Online Course: Integrating Technology in the Adult Education Classroom

Now Available on the LINCS Learning Portal --- The LINCS Integrating Technology in the Adult Education Classroom Online Course

LINCS provides the opportunity for professional development for its members in the form of a series of optional online courses developed by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education’sLiteracy Information and Communication System (LINCS) Resource Collection initiative. These online courses are self-paced, freely available, and accessible 24 hours a day through the LINCS Learning Portal. The courses will enable users to work at their own pace, at a time that is most convenient to them.

 

Online Course: Integrating Technology in the Adult Education Classroom

Integrating Technology in the Adult Education Classroom is designed for adult education instructors who are at the beginner/intermediate level of knowledge of technology tools and technology integration in the classroom. This course examines the why, how, and what questions for integrating technology in the adult education classroom:

  • Why is technology important for instruction and learning?
  • How do you approach integrating technology?
  • What tools can you use to integrate technology?

This course covers the purposes for integrating technology, explores guidelines for planning to integrate technology into instruction, and organizes thinking about the wide range of technology tools available. Examples of adult education practitioners’ experiences in integrating technology are incorporated throughout the course. In the culminating activity, participants create a Technology Integration Action Plan for a unit or lesson selected for use with adult learners.

 

Use this discussion thread to post your responses to questions below from the online course, Integrating Technology in the Adult Education Classroom. Please share your comments to any of the following questions, or post a general comment or feedback on the course.

  • Introduce yourself.
  • What technology devices do your students have access to? What are some of the everyday tasks your students are using these technology devices to accomplish?
  • After reading the Let’s Become Chefs! final activity, what are some creative ways to integrate technology into the strategy for the final activity? List a couple of ways that you can integrate technology into this strategy.
  • What two technology tools did Cynthia try to implement with her students in the classroom? What were the observed benefits of using one tool over another? What are some limitations of both tools?
  • How did Nell’s use of Pinterest in the lesson on autobiographies enhance and extend student learning?
  • After listening to the two teacher reflections from Cynthia Bell and Nell Eckersley, consider the following: How have you approached technology in the past? With the guidelines provided in this module, what new or additional considerations will you build into your unit or lesson planning process to more effectively integrate technology into your classroom?
  • After reviewing the printable table of categorized technology tools used in an educational context, reflect on the following: Were there tools that were mentioned that you would like to explore? Did you learn about new ways of using existing tools? How can one tool be repurposed to meet another need?
  • After listening to two adult education instructors reflect upon their experiences integrating a technology tool in their classroom instruction, share your responses to the following questions: (1) Identify the technology tool the instructor used. Was the instructor comfortable using the tool? If not, what was the instructor’s plan for understanding the tool? (2) Did the tool selected meet the students’ existing technology skills? If not, what was the plan for teaching the students how to use the technology tool? (3) Did the technology tool selected improve instruction and/or deepen student learning? How? (4) Was this technology tool the best choice to implement the teaching strategies of the unit or lesson? What other technology tools could the instructor have selected to use?
  • When you are finished redesigning your lesson plan, we invite you to share it with others here. Revisit this thread to reflect on your progress and the lesson effectiveness.

 

This online course was developed under the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education’s Literacy Information and Communication System (LINCS) Resource Collection initiative under Contract No. ED-VAE-11-C-0048.

 

The new LINCS Learning Portal offers adult educators free online professional development courses from a variety of OVAE initiatives. Join today at: https://courses.lincs.ed.gov.

Comments

I loved both classes.  They gave me some ideas as to how to use technology in the ABE class.

Both teachers seemed very comfortable with the technology area they were teaching. The email lesson was on level for some students but others need coaching in which case the teacher pared a strong student with one who needed extra assistance.  Even though the email lesson seemed basic I have found that some of my students are not comfortable using email or do not have an email address.  I think this is a lesson I would introduce the first day of class.  Additionally, I will also use the email lecture as a time to stress that we will use it as a communication piece as well as to submit assignments when students have to be absent.

 

The QR code lesson was invaluable too.  I struggle with QR Codes,  So this would be a great lesson for me to learn and present. I could also use the QR codes to share videos and materials I would like the students to watch.

How I plan to integrate technology in my ABE classroom

First of all, I would like to develop a survey asking my students what technology do they use and have access to.

