I have now completed my first
course toward my Certification in Technology Integration in the Classroom:
“Understanding the Impact of Technology on Education, Work, and Society”. I have gained much from this course and
it has changed my view of how technology has impacted the classroom and will
continue to do so.
I have developed my own technology
skills as a professional teacher by trying new media such as podcasts and wikis. Because I have now experienced the use of
these technologies, I am much more prepared to introduce them to students in
the classroom. This is a life
skill when it comes to technology in education – I always need to be
experimenting with new things that I would like to try with students.
The
teaching and learning process is something a teacher studies throughout his/her
entire career. I have gained many
insights about teaching and learning during this course. Technology can play a major role in
reshaping the classroom so that it can become a student-centered, collaborative
environment for learning.
Nussbaum-Beach says that technology and the Internet are “about whole
new ways to work and think and learn, to conduct your business and your life”
(2008). I see that technology
connects students to a world of information, a community of peers and experts,
and a platform from which to communicate.
None of those things were available in the same way just a few years
ago. This affects the teaching
process because the information no longer comes solely from a textbook or a
teacher. Sources of information
are limitless, and the most important skill is being a discerning researcher,
even at a young age. Teacher Jeff
Houston remarks that “it is important for teachers to help guide [students] to
an understanding of what is a good source. Instead of telling them an answer, bring them through it”
(Laureate, n.d.). Training
students to be savvy Internet readers gives them the lifelong tools they will
need for learning.
Learning
occurs differently when a student’s audience is much more broad than one
classroom and one teacher. Being
able to share and learn from peers outside the classroom changes the learning
and teaching process in extraordinary ways. Students are motivated to produce quality work and to
carefully consider what information is being published. They must learn and practice proper
online etiquette when responding to what others have posted. They truly have a voice.
As
a classroom teacher, it is easier to prepare lessons that are teacher
centered. This involves planning
what the teacher will talk about or show, and what the students will do to
prove they mastered the skill.
Student-centered lessons involve finding and attempting to solve
real-world problems, using available technology to locate and peruse applicable
information, and presenting the solution in an appropriate and powerful
way. Students are empowered
through meaningful application of their knowledge and by being given a platform
to share their ideas and results.
My perspective has changed as my eyes were opened to what learning could
be with the 21st Century technology that we have. As I attempt to implement these ideas,
there is some fear as I let go of the familiar. I know it will be more work as a teacher, and I am unsure
how I will organize my planning with this more open-ended approach. But I believe this is the way people do
their best learning, and if it can be harnessed in the elementary school
classroom we will be educating students in a way that benefits them all their
lives.
It
is my desire to continue to expand my knowledge of learning, teaching, and
leading with technology. One of
the main ways I have done this in the past is to subscribe to blogs written by
leaders in the field of technology in the classroom. By reading about their
practices and reflections, I gain from their experience. I am regularly supplied with new
methods and projects to try. I do
not remain stagnant because I have a window into the progress being made
outside my classroom walls.
Another way I will continue to grow is by staying connected to my
Personal Learning Network in places like Twitter, Facebook, and blogs. I will interact with experts in the
field of Educational Technology, using the immediate nature of social media to
be able to ask questions and learn more.
I also plan to continue taking courses toward my certification, which
will expand my knowledge further so that I can manage technology use for the
purpose of increasing student achievement.
My
first long-term goal is to research 1:1 implementation in nearby and faraway
schools for the purpose of moving our district closer to adopting a “one device
per student” ratio. Our
superintendent is already beginning to research this and has asked me to assist
him. I will develop a
questionnaire to touch on all of the important concerns our district faces as
we approach this major proposal. I
will research what devices were chosen and why, what software or apps were
purchased and why, how classroom structure and pedagogy has changed as a
result, how districts were able to share with the community the importance of
connected students (and therefore pass a levy for technology dollars), and how
districts trained/inspired their teachers to use the devices in their
classrooms. I will use the
information I gather to inform decisions made by our superintendent and school
board as we move forward in the development of our plan for 1:1 implementation.
My
second long-term goal is to lead our school by implementing the first
technology rich classroom oriented toward 21st Century Skills. I
will work toward that goal by completing my certification in Technology
Integration in the Classroom for the remainder of this school year. My goal is to pioneer 1:1 implementation
within our school, sharing with my colleagues as I go. I hope to be given the opportunity to
implement this a year sooner than the rest of the district (ideally with a
counterpart in the high school doing the same). I would like to put into practice the type of teaching I
have learned about in my courses, for the benefit of my students and the rest
of my school. I would like to give
others a practical example of how the Read-Write Web can change their
classroom, teaching, and learning.
Our experiences could be shared with teachers district-wide and with the
community at large as they consider whether to support the 1:1 initiative on
the ballot.
As
I reflect on my Practices to Support 21st Century Skills checklist from the beginning of this course, there
are several responses that have changed.
Of those that changed, all have moved in a positive direction. As I work with teachers in my school, I
now design learning experiences that require students to formulate questions
for inquiry and engage in real-world problem-solving activities. I provide students with multiple and
varied opportunities for using technology tools and resources to support the
learning. I design learning
experiences incorporating technology by first examining the learning goals to
be achieved. Classroom teachers
for various reasons do not utilize many of my efforts and recommendations. I believe the primary deterrents to
integrating technology in the classroom are a perceived lack of time and a
staff that has not yet shifted toward 21st Century Learning in
general.
References:
Laureate Education (Producer).
(n.d.). The changing role of
the classroom teacher: Part 2 [Video
file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu
Nussbaum-Beach, S. (2008). No
limits. Technology &
Learning, 28(7),
14–18. Retrieved from http://www.techlearning.com/features/0039/no-limits/44886
