Note Taking:
What is the purpose of asking students to learn note taking strategies is to assist students in gathering information from the lesson and storing it into an organized individual ideas and questions and details are supported to organize the material.
I can think of a time that I asked students to take notes, (rule-based summarizing based the age of the students so they can learn the process of Cornell note-taking system) on a lesson on weather patterns and I was pleased with the results. It went well because the students were able to follow along with the lesson and ask their own questions on their paper and ask questions to me while building details and facts on the material that was being presented.
The kinds of technologies I used to help students was a power point presentation that incorporated a graphic organizer of what we were learned on that day and put each main idea in specific category.
Reinforcing Effort and Providing Recognition
This is one of my favorite classroom pastimes and I must say I always find a way to provide recognition with at least one student in each class. Providing feedback is always a way to encourage learning and build confidence in the student.
What is the purpose of providing recognition and reinforcing effort is to show the students that their hardwork and time is never taken for granted. As with any person, the work they do is always improved with positive reinforcement.
I can think of a time that I asked students to work in groups as a cooperative learning strategy and complete a project based on the solar system and those who finished with quality work were rewarded with praise and presentation. One thing my students learned from me was not the length of the work but the quality of it and how much effort was shown into the project.
With this project I feel the kind of technologies I can use to help students will be more examples of what is expected of them to learn and apply in a 6th grade science class. I feel like I can talk about my lesson all day long but unless a quality graphic representation (pictographs,pictures) is there to reinforce my lesson I feel they do not receive the best education available.
The questions I have about using technology in the classroom is basically how can I build a lesson and incorporate technology when technological resources are so hard to obtain in certain school districts, shouldn't public education be equal to all who attend?
Dr. Marzano defines what he calls The Sweet Spot: "An experienced teacher who has been using the technology at least two years, using it about 75% of the time, and who has enough training to be confident." So, it isn't a matter of having lots of technology available but, rather, to have appropriate technology available on a regular basis. Perhaps you can work with your school administrator, department chair or tech coordinator to make that happen.
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