtained in one unit will be needed again throughout the year. The interactive whiteboard will allow me to demonstrate in front of the class while providing content information as well. I can demonstrate technologies that will assist with reading, writing and comprehension in addition to what software is provided to me. I can use a document camera to share student work and demonstrate labs with the idea that modeling will lead to better understanding of certain tasks.
An interactive whiteboard and supplemental software will allow me to design formative assessments throughout a lesson by using clickers to assess the student’s ability for transferring knowledge. The use of the clickers is a semi-anonymous way for the students to provide me feedback of their understanding immediately and allow me to address misconceptions or misunderstandings before moving through the lesson. It also gives them the instant feedback so they can ask questions if they recognize their understanding was flawed. All in all an interactive whiteboard will be a great use to my classroom and not just a technology that gets used in a traditional format.
An interactive whiteboard and supplemental software will allow me to design formative assessments throughout a lesson by using clickers to assess the student’s ability for transferring knowledge. The use of the clickers is a semi-anonymous way for the students to provide me feedback of their understanding immediately and allow me to address misconceptions or misunderstandings before moving through the lesson. It also gives them the instant feedback so they can ask questions if they recognize their understanding was flawed. All in all an interactive whiteboard will be a great use to my classroom and not just a technology that gets used in a traditional format.
