What's Your LoTi Level?

Photo courtesy of Scientific American

Wondering what these kids are playing with? It's called the Classmate netbook PC.

It is a new piece of technology being used in classrooms to enhance learning. Which brings me to this post's topic: LoTi.

LoTi stands for Levels of Technology Implementation.

There are six levels in which technology may be implemented in a classroom.

Level 0: Nonuse - Essentially technology is not being used in this instance.

Level 1: Awareness - This level consists of only the teacher using the classroom computer.

Level 2: Exploration - This level is teacher-centered, and only uses lower order thinking skills. Technology in this level is used for students to conduct research reports.

Level 3: Infusion - This level is still teacher-centered, however, it requires higher order thinking skills. Students use tools such as concept maps, graphs, databases, etc.

Level 4: Integration - This level is student-centered, and has the student use the technology in relevant ways which they can relate to the real world.

Level 5: Expansion - This is student-centered and connects students to the real world. It also requires students to problem solve by connecting and communicating outside the classroom.

Level 6: Refinement - This level requires everything from level 5, however, in this level there is no distinction between technology and instruction. Technology is constantly available and used in the classroom.

In many of the classrooms I have worked in as a sub, I have to say that many of them range from level 3 to level 5. No classroom, at least that I have seen, is working with technology that is required in level 6.

I think as future educators,our goal should be to begin reaching that top level of technology use. I don't think level 6 is appropriate for all learners and all lessons, but that doesn't mean it should not be used at all.

I have no doubt that today's students would be comfortable working with all of the new technology available.

Now, it's time for schools and teachers to familiarize themselves with the tools necessary to catch up to the skills of their students, and begin incorporating technology more.

WDYDWYD?

Why do you do what you do?

That was one of the questions we needed to ask ourselves this past week.

For me, I do what I do because because of this...



I used this picture of my cousin which was taken after she received her "Terrific Kid Award" in her 1st grade class this past school year.

My cousin was placed on the Autism Spectrum when she was 18 months old. Through early intervention and the work of her general education and special education teacher, she has blossomed into an excellent student.

She has overcome a lot in her short life, and while her parents deserve a lot of credit, I do believe a big reason for her success are her teachers also.

First Time for Everything

This week marked the first time I have participated in an online course. I was a little intimidated going into it, but after we began, I realized I was actually pretty comfortable with it all.

The reason for this...Curricular Planning.

Having experienced Moodle, Elluminate Live, and of course blogging last semester with Dr. S. in Curricular Planning, I discovered this online class wouldn't be nearly as bad as I had thought.

The class met as whole group on Thursday evening. It seemed to go well, except there were a few microphone issues.

Prior to this meeting, however, I had been meeting online with my group, the Tech Quad.

We met three nights this first week through G-Talk and Google Docs. This was the first time I had ever worked with a group collaboratively using either tools.

It is so easy to use and you can edit power points and other documents together. It was also helpful when someone in the group didn't understand how to do something, you could just connect through a web cam and actually tell them how to do it, rather than just type it in and hope they understand.