During this semester I have enjoyed the challenges of this class. It has given me many tools that I intend to use in the future in my own classroom. Technology is really just another tool among the many that teachers already have ,but I never would have thought that so many different uses could be made with it. This class has opened my eyes to many different ways that I can keep my class fresh for students and even parents. One of the two things that made this class so educational is the book obviously and the other is the lesson plan. The book, Transforming Learning with New Technologies has so much useful information that I plan to keep it and even recommend to my peers. My favorite chapter is eight, Communication and Collaboration with Social Media because after taking this class I've really come to appreciate collaboration in the classroom, I see the usefulness of having children working together. The second reason why this was a very good class is the lesson plan. I really enjoyed this lesson plan especially the projects that not only taught me how to use technology but also made it interesting every single week. My favorite was the WebQuest project because it was so fun for me to really use my "creative bone". I may now have some bias toward using technology in my class but at least now I have information to support why I like a class that uses technology. Most importantly is that this class has given me a boost of confidence, and encouragement on my goal to become a future teacher.
Thank you for having me in your class.
Reference:
Maloy, R. (2011). Transforming learning with new technologies (2nd ed., Vol. 2, pp. 2 - 315). Boston, Massachusetts: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon
Integrating Technology and Creating Change as Teacher Leaders
This is the final chapter of the book and is basically giving information on how to be the best leader in a classroom while using technology. Educators are now seeing the benefits of using technology in the classroom but are also still sticking to the basics a good median between technology and old school.
Interesting topics:
1 Stages of Technology Integration
2 Writing Grants
3 Bring Your Own Technology Programs
1.)
Here is a link to view the flow chart using Gliffy.com
2.) A struggle for many teachers is the fact that they will have limited resources to do their job. It can be a serious frustration that becomes a wall for even the best educators. Although there are ways that teachers can get funding, specifically writing grants or presenting their project to organizations that can provide funds to them. It is skill that may take some time to develop but will serve as a very valuable asset to get outside funding for almost any tool a teacher may need. Just like everything throughout this book it can be used with technology and the book calls this Crowd Funding, which is using an online website that specifically helps with raising money for classrooms the two websites provided are Kickstarter.com and PeerBacker.com. Being a good teacher requires individuals to be very passionate but more importantly adaptive even when presented with an issue that seems out of their control.
3.) An interesting topic that appears in the book concerning the participation gap between those students who come from more privileged homes and those who dont. The problem is a teacher has to move through a school year trying to give lessons that allow the same level of access to information which can be difficult. This is especially true with technology because not all students will have access to it or at least the same level of technology. There are some programs that are trying to bridge that gap and one of them is the BYOT (Bring Your Own Technology) program which is pushing for students to bring their own technology into the classroom. Now, this initially sounds like a good idea because it will definitely cuts the cost of what schools will have to spend but at the cost of still having gaps. Some aspects of it are useful but there are several flaws with this program. First, for students that have access to the highest quality of technology it may give an unfair advantage to those with older models. Also adding to the fact that the devices (phones,tablets and laptops) that students in these kinds of programs will be different. A teacher will need to know how to operate different software which will take additional time and training. This take on the participation gap may not be the solution but it isn't completely wrong because as technology becomes more and more advanced becomes more available to more people. So it may be possible one day to use this program.
References
Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Fostering Online Learning with Educational Websites and Apps
In this chapter the focus is on organization, virtual field trips, and virtual schools. Staying organized is a huge part of being a teacher but not everyone is as organized as they should be at the beginning of their career. Using the internet opens up many doors if used properly, it can become whatever someone needs it to be. The two other issues in the post are similar and will talk the benefits of the internet for students in the classroom and at home.
Topics of Interests:
Managing Information
Virtual Field Trip
Virtual Schools
1.) To create this chart Pikrochart was used for information about the website please click the link.
