How do I rate in the Technology Integration Matrix?

    Wow!  After viewing the Language Arts videos in the Technology Integration Matrix, I've discovered that I'm doing better than I expected on the scale.  I am taking this class to learn more about technology and I certainly do not consider myself an expert, but I have done several of the example activities with my classes.

     I've achieved all five in Entry level and Adoption and a couple in Adaptation.  I've even done some Infusion and Transformation since the Apple IIe first arrived on the scene.  Looks like I won't have to pack my suitcase like the college kid in the famous Apple commercial and head back home!
     In Entry level, students have watched youtube.com videos and Ted presentations on our classroom In-Focus projector.  They've practiced keyboarding skills on Mavis Beacon and various typing games if they have all assignments completed as I am very concerned about their keyboarding skills and timed test essays. They have used Microsoft Word for poetry, essays, short answer questions, freewrites, dialogue writing, and grammar conventions. Powerpoint, Prezi, Photoshop, yearbook software and newspaper software have been important entry level programs for Media classes. Acuity, USA Test Prep Benchmark tests, and other software programs measuring mastery of Indiana State Standards are important Adoption Goal Directed activities.
     Padlet and Quizlet are newer to my treasure chest of free software, but powerpoint, Aminoto, and Prezi have long been favorites. The Indiana State Library INSPIRE digital resource is most helpful for both primary and secondary resource material.  Venn Diagram templates, outlines, cover page templates, and Inspiration maps are all useful digital writing tools.  I use K-W-L and other survey forms and clicker response as exit pass activities and sometimes use moodle for pre-reading surveys so the class can see in immediate graphs what their collective opinions are before beginning to read To Kill A Mockingbird.
     Meme projects which focus on individual student interests and give kids a chance to project how they would like for others to see them are fun, yet teach valuable lessons about picture editing, searching the net for images, uploading, framing, and how to save a template to documents and then upload the meme to a class dropbox. 
     Poetry research is a lot more fun when collaborative groups may research and then adapt a lesson using video clips, Adacity, Prezi, Powerpoint, or links into the class presentation.
     My Infusion project included using three Flip Cameras and making class videos of characters from Twain novels, then playing the movies for the class.  Multi-media projects, presentations, Prezi, Powerpoint, video clips, links, Google images, word processor links, and student produced fake Facebook pages or student created magazines also fit into that category. 
     Transformation projects included a parent night where a class powerpoint presentation of Adacity produced individual student poetry readings were merged together into one large presentation.  Student produced video documentaries of research projects of choice also reflect Transformation.


     A short graph summary would be:
                       Entry     Adoption     Adaptation     Infusion     Transformation

 Active               X             X                 X                 X              X

Collaborative     X             X                 X                 X              X

Constructive      X             X

Authentic           X             X                 X                 X              X

Goal Directed    X             X

     At the end of the next grading period (we are on six weeks), students will be completing the annual ECA English 10 Graduation Test.  During the final six weeks grading period, I would like to try some new more advanced technology projects.  The long winter days, delays, and snow days have made this a challenging semester and since our school year has extended into June it would be exciting to try some new techie things and experiment with software or techniques we have not tried in the past.  One issue that might impede this idea is the use of computer labs for statewide testing (other ECA tests, NWEA tests, Acuity tests, or ISTEP+).  We will not have 1:1 until at least 2015.

     I plan to continue to serve on the technology committee and learn as much as I can about technology. The more we know, the better our plan, the faster our leap forward will occur.