Final ImagineIT Report
I would like to end with where we began, the TPACK framework. The synchronization of technology, pedagogy, and content in lessons throughout the year have proved to be such an important asset to my teaching. Beginning with content knowledge, I will be able to continue to strengthen this through my work with the Yale National Initiative. This opportunity came to me because someone saw the work I had been doing with MSUrban STEM on Facebook. It was my experience with MSUrban STEM that led me to the Yale Initiative.
As far as pedagogical knowledge, I have years of experience under my belt, my file folders are full of pedagogical content that is waiting for its turn to make an impression on my students. Years in teaching have made me what many call a veteran teacher, and there is power in that, if you take what you have learned and utilize it.
Technological knowledge, this was the toughest and most rewarding. The abundance of resources presented to us during the program have improved my technological pedagogical content knowledge. I have been able to distinguish between instrumental and missional thinking and concentrate on the importance of the latter.
The ImagineIT project I took on was huge. It went on for the whole year, and while I plan to modify it for next year, I have taken on a task to make an amendment to it. I will delve into cervical cancer research with Dr. Mark Saltzman, professor of biomedical engineering through Yale National Initiative. I chose cervical cancer because this is the cancer that Henrietta Lacks died of and where her immortal cells came from. I look forward to working closely with Dr. Saltzman and implementing a unit on cancer cell formation and the technologies currently being used to treat it. Of course, I will include technology to guide student learning in my unit.
When reaching out to my focus group about what they had learned this year, they said they wanted to write interview questions and ask each other what they learned during the execution of the Imagine IT project. More than the content, something that really made me smile was the ease in which they were able to pull out their cell phones to begin the interview recordings. There was no hesitation or pause to ask me if they were allowed to use them. They know that if it is to improve their learning, cell phones are always welcome. I have learned to just let go when necessary. I feel that MSUrban STEM has helped me develop such a different learning environment from the one my students were in just one year ago.
I would like to end with where we began, the TPACK framework. The synchronization of technology, pedagogy, and content in lessons throughout the year have proved to be such an important asset to my teaching. Beginning with content knowledge, I will be able to continue to strengthen this through my work with the Yale National Initiative. This opportunity came to me because someone saw the work I had been doing with MSUrban STEM on Facebook. It was my experience with MSUrban STEM that led me to the Yale Initiative.
As far as pedagogical knowledge, I have years of experience under my belt, my file folders are full of pedagogical content that is waiting for its turn to make an impression on my students. Years in teaching have made me what many call a veteran teacher, and there is power in that, if you take what you have learned and utilize it.
Technological knowledge, this was the toughest and most rewarding. The abundance of resources presented to us during the program have improved my technological pedagogical content knowledge. I have been able to distinguish between instrumental and missional thinking and concentrate on the importance of the latter.
The ImagineIT project I took on was huge. It went on for the whole year, and while I plan to modify it for next year, I have taken on a task to make an amendment to it. I will delve into cervical cancer research with Dr. Mark Saltzman, professor of biomedical engineering through Yale National Initiative. I chose cervical cancer because this is the cancer that Henrietta Lacks died of and where her immortal cells came from. I look forward to working closely with Dr. Saltzman and implementing a unit on cancer cell formation and the technologies currently being used to treat it. Of course, I will include technology to guide student learning in my unit.
When reaching out to my focus group about what they had learned this year, they said they wanted to write interview questions and ask each other what they learned during the execution of the Imagine IT project. More than the content, something that really made me smile was the ease in which they were able to pull out their cell phones to begin the interview recordings. There was no hesitation or pause to ask me if they were allowed to use them. They know that if it is to improve their learning, cell phones are always welcome. I have learned to just let go when necessary. I feel that MSUrban STEM has helped me develop such a different learning environment from the one my students were in just one year ago.