Then I would show them how to access material online, use Google Docs to write collaboratively, and do other projects.  I would also like to incorporate various websites that would lend themselves to us the technology they already have.  I would also create some online lessons for them to complete and submit via email.

Day one would begin with exchanging and creating emails.

Also demonstrating how to go to the various websites for information like,,, Pinetrest, Twitter, Youtube.

I have been recently assigned to ESL classes and am finding it difficult to use vocabulary appropriate to their English levels.  I find myself exhausted at the end of the lesson because I need to be conscious of what I say and the speed at which I speak.  However, it's been very rewarding to hear how much improvement has taken place over the last month, even though they still rely on their Spanish for personal conversations, I find my Spanish vocabulary is returning and I am understanding more of what they say. 

Hi, I teach ESL to Adult Learners. All of my students have smart phones and some of them have notebooks and I-pads. When I first started, they only knew how to log in and out of zoom but then we started learning to share screen, access whiteboard, use the annotate tool and the breakout rooms. It has helped my students to be very comfortable using the features after tons of practice and now they can peer teach or share their ideas with the whole class or in breakout rooms.Learning has become more fun and engaging for my students.

  • What technology devices do your students have access to? What are some of the everyday tasks your students are using these technology devices to accomplish?

Cell phones seem to be the tech tool that all my students have access to.  They are used in their daily lives to communicate with others, find locations and search for information they need at any moment.  When the pandemic seemed to change our style of teaching, having access to cell phones made it easy for our students to continue participating in the lessons we provide.

I personally am on a computer or my smart phone constantly.  However, I find it difficult to add technological aspects to my lesson plans.  I am great with the POST method--until it gets to the T!  I have to consciously remind myself to not rely on just my tried and true print materials.

All my students have cell phones. The conflict is there is an agency policy prohibiting the use of cell phones during training. I allow students to look things up during training. This takes ht pressure off the no cell phone policy because I trust them to use it for learning.

Cynthia identified FB as a tool to use with students. One barrier was privacy. Not everyone was comfortable using a public tool. Her approach to educating on privacy using FB was helpful. I think an alternate mean of technology use should always be given so privacy is not a barrier.

The use of Pinterest to create autobiography boards seemed successful. Students were excited. They were introduced to something new. Peer partnering was a good strategy as well. I feel like we all need a peer partner when navigating new technology!

After listening to the two teacher reflections from Cynthia Bell and Nell Eckersley, consider the following: How have you approached technology in the past?  I have been open to technology use. With the guidelines provided in this module, what new or additional considerations will you build into your unit or lesson planning process to more effectively integrate technology into your classroom? I may poll students ahead of time to see what apps or programs they are familiar with. This could help with setting up partners and give me information on whether or not it would be new to them.

The project I work on does have some constraints regarding the use of tech tools. The first issue is the lack of access to the internet for security reasons. I would have to change the approach of use. For example, I could provide an overview in the training environment and link to a homework assignment. I have used many of the tools listed in other training situations.

I really liked learning about shortening the URL address and creating a QR code for links to videos. I think embedding this in a handout would be really innovative!

Most all students have some for of technology at their fingertips. If they don’t have it in their homes their always welcomed to go to the local library. I believe technology tied with learning is very important in the times we live in now. By using technology in adult education classrooms it affords the learners the opportunity to take their learning a little further, and in a sense gives them a sense of belonging in this technology age we live in. With all this being said, I feel integrating technology in the classrooms allows the adult students sense of learning to blossom. 

I am an adult GED instructor and Learning Center Manager for a community center.  I have a MEd degree in Instructional Technology.  I look forward to what I can learn from this group.

Cynthia, the instructor tried an online platform and Facebook. She found the platform to be ineffective for her class.  After learning about the POST plan, she implemented Facebook as a way to reach the students and academic goals. With 85% of the students using Facebook, she knew it would be a good fit and created a private group for them. This allowed the students to have an audience, a purpose to write online, the opportunity to share comments and posts made by peers, and recognize self-expression may vary from person-to-person. 

The majority of students that we work with have devices, such as smart phones and/or tablets. They are used mainly for social networking, texting, or to send/receive e-mails. The problem for some is the inability to obtain wifi, especially those residing in rural areas or those unable to afford this service.  However, our school offers free wifi, while several other options are available to access the internet, such as the local library and several restaurants. In addition, the majority of the students are proficient with keyboarding skills, however a few have trouble typing correctly and may forget how to access accounts.

