Unit 3 Evidence of Reflection: Group Teaching Using Digital Technologies
The impact I recognize the most from feedback given by colleagues and students is to see the things I did not notice before. For example, in the group teaching, one of my colleagues’ feedback was “the color matter so bright color that chosen really good”. Previously, I did not realize that the chosen color will be noticeable to other people. Turns out, it could impact how the lesson was going. Then, I can recognize the things that are seen as strengths in the learning activity. Thus on the other time, the strengths can be reused and developed. There are also some difficulties and weaknesses that can only be recognized from observers’ perspectives. The most prominent difficulty faced by students is their confusion when we use two kinds of platforms. They are confused about whether they need to work on Nearpod or see our video conference. I think the weaknesses cannot be solved all at once. Then the impact from the feedbacks is the teacher can determine which issue is the most important to be solved. In the group teaching case, it seems like the class instruction needs to be solved first. It can be seen from the feedback where the colleagues and students were feeling confused here and there. Thus, making clear instruction should be a concern for us. From the feedback, there needs to be an action towards the issue found (Cambridge Assessment International Education). In my case, I will be more aware of what I want the students to do and give clear instructions. Then, if I use two platforms I will be more careful and try to always remember to ask students to go to the page I want them to see. Further action can be relearning and finding sources on how to give instruction in the classroom.
At the start of my teaching experience using technology, I did not consider a lot of things. In the beginning, I did not even consider if one tool to another supporting one to another. What I considered when choosing digital technologies is only if it is related to the topic then can make the learning more fun. It turned out that many times the technologies I used in the classroom do not significantly gain students’ learning. Then, I heard the sentence that changed my mindset about digital technologies for teaching; technology is important but it is not the focus of teaching, the focus should be the students’ learning then technology is only used to promote the learning. From that point, technology was not the main focus anymore. I think about the learning objectives and the lesson first. Then I look for the technology that will help the students to learn more. After that, they're usually more than one technologies that can support the learning. My consideration would be which technology will help students to achieve the learning goal, increase their engagement, and motivation. After that, I learned to do the observation in locally available digital technologies and learn about the Triple E Framework. With this experience and the new framework I learned, my mind was opened even wider than before. I realize that the use of technology not only supports the learning material in the classroom, but it can also develop skills that are useful in real life. It can open students’ mind about what is there outside the classroom, and it can do things which cannot be done in a conventional classroom. My consideration in using digital technologies become even more meaningful than before. I think about students’ learning, wellness, and growth which turn out can be supported by digital technologies. Digital technologies, and other tools that have been existing and will exist, open new possibilities for students learning. I found my roles as a teacher are to open my mind to the possibilities that those tools can do and also evaluate the impact experienced by the students.
