Teachers and Technology Integration
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| Photography. Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. Web. 2 May 2014. |
"Digital Immigrants" versus "Digital Natives"
The National Middle School Association Conference in 2008 focused on incorporation of technology “sandboxes” where teachers could see different technologies in action allowed teachers to explore these technologies further and “play”. The time spent discovering programs such as SchoolTube, ePals, Wikispaces, and Promethean Activboard use was invaluable to many. Teachers who were allowed to explore the sandbox left the conference with many great ideas for technology integration in their respective classrooms. Alan November, the keynote speaker at the opening general session, describes teachers and administrators as “digital immigrants”, while students are the “digital natives”. He also suggested that teachers should embrace this change in the “power structure” where the student in the classroom has become the expert. The Guardian Online News Site explores this further under a blog entitled "Technology in education: If students aren't worried, why are the teachers?" Should teachers take the time to experience this phenomenon? Is it really that difficult to take lessons from our students? Many would argue that true educators should be the experts or leaders in the classroom, but, in a learning environment, should we not turn to the experts when we are floundering and need some assistance? Some teachers have a difficult time admitting when they do not understand or know something as they are supposed to be that “expert”. Why not allow the roles to be reversed in order to better learn from one another?
Reference: Rios, Roland, "Students Teaching Teachers Technology" -
Role reversal in education
Many of the most difficult media products have been presented by students as effective tools to promote learning in and outside of the classroom setting (MineCraft, PowToon, Animoto). The best learning opportunities occur when students are placed in the teaching role. The “use it” or “lose it” rule readily applies to technology, and many teachers, including myself, need to be reminded of features in programs especially when we have not used this tool in a while. I often seek student expert assistance when I forget or need a refresher course on using settings on Wikispaces, when changing page and title layouts on Weebly or more recently trying to gain microphone access on VoiceThread. Students, in turn, do not present themselves as superior, but rather as cooperative participants in solving a problem in the learning process. There is no shame in asking for help, and today, students are eager to assist simply when asked. The best thing that comes from this role reversal is that many of these students will be more willing to come for help with other questions as I am viewed as a learner too who will try to help them as they have helped me. After all, when I lose all my data from my iPhone, should I complain about my own stupidity or ask a 12 year old for help in order to retrieve the data? I choose to ask the most quiet student in my class that is a MineCraft aficionado as they probably will know how to fix my problem with the ancient 3GS iPhone. Interestingly, these same students are also able to explain things to me in a very simple and tolerant manner which teaches me patience and makes me reflect on my own interactions with student and take note.
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| Photography. Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. Web. 2 May 2014. |
Planning and integrating technology
It is important to begin planning units starting with the development of clear desired results (outcomes) and then spend time examining how to develop assessment evidence which incorporated media products. Once this has been established, we should next develop the steps which outline the learning plan. As we learn how to more effectively integrate technology and meaningful media products in our units, we also have to realize that it will take time to learn how to use and execute desired outcomes on the first go around. Here, we need to determine what we want the students to know and understand, and what created evidence will show student learning. Students will help with technology delivery, but what will we all learn from the process? This is, of course, the intended goal of integrating technology in a meaningful way, but as educators, we should be willing to try regardless of our apprehension and fear in order to hopefully succeed. Many educators will state that the time that it takes to effectively incorporate media products takes away from other necessary curriculum. This may or may not be the case, but as with any teaching tool, the initial introduction to a new topic or unit always takes time. The risk of modifying other units to reach a desired goal is truly up to the professional to decide. I have experienced several failures in integrating technology in a meaningful and successful manner without achieving specific outcomes, but continue to learn from my "mistakes" as it were in order to try again. It is important to reflect and then choose to use different and more effective tools with students by collaborating with others (Edudemic.com) in order to insure learning success for all. The time is worth it when students can reflect on their learning and use these skills to develop knowledge and understanding further.References:
Brown, C.A., Delialioglu, O., & Oncu, S. (2008, January). Critical components for
technology integration: How do instructors make decisions? Journal of
Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching, v.27, no.1, pp 19-46."Technology in Education: If Students Aren't Worried, Why Are Teachers?" Theguardian.com. Guardian News and Media, 10 Mar. 2014. Web. 02 May 2014.
The National Middle School Conference(2008). Convention Booklet.
You said, "I have experienced several failures in integrating technology in a meaningful and successful manner without achieving specific outcomes, but continue to learn from my "mistakes" as it were in order to try again."
ReplyDeleteThat's a great attitude, and I think it's one of the reason's why it is still difficult for teachers to integrate technology into the classroom - the fear of failure, or even, more simply, not being seen as an expert. I love the idea of role reversal, but when the student also doesn't know how to help with the technology, we need to be willing to try, whether or not we succeed.
We're lucky. We aren't completely reinventing the wheel every day here. Technology may be a constantly shifting world, but integrating technology into the classroom has decades of history. I remember in 5th grade when the film reel on "Earthquakes" was overly simplistic, and the teacher gave up showing it 2 minutes in and taught the lesson differently. Presumably she hadn't previewed it because she had trusted the recommendation and didn't have a player at home. Whenever I sing "Wade in the Water", I want to sing it fast and like Alvin and the Chipmunks because in 7th grade, the music teacher hit an incorrect switch on the record player. Both of these technological devices were outdated for classroom use even then. (Why buy a CD player and a CD when you already have the record player and record and that's all you need?) When I was in high school, the Sacred Heart schools across the US had gone to 1:1 laptops . . . back in the day when laptops weighed 10 pounds an had 2 hours of battery life, if you were lucky. ASB has been 1:1 for a long time as well. We're lucky because, although the history and knowledge of what has come before won't make our lives simple, it certainly makes it easier than it could be.
Every school is different, every student is different, but there are a lot of "experts" out there who used to be beginners. When I speak with them a common trend in the conversation is to discuss the frustration of some of the bigger failures. Schools who rush into things without planning. Teachers who adopt a concept for their classrooms without exploring if it will work with their community. Etc. I have found these "experts" (and I put that in quotes not because I doubt their expertise, but because I want to emphasize that they are not so very different from us) want to help us "beginners" avoid the failures as much as we want that for ourselves. We will always come across potholes in the road towards technology integration, but with expert help, I think we can go far.
Who do you use to help you on the road?
Just a quick addition- one of the reasons I really connected with the line I quoted from your text was because I was thinking about the teacher of younger students who can't necessarily rely upon their greater expertise the way a high school teacher might.
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