With these in mind, I think using Facebook would be a good option to create a private group, as Cynthia did for her class. Additionally, using the POST plan prior to developing the lesson will be of great assistance. No one likes to back track, therefore I will avoid using online platforms and will use the POST plan. 

 

 

Using Pinterest to create autobiography boards is a great idea! Using technology for an assignment like this takes away the dreaded essay. In addition, I believe using peer partnering was great not only to help aid one another, but also to help those who participate more at ease.

I have used technology for a long time now, inside and out of the classroom. Communication skills can be enhanced by using e-mails to share lesson plans, upcoming announcements, newsletters, etc. Copies were sent to administration, as well, to keep them informed on what's taking place in my classroom. Additionally, it is a great way to share resources with others. If a student is needing extra assistance, it is easy to upload a video and share links that can be of assistance. 

Facebook can be used to teach how to interact online, proper digital citizenship, censorship, and evaluating real/fake news. In addition, it can be used for taking polls, post events, share links to important documents, share class adventures, and an online resource that is safe for those within the group. 

In our technology world, everyone can find a place of belonging! Another form that has been helpful is Pinterest. Like Nell, it is a great opportunity for self-expression, exploration, and helpful during research. Students may create a board for their topic, pin items to assist with their sub-topics, and then use items to complete the next part of the assignment. Students may be asked to write a research paper or create a PowerPoint. Another idea for Pinterest is to create a virtual field trip, perhaps to an art museum or interests within your state. Students can add photos and videos that will make the board come alive! 

I teach Adult Education and the majority of our students have smartphones, however access to the internet is limited.  Computers are available at our school and there is a computer lab for them to utilize. With most of adult education being self-paced, the students use the computers often. 

After reading the Let’s Become Chefs! final activity, what are some creative ways to integrate technology into the strategy for the final activity? List a couple of ways that you can integrate technology into this strategy.

With Facebook as a resource, students can view many recipe sites. We can create our own and make it more specific like using under four ingredients or a meal costing less than $5.00 and ask the students to post their recipes to fall within these categories. In addition, you may ask the students to create a video to upload showing how to prepare the recipe. 

What two technology tools did Cynthia try to implement with her students in the classroom? What were the observed benefits of using one tool over another? What are some limitations of both tools?

Cynthia tried to use the online platform with no success. After using the POST model, she went with Facebook where she found it to be much more successful. Some limitation of these tools can be interruption of internet service, privacy, and distractions from pop-ups. 

How did Nell’s use of Pinterest in the lesson on autobiographies enhance and extend student learning?

Specific interests were considered during the Pinterest assignment to make the assignment successful. Students completed an assignment that shared what they like, while completing an autobiography. It allowed for self-expression, creativity, and evaluation. Using technology to complete this skill made it much more enjoyable for the students and opened up a new way to express themselves. 

After listening to the two teacher reflections from Cynthia Bell and Nell Eckersley, consider the following: How have you approached technology in the past? With the guidelines provided in this module, what new or additional considerations will you build into your unit or lesson planning process to more effectively integrate technology into your classroom?

There are so many resources available online to enhance lessons or allow for enrichment opportunities. Integrating technology today isn't quite as difficult as it once was or as challenging for the educators. I have used technology in various ways: communication tool by sending e-mails, attaching calendars, newsletters, brochures, creating assignments where students made videos, PowerPoints, web-page design, Facebook posts, and contributed to our blog. As far as how can I make it more effective, I have a new position now and unsure what role I will play in assisting with the actual teaching part. I hope that I will be able to continue to use these skills and push the love for technology. 

After reviewing the printable table of categorized technology tools used in an educational context, reflect on the following: Were there tools that were mentioned that you would like to explore? Did you learn about new ways of using existing tools? How can one tool be repurposed to meet another need?

I would like to explore teacher tube and build upon my existing Google Classroom. In addition, I would like to become more confident using Zoom and Skype. 

