Technology Reflection: Instructional Use of Smart Boards

Technology Reflection Assignment

Friday, Mr. Graham did a presentation on white boards/smart boards during our seminar. This is a topic that we are all fairly familiar with, but it was definitely beneficial to hear someone who is very knowledgeable about smart boards lecture about them. I learned how great they are in classrooms. I did not know that you could download apps for smart boards, and I thought that was very useful for classrooms.  


Application

I would use the application that phonics offers which allows students to pick the selected words and put them in one of two different bags. Each bag has an initial letter on it. For example, one bag could have a “p” on it and the other bag could have a “b” on it. The students are given a list of vocabulary words in which they all start with “bs” or “ps”. This activity is Clifford themed, so the students will really enjoy it.  

This activity would be designed for kindergarten-first graders who are learning to read. The goal of this smartboard activity is that the students will be able to identify the initial sounds of vocabulary words. By the end of the activity, students should thoroughly know the initial sound of the two letters that were practiced. After the students all participated with the initial-sound activity, I would ask every student individually to identify the initial sound of a different word that would fit in with the two initial sounds that we covered so that I could be sure that all students learned the content.

• This lesson would start off by having the children come sit at the group carpet near the smart board and then I would introduce what initial sounds actually are. I would show the students numerous examples of how different words have the same initial sound.
• I would ask students to give me examples of words that they thought might have the same initial sounds.
• I would show the students the phonics application; I would place the first word in the correct initial sound’s bag.
• Next, I would allow every student to take a turn with the smartboard and drag the word into the correct bag
• Finally, I would let the students return to their seats individually after they correctly identified the initial sound of the word that I provide.

--Pedagogical-Content:

I decided to use a phonics application which allows my students to interact directly with their peers as well as the white board application. This pedagogy allows students to visually see the initial letters on the words and the sound that they make. They can connect the letter with the sound that those letters make. I will be sure to put most emphasis on the initial sound and have students repetitiously sound it out for the class and I. Some students have a difficult time pronouncing words; therefore, they may have a tough time with this activity. Some students from diverse cultures may have a slight altercation of word pronunciation because of their accents, so I will have to be clear and distinctive with the chosen words and initial sounds. The students will be motivated by this activity because it has a fun theme and they all get their own turn to interact with the smart board.

--Technological-Pedagogical:

Using technology, in this case, the white board really helps students to be more involved with their learning. Because students are infatuated with the technology of smart boards and are anxious to have their turns, it keeps the students focused on task. It also motivates them to learn the material so that they can choose the initial sound correctly once it’s their turn. The phonics application for smart boards is exceedingly appropriate for students’ learning how to identify initial sounds because they have put it into a format that is very appealing to students and have made it like a fun game. It also provides students with the visual of the words as well as corrects pronunciation of every word. I will definitely have to consider classroom management with this activity. Students will be very anxious to have their turn, and may become impatient which could cause them to act out. I would inform my students that they would be chosen to take turns by their behavior; whoever has the best behavior will go first and the students with the worst behavior will have to go last.

--Technological Pedagogical Content:

Like I have stated previously, this application offers students both visuals of the vocabulary words and the different initial sound choices they have as well as the voice pronunciation of the words. If the students cannot appropriately pronounce one of the vocabulary words, therefor not identify which bag the word should be placed in, all the student has to do it click the word and a voice assistance will pronounce the word. If the students were not able to use the white board to learn initial sounds, they would have to watch me do examples would be restricted to be more involved. By using the whiteboard to learn the initial sounds, the students are able to watch their peers participate and also be involved themselves.