Knowledge and
Understanding
Technology is a powerful tool that is a prevalent part of
today’s society. Its potential impact is
phenomenal if harnessed in the right direction.
It can be used to help individuals communicate, research, practice
skills, express ideas, and complete work-related tasks. It can be used to plan vacations, play games,
and to shop. Technology can diagnose
medical issues and provide educational training. Its uses and possibilities are almost endless
in the educational realm as well.
However, “no matter how powerful the technology, if the user doesn’t
have the right mindset, nothing changes in the classroom” (Thornburg, 2012).
We, as educators, must understand the possibilities for
incorporating technology in our classrooms.
This class, EDUC 6710:
Understanding the Impact of Technology on Education, Work, and Society from
Walden University, has provided a basis for my understanding of how and why
technology must be a vital component in the classroom. The students of today, those classified as digital natives by Marc Prensky (2001)
demand the inclusion of technology both in and outside of the school setting. These students have not known life without access
to technology—phones, iPods, video players, gaming systems, and the like. They function in a world in which information
is delivered randomly and at a fast pace.
These individuals can multi-task and need to think critically. Collaboration on projects is preferred over
individual contributions. Creativity and communication are two other skills required
by these natives that round out the 4’Cs of learning and innovation that the Partnership for 21st Century Skills website
identifies as being a necessary component in today’s classrooms.
As a result of this class, I now know how to create a blog
and a podcast. With both of these
assignments, I experienced frustration because I was not already familiar with
the processes involved with both. The
anxiety I experienced was valuable to me as an educator because it allowed me
to have a glimpse of what some of my own students might experience when asked
to complete tasks unfamiliar to them. My
frustration helped me to realize that I need to present directions in a clear
cut format and model my expectations, thus increasing my students’ chances for
success in completing difficult assignments.
An additional bonus incurred with the podcast assignment was the
opportunity to hear the voices of my classmates. While we have communicated in writing
throughout the class, we finally had a chance to connect a voice with each individual
and sometimes a face through the blog photos.
I entered into the group wiki creation project feeling more
confident than I was with the blog and podcast assignments because I have used
wikis with my 5th grade students for the past few years. I did learn, however, that I had not been
using this tool to its maximum potential.
In past years I have created the wiki and then given my students “writer”
access and asked them to respond to questions that I posted. I now see that the students can and should play
a greater role in the creation and implementation of the wiki. Another insight I experienced was that it was
hard to relinquish control. Even though
I may have had ideas on how the site should look and what should be included, I
needed to defer to the ideas of other group members—a skill that everyone needs
to develop in order to be successful with group projects and in a workplace
environment.
In discussing the idea of “doing different things” with
technology versus “doing things differently” (Thornburg, 2012) my classmates
shared some ideas for how they planned to achieve this distinction in their
classrooms. Also of merit were the
resources that identified the contrasts of “learning with technology” as
opposed to “learning from technology” (Kirschner and Erkens, 2006). Understanding the nuances that come with each
of these comparisons will determine the directions I will be taking in designing
future lessons. Instruction must allow for students to
experience learning through all four of the categories above.
I have gained many insights from this class, but my learning
will not stop here. I will continue to
research and add new strategies and technology tools into my classroom
repertoire. Already in preparation for this
school year I have changed the design of my classroom to include group work
stations, both inside my room and in the hallway. Several laptop stations have been created
that will capitalize on the need for instant access to information and will
allow for the inclusion of more individualized learning activities. A whiteboard has been secured for use in my
classroom, allowing for interactive lessons and videos to become a part of my
instruction. Each of these changes was
made as a result of research findings that have been a part of this class.
Long-term Goals
Some long-term goals for change have been established as
well. I would like to use a blog to increase
communication between my students, their parents, and me. Initially I will post homework assignments
and announcements. After the students
and I become more confident with the process, I will allow students to post
some of their own creations. With an increase
in the number of people viewing their work, I anticipate the quality of their
work to increase along with their motivation for writing. Benefits will be experienced by all parties
actively involved with the blog experience.
I would also like to allow my students to take a more active
role in the educational process. I want
my classroom to move from a teacher-directed format to a student-centered
venue, capitalizing on student interests and making real world
connections. The inclusion of
project-based learning opportunities will also be a goal that supports the
constructionism views of Seymour Papert.
He explains that “learning occurs as a result of building artifacts that
can be evaluated by others” (Laureate Education, 2012). By having the students involved throughout
the whole learning process they will see the relevance in what they are doing,
become more engaged, and gain useful life skills.
A third goal that I have already set in motion is that of
creating a partnership with a local community bank. This idea was sparked by comments from one of
my Walden University classmates when she mentioned the topic of economics and shared
her ideas. As a part of my own economics
unit, I am going to solicit bank personnel to share their expertise on the
ideas of banking, credit, interest, saving, and such. With materials provided by the bank and parental
permission, students will be given the opportunity to open their own savings
accounts. Lessons on recording deposits
and withdrawals, interpreting bank statements, budgeting, and investing will be
shared and real life skills will be gained.
And, in lieu of the economy, my students will be able to start to
prepare fiscally for their futures as well.
Checklist Growth
At the beginning of this class, students were asked to
complete a checklist reflecting on our personal practices in reference to 21st
century skills and in regards to leadership roles in the school and work
environment. The rating responses
included often, sometimes, and rarely. Upon initial completion of the survey, most
of my answers fell within the sometimes
category, but falling into the rarely
category on the issues of allowing students to take responsibility of their own
learning and in designing learning experiences that require students to
formulate their own questions and engage in real-world problem solving. Because this university class took place over
the summer when school was not in session, I cannot honestly say that my
classroom practices have changed. I have
increased my knowledge and understanding for making these changes, but I have
not yet had an opportunity to implement these strategies. As has been reflected in my long-term goals,
plans have been set in motion to improve my frequency with the issues that had
been identified as deficit. I am hoping
to elevate their status to that of often,
as that would support the goals of 21st century learning (Partnership for 21st
Century Skills, 2011).
In reference to the leadership portion of the checklist, I
am making strides toward elevating the frequencies of use listed within each of
those categories. I am currently serving
on several school and district level committees that involve technology and
learning. I have been given some administrative
rights which allow me to implement and monitor several programs involving computerized
learning and testing programs.
Additionally, through my participation in this college
technology-related course, I have increased my personal knowledge and skills
with other professionals, a goal that is supported through Proposition 5 of the
Five Core Propositions of the National
Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS, 2002).
As Miners and Pascopella shared, “If you’re going to change
schools, you have to have a vision for it” (Miners & Pascopella, 2007). Do
you have that vision? I do.
As a part of this class assignment, I have created a slideshow of quotes that had an impact on me. They are included in this attachment: http://www.slideshare.net/staceynewton/quotes-of-interest
References
Kirschner, P.,
& Erkens, G. (2006). Cognitive tools
and mindtools for collaborative learning. Journal of Educational Computing
Research, 35(2), 199–209.
Laureate
Education, Inc. (2012). The emergence of
education. Baltimore, MD: Thornburg.
Laureate
Education, Inc. (2012). Transforming the
classroom with technology: Part 1. Baltimore, MD: Thornburg.
Miners, Z., &
Pascopella, A. (2007). The new literacies.
District Administration, 43(10), 26–34.
National Board
for Professional Teaching Standards. (2002). The Five Core Propositions.
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On
the Horizon, 9(5).