After listening to two adult education instructors reflect upon their experiences integrating a technology tool in their classroom instruction, share your responses to the following questions: (1) Identify the technology tool the instructor used. Was the instructor comfortable using the tool? If not, what was the instructor’s plan for understanding the tool? (2) Did the tool selected meet the students’ existing technology skills? If not, what was the plan for teaching the students how to use the technology tool? (3) Did the technology tool selected improve instruction and/or deepen student learning? How? (4) Was this technology tool the best choice to implement the teaching strategies of the unit or lesson? What other technology tools could the instructor have selected to use?

The instructor was comfortable using technology and sent lessons by e-mail Unfortunately, not all of the students had an e-mail account. The second instructor seemed less comfortable using technology, however did a great job assigning real-world tasks (cost of living). 

It is very important to assess the needs of your students, understand what is available to them and build accordingly. Using the POST method is a wonderful way to ensure a lesson's success. 

All of my students have cell phones, and most have access to computers at home.  We have plenty of computers in our classrooms and the students have access to those as well.  However, I have to get better at having them use them on a regular basis in order to increase their familiarity and ease of use.  This course has provided several good options.   I like theidea of publishing to social media and using Pinterest as a collaborative tool. 

I am an administrator for an adult school located inside a level 4 high security prison, so technology is slooooow to progress here. Cell phones are illegal, computers are locked down tight to keep inmates from gaining undue access to outside world. We are making progress, but no where near what most educators enjoy.

My name is Randy Clem. I am the Supervisor of Correctional Education Programs at Visions Adult School located inside California State Prison - Corcoran. We are a level 4 high security prison that is NOT tech friendly, many of the issues facing other folks here just don't readily apply to my situation. Technology is far behind "the street" and cell phones are illegal, so we are constantly pushing back against the policies that slow our progress. 

Greetings, my name is Randy Clem. I am the Supervisor of Correctional Education Programs (Principal) at Visions Adult School located inside of Corcoran State Prison. As a Level 4-High Security prison, we serve approximately 2300 inmates incarcerated for serious crimes, usually serving lengthy sentences. We are light years behind society in technological tools. Computers are locked down tight, not allowing any outside contact. All websites are white listed and strictly controlled by custody focused computer staff. Cell phones are illegal inside the perimeter so inmates have zero access to any focused learning opportunities. While it is a struggle, headway is being made! personal laptops will soon be given to our college students allowing them to do research papers and complete coursework entirely on their device. Again, they don't possess the "freedom" to skate the internet and until we get specific training, we don't even fully know what tools they possess. 

Cynthia's use of cell phones is a hard non option at my site, as inmate students cannot have access to cell phones (legally). Neil's use of Pinterest was interesting as it was the first time he had heard of Pinterest, yet came to be borderline addicted. I'll brief my Technology team on site and have them look through for some uses, finding specific items of interest for this clientele can be dicey. Neil used it admirably for his student's needs, we'll see whta my team can do with it.

Having perused the list of tools I see a few that pique my interest. However, in my prison setting none of these are do-able with the current equipment in place. The section most attainable would be the Gmail and Google Docs tools Our inmate students desperately need to understand how these tools are used in every day life. Successful re-entry into society means having at least a basic understanding of how to communicate in today's society. As California Dept of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) moves forward with its new technology plan, hopefully we'll have the opportunity to integrate some of these tools into our daily classroom instruction.

My students all have smartphones.  It is used to helping translating words from their home language  to English. We also use them to help in understand the meaning of words.

 

All my students have have smartphones.  They do not speak or write English well.  We use texting to communicate class cancellations or if they are not able to attend class.

I find that my ESL students do not spent outside of class time to work on line. class work.  This has been a struggle for me. I hoping the information from this course may help me to get them more involved with the online work.. I need to ask them what can we do to complete those activities.

My students all have smartphones. in our classroom we are using chrome books and their phones.

I am excited by all the tools that were presented in this session. I am going to have to check them more closely and hopfully use them in my classroom

Have never used podcast so I am interested in finding out more about them.  Our school gives everyone an email but not all students use it.  

The two ladies that were discussing their use of technology in the classroom showed that getting to know your students and their capabilities is very important to know. 

