TECHNOLOGY PROFICIENCY ASSIGNMENT

You Tube URL – https://youtu.be/IWcFENfmNwk

TECHNOLOGY PROFICIENCY ASSIGNMENT

BrainPOP – http:// www.brainpopesl.com

            There exists a plethora of technology based educational tools and resources for educators today.  This includes instructional software which provide functions such as: drill and practice, tutorial, simulation, game or gamification, problem-solving, and personalized learning (Roblyer & Hughes, 2019).  Some software apps serve more than one or even multiple functions.  One popular function that research has established its benefits remains drill and practice which can be accomplished by numerous methods (Roblyer & Hughes, 2019).  Additionally, drill and practice allow for effective rehearsal of new knowledge into long-term memory.  Software drill and practice has the benefit of immediate feedback, increased motivation, and saves teacher time over traditional paper exercises (Roblyer & Hughes, 2019).  Drill and practice can present challenges as in instructional overuse or misuse, criticism by constructionists, and inequality in use (Roblyer & Hughes, 2019).  Despite these challenges drill and practice software remains useful in classrooms.  This fact necessitates that educators must analyze software to ensure it serves the appropriate purpose and supports teaching and learning needs of the student (Roblyer & Hughes, 2019).

BrainPOP (2019) is a resource for educators with drill and practice applications in addition to other features such as: ELL-specific graphic organizers, action images, learning strategies, lesson plans, vocabulary activities, and more.  Utilizing software like BrainPOP allows for “automaticity, or automatic recall of lower order prerequisite skills” (Roblyer & Hughes, 2019, p. 161).  Lessons include movies, quizzes, activities, and games (BrainPOP, 2019).  These types of lessons that utilize technology allow for prompt feedback of correctness (Roblyer & Hughes, 2019).  BrainPOP is not just for students.  Both educators and students can create individualized accounts that can be tracked and assessed by the teacher (BrainPOP, 2019).  Educators can access engaging professional development delivered through a blended approach and a wide variety of workshops.  This includes tech integration, differentiation, assessment, and STEM (BrainPOP, 2019).  BrainPOP is an excellent method for educators to introduce technology into the classroom or as a supplement at home.  It can be integrated into the educators existing lesson plan or one of BrainPOP’s lesson plans can be utilized.  An added benefit is that this type of technology assists students with special needs.  BrainPOP should be one of the resources in an educator’s toolbox.

References

BrainPOP. (2019). TODAY'S FEATURE. Retrieved from https://ell.brainpop.com/.

Roblyer, M. D., & Hughes, J. E. (2019). Integrating educational technology into teaching: Transforming learning across disciplines. New York: Pearson Education, Inc.