2.) A teacher that transitions from a non-technology filled environment to a technology rich one can appreciate of how convenient the internet makes things. In this case its with field trips, younger students are walking sponges that take in a good majority of what they see and hear. This is why field trips can be so effective for their growth. Although, there can be complications which is normal they can put a real damper on the overall mood of a class if plans change. Luckily, technology allows for virtual experiences that an educator can use to send their students wherever they can imagine. With a little bit of creativity using Google maps in a lesson plan can give students excitement to learn and understand different cultures. Having students work together or separately it doesn't matter the benefits will still be there. Although, virtual field trips should not take place of the real thing only when needed because it is in the end still happening within the four walls of a classroom.
3.) An interesting topic brought up in this chapter is the separation of agreement on having completely virtual schools. A virtual school is a school that has students learning primarily from online courses and as beneficial as technology can be is a complete online school year a good thing? To much of good usually has adverse effects with foods and the same applies with having schools totally online. The book discusses having k-12 virtual classrooms which is fine but over time may interfere with the human interaction that younger children need to develop. Moderation is important because there can be no denying that technology isn't helping students but things like collaborative work become very difficult. At higher age groups having a mixture of online courses with in class schooling would be ideal which is a practice that some schools are taking up, this is called blended learning.
References
Maloy, R. (2011). Fostering Online Learning with Educational Websites and Apps. In Transforming learning with new technologies (Vol. 2, pp. 130 - 151). Boston, Massachusetts: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
Engaging Students in Performance Assessment and Reflective Learning
This chapter is relatively short but contains very good information for teachers about creating portfolios and adding information to it making them more appealing to potential school. It also sheds light on the value of providing different ways to assess students that can help students engage further into what they have learned.
Three important topics:
The Role of Assessment in Teaching
Elements of a Teacher Portfolio
Democratic Schools and Classrooms
1.) Educators are tasked with evaluating their students at any level and assessing what they have learned in the classroom. Teachers also must be evaluated by their supervisors to ensure that what is being taught is correct, meeting the standards of the school. The typical way that evaluations or assessments are done is by giving a test but the book provides three other ways this can be done.
New Teaching Assessment : How supervisors will assess a teacher's work
Student Assessment : How you will assess students' learning and your own effectiveness as a teacher.
Student Self Assessment : How students will participate in the assessment process.
It should be obvious that new teachers are assessed and also students as well but what is interesting is the last kind of assessment discussed. Student self assessment, which is helpful for the students in that it asks the question,"What have you learned?" which should take some time for them to answer. It is an alternative or even a task that can be added on to an end of semester exam for example. Which requires students to self evaluate, this not only helps them better understand what they've learned but also provides the teacher information to add to their own records.
2.) Evaluations are inevitable for current and future teachers, and being prepared for them is very important to becoming a good educator. One of the best ways to be prepared is by creating an electronic teacher portfolio, which the book describes as a "collection of educational and professional materials stored in an electronic format". In the past this was done and stored in large paper files but now that we have been gifted with technology all of the information can be stored on a flashdrive or in the cloud. It also allows easy access to those who need to see
A teacher portfolio should contain the following:
A Resume
Teaching Philosophy
Lesson Plan
Level of Experience
Academic Experience
3.) Here is a video found through I.D.E.A (Institute for Democratic Education in America) that gives statistics to paint a picture of what schools in America focus on and what they should focus on. The organization is rich with information and ideas on bettering the American schooling system.
The ultimate goal of all teachers should be to help students achieve their greatest potential in and outside of the classroom. Although this is true it seems as though schools are just preparing students for the next big standardized test. There is a place for standardized testing, they should not be thrown out of curriculums, but they should not be prioritized the way that they currently are. Students are individuals that have strengths and weaknesses just like everyone else. What should be prioritized teaching students to learn more about themselves, engage them in lessons that show them what they may be able to achieve one day.
References:
Maloy, R. (2011). Engaging Students in Performance Assessment and Reflective Learning. InIn Transforming learning with new technologies (2nd ed., Vol. 2, pp. 276 - 293). Boston, Massachusetts: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
Make Your Voice Heard: Discover Democratic Education. (2010, March 10). Retrieved April 5, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_LbZ3XcfK4
Institute for Democratic Education in America | IDEA. (n.d.). Retrieved April 6, 2015, from http://www.democraticeducation.org/
Designing Lessons and Developing Curriculum with Technology
When teachers oversee a class they need to have a plan, rushing into a lesson with no prior planning can be fun in that students may be engaged in the spontaneity. Although, this tactic is not always successful just as anything else in life. Educators should follow a curriculum and lesson plans for their classroom. This chapter discusses how to make a lesson plan that follows the standards of the school, keeps students engaged, and properly evaluates the children.
