Supporting Instruction with Technology

Google Sheets: Allegheny Portage Railroad
I focused on the Allegheny Portage Railroad lesson plan because it is a piece of technological and historical achievement that is often overlooked and only studied in Pennsylvania schools. While it may not be relevant for classrooms in California, for example, it is still a relevant topic in neighboring states such as New Jersey. Furthermore, I saw that this lesson plan was very promising, but could use a few improvements in order to be ready for the students to learn. Some gaps that took place were that the lesson only focused on using computers to view pictures/paintings and read assigned texts. With the amount of information being assessed in this plan, computer access should be used as interactive tools for the pictures and maps, as well as transitioning the students to using other technologies such as Google Docs when collecting data for their debate or a recording device for their interviews with parents or grandparents to name a few. These additional technologies will help the students feel like they own their work through student-centered instruction. Also, the lesson needed to expand slightly on the railroad's importance with regards to the United States' political expansion as it continued its movement west. I think Google Sheets is very user friendly and would be very helpful in the classroom. Also, it would be especially useful for debates and group discussions that need some prior research in order for the students to organize their materials in a simple way.