At the risk of looking completely ridiculous and verging on pompous, I would like to reference one of my own past blogs on the subject, found here. In this blog I answer the same question above by speaking to what I call "technology staples," including blogging, videos, and digital presentations. These three tools are the most common and easy-to-use aspects of technology in the classroom that any teacher can integrate into any subject. I have found personal success with each of these in my time as an instructor.
So instead of repeating what I have already explored in another blog post, I will attempt to use this one to give concrete examples of what creative and cutting-edge teachers are doing for their students!
We can start with a two-part series called "Cutting Edge Classroom." In Part I, an employee of the Kant and Tahoma's school district's information technology department says,
Granted, this article reports from a district streets ahead of many other districts nationwide. However, this unique perspective offers us examples of - you guessed it - cutting edge technology. Take for example the tool DyKnow. This software is used by teachers to control their students' laptop screens, directing them all to one site, blocking everything else, and even at times shutting the screens off completely. This seems like a very useful tool for guiding a WebQuest session or watching a video, while at the same time solving what some consider to be the greatest challenge of technology in the classroom - students freely surfing the web."We feel it is our responsibility to match what is going on in our society. Our society is becoming more technological and digital, meaning we need these same tools in our classroom so that our students can graduate and be successful in the real world."
The article goes on to discuss Activboards, and the myriad of uses for Apple iPads, so check it out if you get the chance.
The next tool that is greatly impacting schools is Khan Academy. In an article about Khan Academy and it's uses, Wired Magazine interviews a teacher using the free online videos ranging from math to history to flip the classroom. Students will watch the videos and perform equations at home (watching/listening to a lecture, basically), and then do interactive learning (or what was homework before) in the classroom.
The website also offers teachers a dashboard of all their students, collecting data on what videos students watch, how many they're watching, how much time they spend on certain subjects, and even exactly where students are struggling or spending extra time. This allows time in class to be spent one-on-one with students going over precisely what they struggle with, or more time to do creative activities that explore the fun side of subjects instead of falling asleep at their desks.
Lastly, I will just touch on one last technology, less as an explanation of the tool, and more to the point of it's practical use. In the Article 6 Expert Tips for Flipping the Classroom, one instructor named Mazor uses NB, an online reader developed by MIT that allows the user(s) to create annotations and create dialogue with one another. Mazor has this to say about his experience:
"Their discussions were incredibly thorough, exciting, and in-depth. Yet, every time I participated in the NB annotations, I killed the discussion among the students, because I was seen as the authority. It stopped them from working it out on their own and finding the solution. [Now] I participate only if there is a situation where they are completely and utterly stuck."I wanted to point this out to close my first real blog post because I think the message is poignant: Students want to learn. The technology used in Tahoma's school district makes learning fun inside the classroom, but more importantly, the technology products of Khan Academy and NB make learning itself fun, anywhere at any time. The Wired article sites students excelling from basic math to geometry in a single semester, and students that stay up until 2 in the morning because they're having fun. The article above from CampusTechnology.com painted the picture of a vibrant community of peers, only governed by an authority figure to provide guidance when they really need it, and not a second earlier.
These examples, and many more, indicate that learning does not have to be painful, and technology gives us the tools to avoid that. The tools and techniques outlined in this blog don't even scratch the surface of what technology has to offer education. Again, the question is not "should," but rather "how."
So tell me, how do you use technology in the classroom? Let's learn together.
" We have moved past the question of "should" to "how." How do we integrate technology is a far more relevant and critical question to be asked." I agree. How do we do it? How do we get the funding and the professional development? I love your thoughts about how students want to learn but they want it to be fun. Technology can definitely make it fun! Thank you for also sharing your perspective and former blog post with us. I am happy that you did and it is welcome!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I read your introduction and had to chuckle. I included the same thesis in blog -- that the question is the "how" not the "should" of technology integration. Great minds think alike! These days, I can't imagine who would argue against technology integration. However, the questions about how to actually do that effectively are still being answered.
ReplyDeleteI love the examples you shared here because they show how technology can be used to actually do something new in the classroom. When I was in grade school, teachers sometimes used PowerPoint presentations in an attempt to make a lecture more exciting. I'll admit that at the time that limited technology "integration" did hold our attention; but in the end, it was still a teacher-centered lecture, with clip art....
But now, we have access to so many technology tools that allow us to do *new* things in the classroom. Flipping the classroom, as an example, can completely revolutionize the way students learn and the way teachers teach. I'm excited to see how this plays out as I begin my teaching career.
I also appreciated your emphasis on "how" we should integrate technology over the already answered question of "should" we integrate technology. It was interesting to learn more about your own experiences and previous considerations on this topic.
ReplyDeleteThis post has inspired me to look further into the many tools out there that will begin to help teachers provide a structure productive environment to the students’ learning through technology, but also open a window of opportunities for the students’ to take a front seat in their learning while genuinely enjoying it at the same time!
Thank you for making this blog post both engaging and interesting! I can see that you are a life-long learner through your interests in blogging and other “technology staples.” I look forward to future posts!
Thanks so much for your comment. The fact that my post has inspired you to do anything at all is greatly gratifying! :)
DeleteI really hope that we all continue searching for the latest, myself included! It is too easy to get comfortable with limited technology integration.
I love how you said "learning does not have to be painful, and technology gives us the tools to avoid that". I think that is one of the biggest benefits of using technology within the classroom. Students of todays generation find technology fun and interesting, therefore they will find their school work that involves the use of technology fun and interesting as well.
ReplyDelete