I have only one student in my class. She has a smart phone.  We have taken the time to learn how to do our student lessons at home using the website provide through the program we have in our classroom.  Communication with this student has been texting and a Facebook account so she can share her experiences in learning English.    I need to be more aquaintted to the other programs offered in technology

I have only one student in my class. She has a smart phone.  We have taken the time to learn how to do our student lessons at home using the website provide through the program we have in our classroom.  Communication with this student has been texting and a Facebook account so she can share her experiences in learning English.    I need to be more aquaintted to the other programs offered in technology

I just love the list of technology Tools in Educational Context.  I was not aware of the tools that are available and how they might be used in my classroom. My goal is start introducing and implementing some of these toos in my classroom.

I see the importance of getting to know my students capability of technology. Finding out what they have at home or what they using in their workforce.  Using they all ready know and help them build more confidence in using technology.  the two instructors used the prior knowledge of their students to help find the best way to incorporate technology in the classroom.

My situation is a bit unique.  The adults that I work with are inmates in jail.  As such they are extremely limited as to what they are allowed to access on the internet.  For example all social media outlets are strictly forbidden.  There are however a few approved educational sites that they are allowed to access such as Khan Academy. 

This particular discussion is amazing and I have been skimming through many of the posts. In my opinion it proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that online instruction no longer can be regarded as simply an interesting tool. I think that now it is more appropriate to discuss making some major renovations in how we offer classes to adults, especially those who work, have families and are not likely to be able to attend normal classes.

For one thing, people go online all the time to learn something of interest to them. And more and more on YouTube, for example, there are short videos of a wide variety of subjects and topics.

Also research and experience are showing that we can learn faster online than we can by attending a "live" class (see reference below).

I am particularly interested in working toward Bridging the Digital Divide that affects low-income immigrant working people. It is now a relatively easy task with the use of Smartphones, Zoom, WhatsApp etc. I see a close collaboration between adult education programs in community colleges, libraries, community centers, churches and civic societies and organizations. 

As my grandmother used to say: Who woulda Thunk?

 

https://www.lifehack.org/856820/online-learning-effective

 

 

Four years ago I worked on a pilot project to adapt existing in-person classes to online-only and hybrid models. It was kind of revolutionary in that state at that time, at least for adult education. That's a population that hasn't spent as much time in online classes as general college students. But post-covid lockdowns, everyone is promoting online learning as the best thing.

My big question is: what have we learned about best practices? I worked so hard in 2018 to adapt materials and provide robust learning opportunities for my students. I know some schools did an amazing job in 2020 while others provided unfortunately sub-par experiences. Now that we all think we're experts, are things truly moving in the direction of excellence?

I'm teaching adult beginning ESL over Zoom and it's been incredibly challenging because of the limitations of student access to devices and their background knowledge (or lack thereof). Someone with basic computer skills will do just fine with screen-sharing as a main form of instruction in how to use new programs, but students who have never done much more than use the Facebook app on their phones or text friends are really struggling. They don't know how to troubleshoot and sometimes can't connect what they see on a screenshare with their own screens in order to follow steps. Despite all the cool new programs available, sometimes it just seems easier to teach face-to-face and guide someone in how to use a program while standing alongside.

The technological gap doesn't exactly seem to be shrinking in this regard. On the one hand, almost every student has a smartphone, but their abilities to use it range from "my granddaughter set up my phone so I can see her on FaceTime" to "I design apps that I put in the Play Store" to "I just like to browse Twitter in my free time" and so on. As the gaps widen, teaching with technology, especially in an online context, doesn't get any easier. The landscape has shifted, but it hasn't entirely changed.

    My big question is: what have we learned about best practices? ... Now that we all think we're experts, are things truly moving in the direction of excellence?

For at least a year, these questions has kept resonating with me, too, though I'd add that I'm more curious about what we have learned about adults learning in remote contexts -- understanding the context well, in my opinion, is foundational. And, I've seen very little common understanding of what is going on in these contexts.

My point of view on these questions is that instructors who have worked through the remote/pandemic times developed their own routines and sense of what works for them and their learners. The easy-to-share tips and apps and approaches have been shared extensively, but I am not at all confident that there is a common set of rationales and pedagogy (or perhaps even vocabulary!) between teachers, in part because there has not been a surfeit of time and energy to develop these things in a very isolating time.

If that seems pessimistic, I'll walk it back a bit, but compared to the way that I have discussed and analyzed teaching in person, I have seen precious few conversations or articles that focus on the kind of decisions that teachers make in remote classes, the crucial factors for student success, or evidence that aggregates what works beyond case studies.

