As a virtual school teacher, my students are already using technology to interact with the curriculum. Students are directed to watch embedded videos and learn from various types of platforms. They are also instructed to make presentations and given choices in how to use technology. However, how much of this is a passive activity in comparison to the infusion and transformation of technology?
As I've been going through this course, I've often wondered that while my students are already "outside the box" in the realm of education, how could I integrate more? Looking at the examples of infusion, I would like to focus on the summative and formative assessments in my classes. Usually in my social studies classes, each lesson culminates with a quiz, essay, or a project. The students go through the lessons and then take a module exam. However, I would like to give the students more freedom with these formative assessments and allow them to create whatever will help them present the topics. For example, my United States History students have to take the Florida End-of-Course exam every year. Wouldn't it be nice to allow them to create the study guides on each of the various themes instead of just viewing my presentation? Allowing them to explore at their own levels should create better learners since they are learners of the 21st Century.
As for transformation, teachers need to be more comfortable with collaboration with other classes and educators. Yes, we share ideas, but do we share our learning experiences? Since our virtual school is rather small, I am the only teacher for the content area. However, if we were to grow, it would be nice to provide these collaborative opportunities for the students to share with other classes using the outlets of Blackboard, video chat, etc.
In case you're wondering, this is a guideline for the Technology Integration Matrix:
http://fcit.usf.edu/matrix/matrix.php
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