Who am I and what do I know...

A short Introduction: 

My Family and I visiting a Pearl Harbor exhibit in Tennessee
My name is Scot Braun and this is my fifth year teaching 7th grade US History.  I am a history fanatic which I give full credit to my Father for this.  Where my friends spent their summers going to Disney World,  Busch Gardens, and beaches, my family and I spent our summers traveling around to our Nation's Battle Fields and historic sites.  Although I might not have appreciated it as much than, as an adult looking back my appreciation for history has been instilled in me from those times traveling around with my family.  My passion has grown over the years to bring this excitement to my classroom, constantly looking for more interesting and engaging ways I can instill these very same ideals to my students like my Father did for me.  

Witnessing the Evolution of Technology within the Classroom:

When I graduated high school in 2001 I had the opportunity to help design the history classroom for the brand new high school which was set to open the following year.  This classroom was going to be state of the art and have computer stations in every room, so students no longer had to rely on the the computer labs spread throughout the school. The students would have a multitude of seating arrangements which would apply to personal preference as well as encourage collaborative work.
The writing was on the wall some major changes were coming to the field of education, but no one knew just how dramatic of a change it would be.  As a 80s baby we had the unique experience to witness the rise of modern day technology.
Game devices, computers, cellphones  and this crazy new thing called the internet.  As technology advanced the demand for the latest and greatest also increased.  Yet most classrooms remained the same, and most teaching strategies as well.  Technology was advancing exponentially faster then most of the people teaching these future generations.  Many of our students today are preparing for jobs which might not even exist yet.  So how do we as teachers provide the resources, skills, abilities, and learning opportunities that our students need.  The question that started to become a leading topic of conversation is how can we harness the power of technology to advance our methods of teaching.  Students today often are more proficient with using technology than we are, but for the most part have mastered these device with the a limited focus, entertainment.  Many argue that it the outcome of a reliance on technology has created a generation who require instant gratification or they lose interest in what they are asked to do.  Others argue that our social constructs have deteriorated due to a society which is always connected yet struggle with face to face communication.  These challenges can be frustrating and at times hard to manage but this also presents us as educators a prime opportunity to start and to advance in our understanding and integration of  technology in the classroom.

21st Century Classroom:  Integrating Technology in the Classroom:

Our classrooms are filled with students of all different backgrounds, ability sets, and needs.  We as teachers have identified that a student's needs will vary from student to student, yet it is all but impossible to create an individualized learning plan for each student within the classroom.  The days of standing in front of a board leading a lesson where all students are doing the exact same task at the exact same time are starting to become less and less effective.  While the teacher is demonstrating the lesson to the whole group you have students in the room who are bored out of their mind because they already know the majority of material and at the same time you have other students who are completely lost.  A diverse classroom will not meet the needs of their students based off of this old model of teaching.  So the question remains how do we address the constantly evolving needs of our diverse student population.  Technology can be the tool that can bridge the knowledge gaps between our students.  Using deliver systems such as Google Classroom we can create a digital classroom which can help control the delivery and collection of digital materials for the class.  Combined with using collaborative learning experiences which allow students to explore and foster a community of curiosity and creativity we can increase engagement and encourage continued learning opportunities.  Harnessing the power of technology and capturing the excitement of tools like gamifying lessons, students will be more naturally engaged in their learning experiences.  I have recently introduced a program called Classcraft in my classroom and instantly I have seen a dramatic increase in not only classroom behaviors but also engagement in the lessons.  As they complete their class work they unlock new actions for the game character and can customize their character throughout the lesson.  Harnessing their interests and using it to drive the class can help increase engagement and ownership of student work.  Using Classcraft in connection with Google Classroom and providing opportunities for students to explore creative ways to demonstrate their knowledge, such as green screen inspired videos and video editing using We-video, our students start to develop the skills they will need to be successful in a digitally connected and collaborative world.
Image from gamification of the class using program called Classcraft







What Comes Next:

From this class one can see opportunities for us as educators to collaborate much like our students are expected to do in the classroom.  This will give us a unique opportunity to put ourselves in the shoes of students and experience some of these tools to give us a better perspective of how they work, the advantages and disadvantages from each program and tool we have at our disposal.  This class will also stimulate conversations on why we do the things we do and give us an opportunity to evolve our outlooks on our philosophy of education and how we can reach these goals both as individual educators and learners and as a class.  I am excited to explore how I can continue to grow and understand the process of integration in the classroom as well as increasing the resources available to use in the classroom.  

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