The question is so, so, so appreciated, Janelle! Just let us know when you find the answer... ?

Hello Eric and others,

In my mind best practices have to be based on valid and reliable research. I am not sure that we have any best practices yet for what instructors in our field have been doing during the pandemic. However, we do have some promising practices, some from preliminary research based on interviews with adult foundational education practitioners.

Take a look at:

Belzer, Alisa et.al. "From rapid emergency response to scaling and sustaining innovation: Adult foundational education in the time of COVID-19" Wiley Online Library https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ace.20454 This research article is based on two studies, one, after the first year of the pandemic, published (free online) by ProLiteracy, and another which will soon be published by ProLiteracy.

In my view, one of the most promising practices for our field is Flex Models, HyFlex or BlendFlex. This is not an individual teacher practice but a model for how an adult education program or school can deliver education services, and it is a growing practice in adult foundational education in a number of states: California, Arizona and Illinois, to mention three.  It offers maximum flexibility to learners because, especially with the HyFlex model, a learner can choose one of three learning modes: in-person, online synchronous, or online asynchronous, literally on any given day. It is promising because, if well implemented, it may be able to increase attendance, retention, completion and learning gains. WIth a HyFlex model, a student does not have to drop out or stop out; learners can just switch to a different mode if they cannot, or choose not, to attend in person. In theory all three modes are designed to lead to the same kinds of learning gains. World Education's EdTech Center IDEAL Consortium is creating a free online guide to the  HyFlex model as used in adult foundational education that should be ready by late summer or early fall. I am one of the authors.

David J. Rosen

djrosen123@gmail.com

 

 

I wish finding the answers were that simple!

I agree that we have been quick to share tips and slow to analyze the rationale behind our varied strategies. And the truth is that teachers have often been short on enough time to look at the reasons WHY we do things in the classroom, virtual or not. Some classrooms are very purposefully designed and others are struggling through. It takes a lot of effort to step back from our work and say, let's take a birds-eye view of this program and be prepared to make big changes. We like simplicity, and the simplest action is often inaction. So classes stay roughly the same from year to year and it takes something like a pandemic to make a big shift in our pedagogy.

However! There are plenty of schools that have been doing remote learning with excellence for the last two decades, particularly within the homeschool community. State-run virtual public schools, for example, have a proven track record of success with remote and hybrid teaching. I would love to see these programs recognized as leaders in the field and given the proper forums for sharing what they know. I really don't think we need to completely reinvent the wheel here-- and as you said, most teachers don't have the time for it anyway. But opening up the conversation about what generates success would be incredibly helpful on all fronts!

I just did a project like this in an ESL class. We used Google Slides and a pre-set template to create a collaborative recipe book that all students can now access. Since it's an online class, this makes more sense than a traditional printed book, but it also simplifies the process of writing/editing/printing. In addition, students can download the recipes and add them to their own collections.

In the future, I would love to expand this lesson to include something like watching an episode of a cooking show, choosing a recipe to create, and "shopping" online for the ingredients using your local supermarket's app. Students would be able to see visual examples of the finished product from the show and determine the cost to make it using their own local stores, so that adds a layer of authenticity as well as numeracy in the calculations.

Another thing we have enjoyed doing is looking up calorie counts and other nutrients using things like online calorie counter's and the USDA's MyPlate tool to plan balanced menus. The wealth of online tools alone on the topic of food make for a very rich unit!

I really appreciated Cynthia's point about meeting students in the technological spaces where they already were. It's easy for me to focus on the interesting tools or platforms that I use, but sometimes students have their own preferences. For example, I have appreciated Facebook groups for a number of activities in my personal life. When I moved abroad, I found that WhatsApp was more popular in my new area. It took me a long time to figure out how make WhatsApp work for me, in part because I was expecting it to function the way Facebook did. It's a completely different tool. While they can both serve similar ends, the means are not at all the same. 

Doing that to my students-- pushing them into one platform when they're already comfortable with another-- would be a waste of our class time and wouldn't necessarily help them improve in any of our class learning objectives. Instead, polling them about their technological use (in detail) would be a better way for me to figure out how to meet their needs.

