[Prompt: Provide an overall vision of the role that technology plays in education along with specific examples of ways that you incorporate the use of technology for instruction. Describe the technology resources that you feel are necessary.]
First, please let me say "Welcome!" I think technology and education go hand in hand, and in today's society you really cannot have one without the other. Technology is everywhere around us. I would even go so far as to say it is impossible not to encounter and utilize it each and every day, unless of course you literally live under a rock... but one could argue that some form of technology was used to dig the hole for you under said rock, which is a whole other conversation.
That being said, education is also very, very important. Without out, children cannot grow up to have the greatest potential for occupational, emotional, financial or even social success. Our culture is rapidly developing and changing and without providing the opportunity to learn about our world and how to survive in it, we would be doing children a disservice.
Because we have so much technology at our disposal, and because it reaches children on an entirely new and different level than was even possible when I was going through primary school, it just makes sense to incorporate them. Technology such as computers, projectors, stereos, Smart Boards, iPads and the like give children a variety of ways to see and hear and think and manipulate the information they need to learn and become active citizens.
I think, at the very least, every classroom needs a computer and a projector. While teaching with just a blackboard or whiteboard is not impossible (obviously, because it was the only option for many years and people were still educated), having the power to project images that are still, or are moving, that are color or black/white, or that can be zoomed in or out on to add emphasis and clarity adds a whole new element to learning. It gives us the power to let students feel as if they are really "there" when learning about a historical event, something which is much more difficult to imagine from a still shot in a textbook.
I also think that every student needs to have access to a personal computer by the time they reach middle school. It doesn't hurt if they are exposed at a younger age, but by the 6th grade students should be researching and writing about topics they are learning and are interested in. Encyclopedias used to function just fine for the retrieval of information, but they are no longer the only source and a computer is the only way to access the countless reputable sites on the world wide web. Having access to a personal computer also allows teachers a way to communicate with their students (and their parents), just like this blog, or a personal website. The benefits of this type of communication cannot be measured, as it can allow students to access their assignments and due dates when they forget to bring their planner home from school, or when a crazy series of weather events causes the schools to be closed for ice, snow, and flooding all in the same week (true story, this happened in Shenandoah County just 2 weeks ago!) and students aren't sure what changes will be made to the schedule.
The third resource that I deem "necessary" is a Smart Board or similar apparatus to allow individuals, groups or entire classrooms of students to interact with the material while learning. The advantages include, but are not limited to, engaging students who were previously unreachable in a standard lecture/note-taking lesson because you can incorporate videos, sound clips, and kinesthetic interaction through moving around, among others. Very few students learn solely from audio lessons, so even if the teacher is projecting the notes on the board (or writing them in chalk/dry erase marker) for students to see, they're far less likely to retain the information or be engaged without some form of interaction; and the Smart Board technology opens the door for just that.
While there are many other wonderful technological advances out there that we can incorporate into the classroom (and many more on the way, I'm sure), I feel that these three are the biggest and most important to have streamlined in classrooms throughout the country. Thus far, from the classrooms I have been in for practicums and substitute teaching, our part of the state seems to be on board with this as well.
I completely agree with your statement that "technology and education go hand in hand, and in today's society you really cannot have one without the other." I feel that if technology were not integrated in education, it would not fully prepare students for life after school! And I also agree that technology brings stories and ideas to life. It makes the classroom more engaging and can help students reach a higher level of understanding if used properly.
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree that it would be good for all students to have their own computer, I'm not sure that I agree with them needing them by 6th grade. I think a family computer would work just fine as long as the student has access to it each evening. I don't feel that all students in 6th grade are responsible enough to have their own laptop or iPad, just because I know many 11-12 year olds with broken iPods and broken or lost handheld video games! But I would like to see more programs that help lower income families obtain the technology necessary for their children that are students:)
I agree that technology plays a huge role in our society today, but you need to be careful in your assumption that all students have access to a computer or the internet at home. Depending on where you teach, especially in a low income area, I would be careful about putting all assignments, schedules, and letters to parents online. While I think this is a great idea, I would also send home hard copies of assignment descriptions, schedules, and letters to parents. For example, I was a big sister in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Harrisonburg/Rockingham County program and my little sister was one of 4 kids who lived in a trailer with her parents and siblings. The living situation was meager and cramped and they did not have any internet or computer access. Further, the adviser of my organization lives in Rockingham County and she does not have a computer or internet access at home. She recently got an iPhone so now for the first time in her life (she is in her thirties) she has access to internet at home. This just goes to show you that both students and even adults may not all have access to the internet. I am not saying do not have a class website, but just reminding you to be mindful of such things. You wouldn't want any of your students to feel left out or embarrassed that they could not do assignments because they do not have a computer at home. I love your ideas for having SMART Board activities that can reach all levels of students and I agree that students need to interact with the material in other ways besides audio or reading. I think you have great ideas about how to implement technology in your future classroom.
ReplyDeleteI loved your point about using the SmartBoard to reach and engage students in a variety of ways. I usually did well in "traditional" classrooms, but many of my friends performed better when given multimedia options or opportunities to move things around. I think that more students will learn in better ways if given access to technology like the SmartBoard.
ReplyDeleteI am interested in how you plan on students having access to personal computers. I know that many families cannot afford computers or, if they can, have very out-of-date computers. How would you propose helping students gain access to a computer so they can get their missed assignments? I know that many teachers stay after scholl if an assignment requires computers, but I don't know that you can entirely rely on that, especially when the weather is bad.