After becoming educated on the newest tech standards for the state of Oregon, one of my biggest realizations was just how intertwined technology and education have become. When I was in grade school during the early 1990’s, technology and computers were almost viewed as “toys” or “novelties.” Students could write papers on them and play computer games – that was essentially it. At that time, computers were not yet viewed as an essential technology piece or a training tool that would allow students to flourish in the job market. The real world applications just weren’t there yet. Twenty years later, technology has changed the entire scope of teaching and education. It’s changed the way students study, write, read, work together, plan, and train for the real world outside of class. As teachers, we are so lucky to be teaching in a time like this. Never have there been more tools to aid in the learning process right at one’s fingertips.
I have chosen to focus my attention on three of the tech standards below and have provided some ideas regarding implementation in the classroom:
Creativity and innovation – When I was in school, a teacher may have read a description about an animal out of a book and showed the class a photo of that animal from the book. Today, there are many more options available. By using the internet, and Google Presentation, a teacher could quickly put together a short display for students that featured photographs, videos, and audio of an animal that would bring the representation to life. Students could see how fast a Cheetah can run, rather than just imagining it. They could hear what it sounds like and see how it moves. The teacher could then post the presentation to a class blog so excited learners could share their excitement and show their parents what they learned at school that day. Teachers have the ability to bring books to life by utilizing audio, video, and presentation quality materials.
Communication and collaboration- When I was in school, we had a “sister school” in Japan. There was a display case in the hallway that featured letters, drawings, and correspondence that the schools would send back and forth to each other. Imagine sitting in a classroom, looking at a computer screen, and seeing people from your “sister school” looking right back at you. The internet has undoubtedly made the world a smaller place. By utilizing Screenr or a number of free streaming video programs, correspondence between schools could take place live over the internet. Personally, I would utilize these types of features to create virtual reading and writing communities with other schools. I would partner with another school or classroom to read the same book at the same time, and to have the classes collaborate with each other to reflect upon the material. Students from different schools could present their class’s reflections and thoughts back and forth via the internet in a live collaboration.
Research and information fluency- I would utilize GoogleDocs or Google Presentation to allow students the opportunity to share their research and work with other students in the class. An example of an assignment might be to have each students select a decade from the last century and submit a short presentation or document to myself and their classmates. The assignment would entail locating a certain amount of information, photos, audio, and video of events that took place during that decade and a short synopsis of their cultural significance. Essentially, the assignment would be to submit a virtual scrapbook to their fellow students and teacher that would teach them something important about that decade. By presenting their work to the class, the class would be able to learn about events from every decade in the last century in an upbeat and lively format. This assignment would combine technology, research, and collaboration into one short assignment and allow students to be exposed to other viewpoints.
Overall, I can’t help but reflect upon what a wonderful time this is to be a student and a teacher. The world has never been smaller and information and tools have never been more readily available than they are right now. By exposing our students to the many useful components of technological literacy at a young age, we are preparing them for the future challenges that lie ahead of them in the real world. Although, there are challenges with limited budgets and constantly evolving technology, we can take comfort knowing that most if not all the tools I described are free online. If teachers look hard enough, they can find the tools that can help make their classrooms successful technologically. Staying ahead of the curve with technology will enable them to reach their students more effectively and connect with them in ways that weren't possible, until recently. Students who graduate today, with these tech standards will be the most technologically trained and prepared workers we’ve seen to this point. I’m excited to help train and prepare them for successful lives and careers in the fields of their choosing.
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