Topics of interest:
Lesson Development
Assessing and Evaluating Students
Approaches to Lesson Planning
Student Learning Objectives
Understanding by Design
1.)
If you are not able to see the Emaze presentation please click this link - Lesson Development
2.) Individuals that finally become educators keep many of the habits of teachers that they've had over the years. New teachers may give long lectures, assign hours of homework, or any number of teaching strategies. What many new educators struggle with is how to properly evaluate the students in their classroom. The book provides several different strategies, none of which are the "perfect" way but can be useful in what they are trying to accomplish. Some of the ways to evaluate students may be obvious such as classes that prepare for standardized testing and others that are more customized to helping students creativity grow. An interesting topic brought up in the book states that technology is a very important and successful tool for assessment but, for elementary it may not be as effective. This is due to the fact that a good portion of what children learn in elementary school can not be given an exact percentage. So standardized testing was put into place to get accurate percentages but setting a bar that not all students can reach does not seem like the best course of action either.When broken down to its core schools and educators should be making curriculums that give students a hunger to learn more about a particular subject. Standardized tests have their purpose but they do not always accurately define the level of intellect that a student is at. James Popham states it best, "We must evaluate students so we can make more appropriate decisions about how to educate them." (2010,p.5)
3.) When organizing a lesson plan a teacher has to choose whether it will be following one of two approaches: the Student Learning Objectives approach or the Understanding by Design (UBD) approach.
Student Learning Objectives provides guidelines that students have to follow. The teacher tells who,what,when, how much, and lastly how it will be evaluated. It is the more commonly used of the two types of lesson planning because it has been used for a much longer time. UBD which is different in its approach, is very interesting and was first discussed by two educators, Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe (1998,2007, 2011). It has three distinct stages, the first has the teacher find the enduring understanding which is the "big idea of the lesson and then the essential questions which is just a way of organizing information for students. The second stage has the teacher making assessment strategies to show what the students will have learned once they complete the lesson. Finally, the last stage actually has the same steps as the Student Learning Objectives approach. Understanding by Design may take some more time to complete but though the help of technology it is much more
beneficial for the students.
References:
Maloy, R. (2011). Designing Lessons and Developing Curriculum with Technology. In Transforming learning with new technologies (2nd ed., pp. 74 - 95). Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
Expressing Creativity with Multimedia Technologies
This chapter will talk about sharing information through the use of digital technologies. Teachers in the past have always had at least one project that has a student present to the classroom. In these lesson plans students go to the front of the class and speak about the topic that they have researched. This is a necessary step in building up confidence and speaking skills for students but what if there was a way to make the audience bigger, much bigger. By using multimedia technology a student can share their work with the world and not just through one way. There are Podcasts, PowerPoint's and even things that are generally overlooked as entertainment like YouTube. Learning should not be restricted to just what a teacher creates either, for so long teachers have had their thumb on how their students should learn but the world is diverse just like a classroom. Students should be aloud to also create because their imaginations are most likely greater than their own teachers and not only does it allow students more freedom with learning but it also grants them the feeling of confidence. Building something from nothing is satisfying especially when not only the classroom will see the effort and work put into the project.
Topics of interest in this chapter:
Next-Generation Web 2.0 Presentation Tools
Video in the Classroom
1.) Some very useful websites to incorporate into lesson plans:
Prezi - a website that allows users to create their very own presentations that allow many different modifications like zooming in and out of slides and creating personalized paths for views to take.
Animoto - allows the ability to create videos using pictures and sound clips.
Glogster - a multimedia technology that allows the creation of blogs that can be customized in-depth.
With good instruction these three websites can be used to move learning to a higher level much faster. Educator must be equipped with the right tools for their job just like any other profession.
