THOMA MASTER’S PORTFOLIO 1

Educational Technology Statement

Utilizing technology in classrooms is an important method of teaching subject matter that

increases engagement and information retention. I utilize several types of technology in my

classroom because, “Student-centered technologies have not only increased student motivation

and academic performance, but interactive technologies can lead to differentiated instruction

through which students have again shown higher motivation,” (Hoffmann & Ramirez, 2018).

This lesson on static electricity combined with this presentation that I taught to 8th grade students

in Alaska is exemplary of my ability to integrate technology into a curriculum-centered science

lesson. I utilized videos and the classroom’s whiteboard to create a hands-on, inquiry-based

learning activity. “There is a need for increased understanding of the importance of technology

in the education system because of the way the modern world requires learners to have

foundational knowledge of the technology that surrounds them…When technology was used

effectively in the classroom, students would be adequately equipped with the technological

knowledge needed for the 21st-century,” (Arincibia, 2013).

To make this lesson even better in the future I would utilize iPads and Kahoot or Quizlet

to make this even more exciting. I have utilized these apps successfully, and at a high school in

California “students were passionately involved when their teacher was using Quizlet or

Plickers” (Hoffmann & Ramirez, 2018). These apps allow me to make lessons more interactive

which helps my students to learn better. Combining these apps with technology-based games is

an effective way to increase engagement and encourage children to collaborate and reach their

learning goals. “In addition to motivating students to be actively involved in mathematical

activity, games add variety to the mathematics program. Because of the interactions that occur

between participants, games provide for discussion among students and between students and
THOMA MASTER’S PORTFOLIO 2

their teacher. In terms of constructivist theory, games supply a rich and stimulating social context

for mathematical learning,” and even helps students that are deaf or with hearing problems more

effectively reach their goals, (Markey, Power, & Booker, 2003). In another study regarding the

effects of utilizing Minecraft as an educational tool, “Learning through edugames was found to

enhance learning as well as allow students to attain overall learning outcomes. This permitted an

enhancement of engagement, collaboration, the creation of authentic learning activities as well as

the attainment of learning outcomes,” (Callaghan, 2016).

Technology use can engage students as well as parents, allowing students to share their

work with parents more easily and regularly. By utilizing Cloud Computing, students can access

their work anywhere, allowing them to show off their work and collaborate with other students

more easily. “Research has shown that parent teacher digital communication, when promoted

under the right circumstances, can improve student outcomes…Sending academic updates via

text to parents of middle and high school students reduced course failures by 38 percent and

improved student attendance by 17 percent,” (Schwartz, 2017). Utilizing technology properly

encourages family engagement as well as student engagement.

Technology also allows for fluid formative assessments that can be easily differentiated.

In a survey of over 2,000 students, researchers claimed that “The students asserted that online

assessments provided a clear and consistent explanation of the class content, which enabled the

students to self-adjust their efforts according to their learning speed, effectively enhancing their

learning performance,” (Fu-Yuan, 2014). Students in my classes play iPad games and computer

games that are curriculum-based and that also send me data on their progress. I can utilize that

data to guide my instruction and tailor it to meet the needs of each child.
THOMA MASTER’S PORTFOLIO 3

References

Arencibia, D. E. (2013). The effects of merging technology and thinking skills in the

classroom (Order No. 3549774). Available from Education Database. (1284761153).

Retrieved from https://egan.ezproxy.uas.alaska.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-

com.ezproxy.uas.alaska.edu/docview/1284761153?accountid=44766

Callaghan, N. (2016). Investigating the role of Minecraft in educational learning environments.

Educational Media International, 53:4, 244-260. Retrieved from ProQuest.

Fu-Yuan, C. (2014). The application of a cloud-based student, teacher, and parent platform in

English as a foreign language education. The Turkish Online Journal of Educational

Technology, 13:3. Retrieved from ProQuest.

Hoffmann, M.M., & Ramirez, A.Y. (2018). Students’ attitudes toward teacher use of technology

in classrooms. Multicultural Education, 25:2, 51-56. Retrieved from EBSCOHost.

Markey, C., Power, D., & Booker, G. (2003). Using structured games to teach early fraction

concepts to students who are deaf or hard of hearing. American Annals of the Deaf,

148:3, 251-258. Retrieved from ProQuest.

Schwartz, S. (2017). Digital Tools Target ESSA Parent-Engagement Mandate. Education

Week, 36(27), 11. Retrieved from EBSCOHost.