Today has been difficult. I need a project for my Master's program. I really am wanting it to be technology based. Technology intrigues me...I like learning new ways to use technology and I feel passionate about our students needing more technology.
Our world is vastly different now than it was even ten years ago. Technology is so important and just continues to increase in importance. Teachers today did not grow up with technology as prevalent as it is for our students. Our students are growing up in a different world and need to be taught differently as well. Technology is everywhere. It is changing the way we do things. I got the new IPhone 5 (thank you to my dear husband!) on Friday and now I don't need to print boarding passes when I get on an airplane...they just scan my phone using Passbook. Movie tickets, gift cards, coupons...all they need is to scan your phone. Twitter and Facebook has changed the way our children socialize. Google is a household name. There are few questions you can't answer without the use of technology. Siri tells me just about anything I would wonder about. I know our world is different. Why would we teach our students the same way we have always done it?
Now for my dilemma, I do not know how to put that thought and reflection into a project and now I am starting to panic a little (actually a lot) that I won't have a project that is worthwhile and close to my heart. I want to use technology in my classroom more. I want my students to learn using that method more then through the traditional method. I learned that way, but I want better for my students. I dabble in it. I try. But, I feel I could be better. I want my classroom to be more interactive for the students. I feel students learn more by doing. New standards are encouraging us to use technology more with students, even primary classes. But, I feel like I need more direction. I have been reading articles, searching for answers. It all seems so overwhelming. I am stressed!!! Hoping that tomorrow will feel better.
I agree strongly with your line that says "I know our world is different. Why would we teach our students the same way we have always done it?". Technology is growing so fast! The one problem that I have run into with technology has not been getting the technology, but rather getting the training on/with the technology to make it work. There are ways to get technology into your classroom, however making it work to the best of its ability is a different story. Could you complete a project on integrating technology into the classroom, but also providing teachers with guidance to use the technology? I am not sure this is what you were thinking, but thought I would throw it out there to you!
ReplyDeleteI have a debate going with EdTech people regarding the definition of the term EdTech. The Tech people tend to focus on the technology and new inventions, and then see what educational change can result from it. I feel that we should determine what change we want in our classroom in terms of values, attitudes and curriculum and then go find technology to assist with making this change. Keep thinking about who you are and what you want your students to be. Develop a clear articulation of that and then begin the search for the technology. And don't panic if you can help it. :)
ReplyDeleteI had a few moments to look at some student blogs, so I started at the top! I can relate to the technology issue from being a math teacher for awhile. What Eric wrote about sounds familiar to me too. So, often schools (districts) are awarded grant money to get new technology but no training is provided. If this is happening at your school then it might be a good area to look into. Also, Mark has a great point about asking what technology is doing for us and our students? From this, my take is that our students need to be creating technology; not simply digesting it. What I mean is that by simply "using" google, iphones, twitter, etc., we (students and teachers) are bound by what it can do. A pre-set, determined limit to it's capacity if you will. Our students have no problem learning to use twitter, blogs, etc. However, when do they have a chance to participate in the creation of ideas? I always tell my math students, strive for ideas that might make the texas instrument calculator better. Simply learning how to use it should not be the end goal. Anyway, just some thoughts. Maybe pick one piece of technology that interests you, and see about getting more support in using it in a way that's helpful to your classes; even if it's not the original, intended use?
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