2.) Using video in classrooms opens up a new way of learning because it is multimodal keeping the level of interest high for students of all ages. What's interesting about integrating video into classrooms especially in the 21 century is that children feel at home with technology and will be more open to using it for learning. The majority of the iGeneration spends much of their time on a computer rather than in front of a TV so it would make sense for teachers to follow suit.
Our sight is our most important sense, people depend highly on its ability to understand the world. To explain something without seeing it can be a timely task but through the use of technology students that suffer in school because their lack of visual aides have a better chance. Although, this does assist visual learners, they are not the only students that will benefit from video lessons.
Reference:
Maloy, R. (2011). Expressing Creativity with Multimedia Technologies. In Transforming learning with new technologies. Boston, Massachusetts: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
Promoting Success for All Students through Technology
Educators have a very difficult job that requires them to be skilled with not only their desired age group or level but also with areas that they may not be comfortable with. Diverse is what a teacher should be because every student that walks into a classroom has a different struggle. This chapter addresses the students that have disabilities or impairments and gives information on how to teach them.
Topics of interest in this chapter:
Differentiated Instruction and Universal Design for Learning
Universal design and differentiated instruction are related in that they are both trying to help students learn in their own way. Universal design is more controlled by the teachers lesson plan and curriculum. Differentiated instruction is where an educator allows for more collaborative work. There can be many different types of learners in one classroom at a time and to engage them all with a single approach doesn't seem fair. The three main types of learners are auditory, kinesthetic and visual. The three are used together most of the time to learn but one or two can be more dominant. Although it may seem strange to excel in one area it does not mean that it is still not a gift that can be used. How can the auditory learner (learns better by hearing) get the best out of an assignment that must be read silently in class? A way to fix that issue would be to make a lesson plan that requires students to read aloud in groups. Educators need to engage students and keep them hungry for knowledge. It is interesting to see that there are still many educators who are monotonous in the way they teach. They have been teaching the same way for 20 years and sometimes more. How can teachers expect their students to grow if they themselves are stuck in their 3rd or 4th year of teaching? A way to avoid being trapped in a repetitive routine is to connect with students and make lesson plans that will allow them to reach their personal potential.
References:
Universal Design for Learning (UDL). (n.d.). Retrieved March 2, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaSZqgr2eUM Maloy, R. (2011). Transforming learning with new technologies (Vol. 2, pp. 244 - 273). Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
Chapter 8 is all about sharing ideas creatively, working together using teamwork, and as always through the use of technology. It is interesting to see that teachers may not always be associated with the words "strict" or "formal" because they now have different techniques that help students love learning. Incorporating tasks that make students connect with one another will be extremely beneficial to them in the future. By allowing students to use social media to learn it is working with not only their academic ability but also with their social skills.
Interesting topics from this chapter:
The Benefits of Blogging (VIDEO)
Benefits of Digitaltalk
1). In this video it is very interesting to see that teachers can start using blogs at such an early age. The iGeneration may have a much easier time with learning through the use of blogging or technology in general but if they are able to blog in elementary school what will they be able to do by the time they reach high school and beyond. To some adults making a blog seems like a difficult task but these students are taking the challenge head on and are excited to learn.
2). Text messaging and email are two popular forms of communication among students and even adults. The book provides several strategies on how to use them as a teacher. The first is understanding the use of "Digitaltalk" which defined in the book is "an abbreviated collection of symbols and letters that are used for quick communication when using cell phones or text messaging on a computer" (Turner 2010). There are a lot people that might say the use of digitaltalk is not useful at all but studies done by researchers in England show that the words that are in abbreviated form are abbreviated phonetically. (Plester, Wood, & Joshi, 2009) which is actually helpful to younger texters.
References.
Maloy, R. (2011). Communication and Collaborating with Social Media. In Transforming learning with new technologies (Vol. 2, p. 194). Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
Yollis, L. (2013, March 13). The Benefits of Blogging! Retrieved February 21, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWESkdrd_gc#t=17
Plester, B., Wood, C., and Joshi, P (2009). Exploring the relationship between children's knowledge of text message abbreviations and school literacy outcomes. British Journal of Development Psychology, 27, 145-161
Exploring Problem Solving with Software, Apps and Games
Video games and homework seem like topics that don't belong together but with the use of technology teachers can make this a reality. It is a very interesting take on how students can learn because games are notoriously known for wasting time but they require users to deeply engage in what they are doing which is exactly what teachers want from students. This chapter shows that it can be done and even provides examples of how its done.
