When world studies or American history I find that my students often struggle with applying the content to their lives and rarely retain the information long term. I believe that the catalyst for this is that my students feel disconnected from the content, which directly effects their intrinsic motivation in relation to my class. When the student feels there is no personal value in the content, then their motivation is only to understand the material just enough to advance to the next unit and receive a desired grade from me. Obviously this is a major concern, as my students need to understand the main concepts from my courses, so they can be well informed when they must make decisions that effect them later in life.
I believe that I can transition my students into self-motivated learners who are able to use the skills learned in my classroom, if they have access to an iPad and MacBook laptop cart. With access to this cart, I will be able to construct lessons that let the students create their own curriculum, involving their various learning styles and interests. I will also be able to communicate better with my students and assess their progress. The interactive lessons will allow me to individualize assessments, creating alternatives that not only allow for students to create multi-media content, but to also develop their technological skills. These skills are imperative to their success in any field after their completion of high school, and with the carious machines available to them during their learning process, it will cultivate a comfort with various web based technologies.
Kyle T. Shack 