Tech Play 4

Tech Play 4

a. Discuss the tools you explored, what you liked or disliked about each one and which one you selected one to continue to reflect on.

I explored two specific tools.  One was an app called iTooch 8^th Grade Language Arts.  I liked the content, although it was at a rote memory level and reminded me of a worksheet.  It did not get to the critical thinking level I like content to be at for our students. 

Next, I evaluated at Jog the Web.  I really like the idea of tailoring research projects and pointing kids to specific sites and documents for their research, although it is time consuming.  I see this as a librarian tool.  The campus librarian could create Jogs for class research projects.  The largest problem with a Jog is the creator would have to continually double check links to make sure they are still working, live and contain the information needed.

b. Describe how this content object that you selected might fit into the TPACK model. Specifically, describe the content, pedagogical and technological aspects of some student work that uses the creativity tool you selected. Make sure you discuss the type of work you would design around that tool so that students would learn the information required by the standards.

iTooch is not a creativity tool at all.  It is basically fancy worksheets.  I may use this as a vocabulary game, but the likelihood is that I would come up with another game.

Jog the Web can be used to the level you want to push it.  It all depends on the information and documents you link to the site.  It would be very easy to incorporate high levels of thinking by combining content, technology, and pedagogy. 

 
c. Identify other ways that students could use the content object you selected.

Once students were familiar with using a jog created by a teacher or librarian, an educator could have them create their own jog.  For instance, assign a research project over the life and times of Shakespeare and have the students create a jog showing their both their print and online research to the class.  You could even end the project with a research paper and a presentation of their jog.