Interesting topics in this chapter:
Debates about Games and Gaming
Digital Games for Learning - Serious Games
Selection and Evaluation of Software and App
1). Being a new teacher in the twenty first century that is very pro technology in schools may come across educators that don't feel the same way. Not all educators see the benefits in having children use technology as a tool to help them read and write especially not through video games. There is no problem with having opinions but there are issues that are brought up that should be considered. The book provides some negative things educators can bring up about the use of video games and teaching. An example would be that many games being created now have a high level of violence and suggestive themes that children can pick up very early. Teachers believe that it is a form of desensitization which is harmful in the long run.
2). Digital Games are games that are made for educational purposes. The games can be used in a classroom curriculum and also used for any subject grade level. The games engage students in what they are learning by asking questions and also has students analyze different situations all without leaving their seat. Digital games originated in 2006 at an educational summit where it was decided that not only will digital games prepare students for a test or grade level but also in later life. Finding a job or starting a career will require a certain degree of proficiency with the use technology. The best way to prepare students is by giving them a good base in technology.
3). An interesting section of the chapter discusses how to find good software and apps for students. Seymour Papert stated that low quality software has three distinct features which are:
The computer dictates the activity:
Competition, stereotyping, or violence is present
Quick reactions are favored over sustained thinking and problem solving
Another important area is the level of thinking that a student will have with a particular program. Is it Higher-Order or Lower-Order thinking? Lower order thinking is just the basic recall of information while Higher-Order thinking requires more in depth understanding. A teacher has to understand how beneficial a lesson plan will be before giving it out to a class.
References
aloy, R. (2011). Exploring Problem Solving with Software, Apps, and Games. InTransforming learning with new technologies (Vol. 2, pp. 158 - 180). Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
Photo credit goes to Ross Mayfield found on Flickr
Teaching Information Literacy and Digital Citizenship
This chapter is covering the different ways that individuals can find useful information using the internet's search engines. Also, the chapter shows ways to avoid sources that are not valid which is a problem that is inevitable due to the freedom that the internet allows people, a reliable resource can be hard to come by at times. Although, If properly taught by teachers, finding a good reliable source can be easy because students can be given a guideline or list of certain things to avoid. Distractions are everywhere online and can be a real problem for some so schools have implemented Acceptable Use Policies or AUP's. These policies are rules that if broken students can suffer with warnings, detentions, and even suspensions. As good idea as this may seem, an opinion about placing such harsh penalties on students was brought up by two educators Mike Ribble and Gerald Bailey. "Rules do not teach students what is appropriate and why, and instead simply define the uses that are restricted in the school setting." Students should be taught how to use tools but also how to use them responsibly with digital ethics.
Topics of Interest:
Strategies for Preventing Plagiarism and Cheating
Wikipedia : An Online Encyclopedia
Information Literacy as Learning Goal
1). The most tedious part of writing a paper is providing citation and references but it is the most important part because its what proves everything that was just discussed. Yet, many students still copy and paste information but it may not be their fault entirely it may be the way the project or assignment is being presented. James McKenzie and educator made a set of guidelines that he recommends should be used before giving any assignment that requires accessing information via the internet and even paper books.
Distinguish levels or types of research
Discourage "trivial pursuit"
Emphasize essential questions
Require and enable students to construct answers
Focus on information storage systems
Stress citation ethics
Assess student progress throughout the entire research process
2). Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia that contains more than 17 million articles of just about anything and allows the general public access to edit the articles. The site when brought up in a classroom setting may set off red flags with teachers because wiki does allow anyone to edit their pages rather than having experts review the information. To some teachers wiki is a pain but for others it can also be used as a tool to teach students how to properly search for information. A very interesting way to approach students using wiki could be to have students compare wikipedia with other encyclopedias by doing this "fact - check" on wiki entries students can find just good or bad information from wikipedia can be. A link has been provided to get an idea of what can be done to incorporate wiki into lesson plans.
