Loaded

There’s a game I played recently with a group of my friends. It is called Loaded Questions. The purpose of the game is that a question with endless answer possibilities is asked to the group, and then each member of the group answers the loaded question. Based on the assigned essential questions for our blog this week, I think it would be fair to rename our assignment to Loaded Questions, because the EQs this week have so many possible answers!

In the past, teachers have been the owner and user of all the technology in the classroom. The chalkboard was for the use of the teacher. Every once in a while a student may be given a rare opportunity to write on the chalkboard or beat the erasers, but it was primarily the teachers tool. When computers were introduced into schools the teachers gave students opportunities to use them to play games (aka Oregon Trail and Mario Teaches Typing).

The future of technology – and the shift we have already begun to see – leads to students being the technological leaders. Each student should be given daily opportunities to interact with devices, the internet, and other technological interfaces while they are in class. This change should lead to greater differentiation for diverse learners. It should also prepare our students to enter a competitive work force where experience with technology is a leading factor. The students should be given a variety of experiences to help them see technology as a tool. It isn’t a toy that should be hidden from teachers, but it is a tool that expands our opportunities to reach out and network with our colleagues. The future of technology is exciting. It will continue to be an innovative change as educators embrace the change. As we relinquish our control of the technology in the classroom, we will see students take ownership of their education.

What's the buzz?

The education field seems to be filled with buzz words. Differentiation. PLC. Backward design curriculum. ESL. The list goes on and on and on. A buzz word that never goes out of style in the professional world is leadership. From a very young age we are told how important it is to have leadership roles on your resume and employers strive to find those that exhibit leadership qualities. So why is it so important? What does it mean to be a teacher leader? What is the significance of teacher-leadership in technology instruction?

In my opinion, teacher leadership means that the school supports a culture of learning among the staff as well as the students. Professional development classes are useful, relevant, and consistent. Teachers are given opportunities to lead these PD meetings, and then they follow up with their colleagues to support them in new ideas taught during the meeting. Yet I believe it goes even deeper. Teachers leaders seek to help lift and build their team by finding opportunities to share experience and knowledge that will lift the school to new heights. Teacher leaders are teachable and take the advice of team members with joy. They offer up their expertise in certain areas (curriculum, management, technology, etc.) to help other teachers succeed. Schools are successful because teachers are leading and cooperating well with one another. 

It is essential for teachers that are technologically savvy to be leaders in their schools because there is such a diversity in confidence with technology. As we are gaining more knowledge about how to effectively use technology in instruction then it is our duty to teach those that don't have that same knowledge. In class when Mr Sites was discussing his pilot program at his school I was  amazed by the passion he showed for the technology. As teacher leaders we must show the same level of passion so that our colleagues will "get with the program." Technology is more than just a buzz word, but it is an innovative way to instruction, and we are accountable to lead out in this manner.

Vacancies on the Technological Bandwagon

Until yesterday I haven’t deeply considered the pros and cons to using technology in the classroom. I feel that as a young educator I have to be pro technology because it is so intertwined with my generation. During our discussion on Wednesday, I began to realize that, like everything else, there are two sides to the coin of technology in education.

There are many benefits to incorporating technology into the classroom. The article I read was strongly pro-techno as were many of the other articles shared in class. They stated benefits such as increased self esteem, greater sense of empowerment for the students, increased comprehension in reading, student engagement, reduced stress due to “even playing field,” and it can reach a variety of learners in different ways. In my own opinion (without a lit review to back myself up), I believe technology also prepares students to enter a technology led world, and if used correctly it can give them an edge on processing the information they are hit with on a daily basis.

So, with all of these wonderful outcomes of technology, why isn’t it being used more often in the classroom? And why is it not used effectively by teachers?  As discussed in class there are loads of reasons and differing circumstances for barriers that keep educators from jumping on the technological bandwagon. Some of these may include lack of knowledge on how to use the equipment, fear behind new technology, a mental block (aka the ideology or beliefs), the resources may not be available, or maybe the teacher is worried about losing control of her classroom. Another barrier that teachers often face is that they try to incorporate technology but they either have a bad experience, no support from their team, the internet it down, the battery on the computer lab died, etc. These bad experiences can jade teachers to just return to their old habits and leave the computer lab to become a good place to store buckets of math manipulatives from 1998.

I don’t have an answer for these issues… yet. I am excited for this course to delve into this question so I can help other teachers embrace technology in education.