Nell's Pinterest project was interesting to me because it's an unconventional use of Pinterest. Perhaps when this course was created, that was a more typical way to experience Pinterest. In 2022, most of the content I see is heavily curated and often sponsored ads. There are ways to use the site for casual projects (and the moodboards she mentioned are a perfect use!). It's a good reminder though that some tools can be repurposed for our classes if we are able to think outside the box. 

What technology devices do your students have access to? What are some of the everyday tasks your students are using these technology devices to accomplish?

Hello, I'm an adult educator for English language learners with morning and evening classes through a public school district. The adults in my intermediate class all had smart phones and used them in various ways to support their learning but were mature enough to not let them get in the way of learning (distraction). I often saw them pull them out when they're trying to describe a food or place or concept that no one in the class was familiar with, and they'd infrequently use them as a translator to look up a word they don't know how to say or spell in English (replacing translators and dictionaries). We use Remind to communicate announcements to our students, and many of them use their phones to access the curriculum in Burlington English rather than a computer. 

After reading the Let’s Become Chefs! final activity, what are some creative ways to integrate technology into the strategy for the final activity? List a couple of ways that you can integrate technology into this strategy.

Unfortunately, most of our students aren't as comfortable using email/Google products as they are some other apps they're more familiar with such as Wechat and WhatsApp; however, more of the intermediate and advanced students are at least familiar with Gmail so would have access to the Google Drive and other tools such as Docs. In order to create a recipe book, depending on time constraints, I would help those who don't have Google accounts to create one or would have them partner with someone who does to use a Docs Template for Recipes (the example is Strawberry Shortcake). I'm thankful we just received computers for all of our classrooms and have a projector, so I would be able to easily project and demonstrate as they follow along. It would be empowering for many of the students to be able to compile and print recipes for their loved ones in both English and their native language.

What two technology tools did Cynthia try to implement with her students in the classroom? What were the observed benefits of using one tool over another? What are some limitations of both tools?

Cynthia didn't really name the first third-party tool that she attempted to implement, rather she just said that it wasn't widely used because it was just one more thing that busy people would need to access; so she switched to using a Facebook group as more students were already using it. She mentioned more than once that some students had concerns about privacy on social media, which is valid. She did her best to help them secure their profiles, though that is one of the limitations, because Facebook profiles are only so private. She was able to make a Facebook group work for her in ways needed for their educational goals, where she had probably originally chosen a different platform since it was more specifically created for educational purposes. I did like that she mentioned that being in a group together meant that they didn't all have to friend each other on Facebook which is something I would find more awkward. 

How did Nell’s use of Pinterest in the lesson on autobiographies enhance and extend student learning?

Not only did they do the autobiography project, some of them had to start new accounts in Pinterest and collaborated together with some more experienced users mentoring the less experienced. Frankly, I'm not sure that Pinterest is widely used as an educational tool these days, though I could be wrong. It would be easy enough to do a similar project using Google Docs or a Google Slide presentation just inserting images from a web search, sharing with each other and the teacher.

After listening to the two teacher reflections from Cynthia Bell and Nell Eckersley, consider the following: How have you approached technology in the past? With the guidelines provided in this module, what new or additional considerations will you build into your unit or lesson planning process to more effectively integrate technology into your classroom?

In the past, my first four years of ESL instruction were 100% online, so the students needed to quickly learn how to use the platform and tools in order to even be able to see and meet with me. In the past semester, I'm in a classroom setting where technology only makes up a portion of our time together, though we are using an online curriculum that they supplement from home by using their phones or computers to access Burlington English. I generally project the lessons to a whiteboard where I can write with markers to annotate and supplement what is displayed on the screen. In my intermediate level ESL class, we've worked together to make sure that the adults know how to access certain websites in order to supplement their own learning at home, often with me modeling on the projector and the rest following along. This became a bigger priority toward the end of the spring semester when I learned that only a small portion of my students would be taking the intensive summer class and many others would be working or traveling in the summer with a two-month break before returning, hopefully. I still find myself printing off a fair number of paper copies for the intermediate students as it seems to be a good fit with their learning style, though I will be assessing my advanced students to see how comfortable they will be with a more paperless approach in some assignments.

For my beginner students, I will do some research on how to teach them to use their available technology, if they all have phones, to make notes and use the tools online to continue to progress in their English education without necessarily asking them to download more apps.