3). With the development of technology there are terms that describe students and their ability to explore the internet. The book states that reading and writing are very important and therefore literacy is important but it is also important for the students in the iGeneration. To be a digital and information literate person in the 21st century means that an individual should be able to do a number of things using the internet. Collecting information, having the ability to understand and organize it as well these are all in the definition of Digital Literacy. Equally as important is "Media Literacy" which is having the ability to use several different forms of technology to communicate and share information.
"By 2010, the internet had"Surpassed newspapers and radio in popularity as a news platform on a typical day and now ranks just behind TV" (Purcell,Rainie, Mitchell, Rosenstiel, and Olmstead, 2010, p. 2)
References
Maloy, R. (2011). Teaching Information Literacy and Digital Citizenship. In Transforming learning with new technologies (2nd ed., pp. 98 - 126). Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
Transforming Learning with Unique, Powerful Technology
This chapter discusses how effective using technology in schools K - 12 can be. It also brings up the National Education Technology Standards (NETS) that provide a list of guidelines and outcomes for using technology in classrooms. Being excited about the use of technology is one thing but being able to explain why it is useful is just as important. The thought of having students walk into their classroom with an Ipad is still a foreign thought to the general public. It is up to teachers to show parents that their children are capable of achieving great things by using something they would least expect to be a tool.
Three Points of Interest in Chapter 3:
Four Learning Theories : Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism, and Constructionism
Teacher Centered and Student Centered Approaches
Collaboration
1). The majority of this chapter covers the four learning theories and how teachers use them in the classroom. Every teacher is different and unique but can still have success in the classroom, each student will learn because there is no set road to take for a teacher. Click the link to view a Prezi discussing the different theories.
2). The four different learning theories actually require teachers to handle their classroom differently. When a teacher is providing information to students and the answers are clear cut then this is a Teacher Centered classroom. On the other end of the spectrum a teacher can give students the ability to work together to find the solution to problems this is called Student Centered. Too much of one is obviously not beneficial to the students so a nice medium is important to have. At times Teacher Centered classrooms may not engage the students enough to take on more difficult projects where Student Centered would be perfect for that situation. The most important thing is to keep students minds working toward learning more.
3). Allowing students the ability to work together gives them time during their busy lives in school to be kids, to be themselves while they learn. It is important because as a student that spends so much time in a classroom they are expected not to act out. Through collaboration work students are even more likely to be show more creativity because they are more comfortable among friends. The use of collaboration combined with the use of technology in classrooms will make waves in the future of teaching.
"A failure is not always a mistake it may simply be the best one can do under the circumstances. The real mistake is to stop trying." B.F. Skinner
Reference Maloy, R. (2011). Transforming Learning with Unique, Powerful Technology. In Transforming learning with new technologies (2nd ed., pp. 46 - 71). Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
Understanding Educational Technology Issues and Trends
Technology if used correctly in the classroom can be very beneficial but can too much of a good thing be harmful? Will students become dependant on the software that computers provide and with technology getting more advanced every year will teachers be able to keep up? This chapter takes a look at both sides of technology that is integrated into education, It uses several survey questions about issues a teacher might experience in a classroom using technology as a classroom tool.
Two points of interest in chapter 2:
Web 2.0 Knowledge
Methods For Teaching With Technology
1). The internet has become very easy to use over the years but originally was something that only experts who developed it could really understand. Now the internet has become a fountain of information that anyone can easily access. Through the use of blogs, social media, and podcasts these technologies are classified as Web 2.0 knowledge. The book defines Web 2.0 as "bottom-up, democratically derived, consensus-driven ideas and information that differ dramatically from the theoretical knowledge created by experts and elites." This presents a bit of an issue for teachers because now with all the new information which teaching style should be used. It really depends on personal preference and how well a teacher can use technology.
2). The entire chapter is filled with surveys asking different questions and once the questions are completed a teaching philosophy is formed. A teaching philosophy is how a teacher would like her students to learn new material. There are two main ways a teacher can have a class structured, they are teacher centered and student centered. The two differ in how involved a teacher is in students activities. A student centered teacher may just provide the class with a problem and let the children find an answer on the other end is the teacher centered teaching style which has the teacher watching closely over what students are doing.
Reference
Maloy, R. (2011). Understanding Educational Technology Issues and Trends. InTransforming learning with new technologies (2nd ed., Vol. 2, pp. 23 -41). Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
This will be the first of many post that will be covering teaching through the use of technology. The majority of information discussed will be coming from the book Transforming Learning with New Technologies : Second Edition. Posts will typically cover one or two chapters taking topics and expanding on them. A summary with personal thoughts will be at the end of each post.
Becoming a 21st Century Teacher
The first chapter of this book is titled "Becoming a 21st Century Teacher". This chapter is just an introduction to the book but, it does provide many important topics that open the door to using new techniques to teach students.
Technology has never before been so accessible like it is today. It is also faster than ever before and used for just about everything from things like communication, navigation, entertainment and even medicine. All of these things would seem quite dull and some would be impossible without the help of technology, so why is it not more involved in our schools today? An argument might be that many great minds have come from the traditional ways of teaching so why fix something that isn't broken, but using technology as a tool to teach students is not "fixing" rather, it is adapting to changing times. Teachers use different tools to achieve the same goal, they are armed with "tool belts" that allow them to engage the minds of students and technology is just the newest tool.
Here we can see just how much technology has advance in such a short time with this video.
1.) The iGeneration consists of children that are 8 - 18 years old who have grown up using computers and social media in their daily lives. The members of this generation were born in the late 1990's and do not know a world without technology such as cell phones, text messaging, and other interactive technologies (Posnick-Godwin, 2010). With 95% of 12 - 17 year olds online and about 80% of them using social media to communicate it is difficult for some to go a day without some form of technology. Facebook and Twitter reign as the kings of social media and have appealed to more than just the iGeneration. The use for these websites goes beyond just catching up with friends but also they provide information going on all over the world. (Lenhart, Madden, Smith, Purcell, Zickur, and Rainie, 2011)
As popular as technology and information might seem still not everyone has the same level or have them same amount of access. Studies have shown that there is a "digital divide and a technology participation gap" . Race as well family income play a part in how much access to technology a child might have. An unfortunate fact is that more white students use computers than African American and Hispanic children do. Students that are also in a home where parents are not very adept to using technology fall behind in the amount of technology they use. Although many students have limited access to technology those that do use it seem to favor it on the go. Using several forms of tech at ones like listening to music while checking on their Facebook feed.
2.) Having an environment that is rich in technology for students is important to help them feel comfortable. In the long run it will help with having a great school year because students will feel more accustomed to the technology involved lesson plans. Where students might get a little bored with assignments that require them to find information in libraries and large books a teacher could simply have them use the Internet. Even with things that seem like distractions such as phones and tablets in a classroom they can be a way to engage students by using or even creating applications.
Another important thing to consider in a technology saturated classroom would be to make yourself readily available online. By doing so teaching does not stop when a student goes home. Yes, homework already continues teaching students once they get home but when there is an open access point for students as well as parents to reach a teacher it builds a better relationship with them. Material that was missed can be checked online and questions can be answered from virtually anywhere, the amount of time between teacher and student is greatly increased.
3.) Students from the iGeneration have a bit of an upper hand when it comes to technology. They are naturals because they've been using it all of their lives and it doesn't stop there, students seek out new technologies (which changes and updates yearly) and master them. Teachers of this generation face a problem because they must become students again by having to keep up with the latest tech to teach their students. The book Transforming Learning with New Technologies provides four ways that a teacher can stay up to date with technology.
Learn Technologies while Teaching Academic Content
Expand Your Technology Categories
Create Technology Groups
Focus on Learning for Students and Yourself
SUMMARY
This was an interesting read, I enjoyed learning about all the statistics showing how important technology is and why it should be in schools. Also I see the value of using it to make my job easier. I intend on using technology as a tool when I'm finally a teacher.
References: Maloy, R. (2011). Becoming a 21st Century Teacher. In Transforming learning with new technologies (Vol. 2, pp. 3 -15). Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon. KIDS REACT TO WALKMANS (Portable Cassette Players). (2014, January 1). Retrieved January 18, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk_vV-JRZ6E
