Literature Review

Literature Review:  Empowering Parents Through Technology To Improve the Odds for Children

With the exponential growth in technology since the early days of the internet, parents have a greater opportunity to become involved in their child's’ learning than ever before.  In this article, the author talks about how technology can be used to connect teachers and parents and how it “can effectively enhance the communication between home and school, engage families in learning with their children, inform parents about student academic performance and attendance… and connect families to resources that can improve their life prospects.”

The author explains that by having an open dialog between the teacher and parent, together they can customize a learning experience for that particular child, as well as educate the parent on how to use today’s technologies in their own life!1

In theory, this is a perfect partnership, but the author also explores the barriers involved with connecting teachers and parents through technology.  Not only is there a cost to the parents in buying the hardware ( iPad, cell phone, personal computer ), but obtaining the broadband access to utilize the hardware is an added cost.  There must be a way to aid low income houses so that they are not at a disadvantage compared to homes with access to these technologies.  “Very often, it is the same parents who do not have computers and broadband at home whose children struggle academically.”1  Another barrier is educating the parent on how to use the technology.  I think this is the bigger issue because you can give the technology to the parent, but they have to have the drive to want to learn how to use it.

Once the students’ families have access to these technologies, the author explores some of the ways the “Internet can aid parent engagement to improve outcomes for students.”1  These include:

• E-mail, chatting and teleconfrencing  (MeetingBurner, Yugma, GoToMeeting)
• These allow for real time communication
• Allows for communication between different languages
• Student Information systems (SIS)
• Shares grade’s and other performance based information with parents
• Classroom Blogs and Vlogs (Kidblog)

Finally, the author emphasizes how “technology breaks down the school walls and enables students to learn whenever they’d like, wherever they are. During classroom time and out-of-school time, students can learn with teachers, parents, and peers across the world.”1  Parents play a large role in encouraging their children to use technology as a learning tool, and not just as a way to play games.

Conclusion

As a future educator, I think it is important to include the families of our students, and technology allows parents the opportunity to become a second “teacher” at home.  With the fast pace life most of us lead, using the ideas presented in this article can promote more family time and allow us to build better relationships with our children.  One application that caught my eye that can be applied here is Google Class. With most students having access to handheld mobile devices, particularly cell phones and iPads, this will help bridge the first barrier to bringing the classroom home.  An article on Lifehack.org talks about how mobile technology is changing the way students learn,  using Google Class as a platform to create a 24 hour classroom.  Google Class is a one stop shop for implementing some of the ideas in this article and is a tool I think I will use in the future.

With new learning applications being developed everyday, it seems that more and more are being designed as games, which I think is encouraging because this will help engage the student and the parent.  Both will see bringing work home as less of a chore and more of a fun way to learn together.  

References:

1Empowering Parents Through Technology - The Children's ..." 2012. 17 Dec. 2014 <http://www.childrenspartnership.org/storage/documents/Publications/TCP-ParentTech-LowRezFinal.pdf>

  2<http://schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/portals/willowdale/images/Img_homepage_classroomBlog.jpg>

3<http://pampclub.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/eSHP_2557.jpg>

4"How Mobile Technologies are Changing the Way Education ..." 2013. 17 Dec. 2014 <http://www.lifehack.org/articles/technology/mobile-education.html>

Teaching Communities: How Technology Brings Educators Together

A year ago I found myself at a crossroads, not fully enjoying the work I was doing and looking for inspiration to kick start a new career path.  With a bachelor’s degree in business and driving a truck delivering commercial freight, I was a bit confused!  But inspiration finally came when my wife and I welcomed our first child.  Throughout the first year I realized how much I enjoyed watching him grow and learn, and this gave me the motivation I needed to pursue a career in education.  Currently I am a student at Southern New Hampshire University and I am working towards a Masters Degree in Elementary Education.  

As I begin my journey into the teaching community, I have learned in a few short weeks the important role technology plays in the classroom.  Not only are there platforms for students to use such as Facebook, Blogger and other social networking sites, there are also applications available to teachers which enable them to interact with each other.  “Part of teaching is collaboration. Teachers need to communicate with peers, administrators, and students.” 1(Staff Writer)  Whether it is a traditional activity inside the classroom or a new technology that connects students to each other on a global level, the ability to share ideas that can enrich a student’s learning experience is one of the biggest benefits of Web 2.0.  101 Web 2.0 Teaching Tools is a great example of a website that shares a collection of online tools that can be used by teaching professionals to share ideas .  One hurdle that must be overcome by some teachers is “the lack of personal experience with technology… in order to incorporate technology-based activities and projects into their curriculum, those teachers first must find the time to learn to use the tools and understand the terminology necessary for participation in those projects or activities.”2(Starr)  The more you use the web to educate yourself, the more comfortable you will become in using these applications.  For a visual learner like myself, I find YouTube to be a very effective way to learn and apply a new technology that I have discovered.  

Once the teacher has become affluent in their knowledge of technology, it is time to introduce these applications into the classroom.  I believe technology should be introduced to students at an early age.  The sooner they feel comfortable navigating the applications and handling the devices, the more effective they will be as teaching tools.  This may also bridge the gap between those who have the resources to access digital device at home and those less fortunate.  If we wait until students enter middle school or high school, there may be a discrepancy between students who feel comfortable with technology and those who haven’t had access to it at home.  Introducing technology early in the classroom may level the playing field.

Once the teacher and the students become comfortable using technology, we can begin to apply it in new ways.  Living in a cold climate area, I have noticed that there is a concern with the school year extending too long due to snow days and other cancellations.  “What if” technology could be used to help students meet standards and requirements at home on the days school is cancelled?  Tools such as Blackboard, Lore and Moodle could be used as a way to keep the school year on track.  Teachers could also post videos that only their students can access with the lesson for the day.  There are obviously some hurdles to overcome in this scenario, but with the ever changing landscape of technology, I don’t see why this could not be possible in the future.

I am looking forward to learning about more ways I can integrate technology, not only into my future classrooms, but also into my everyday life.  The thing about community and collaborative learning is, you don’t leave it behind when the school year is over, these skills will be helpful in whatever career path you choose.

1"101 Web 2.0 Teaching Tools | OEDB.org." 2013. 9 Dec. 2014 <http://oedb.org/ilibrarian/101-web-20-teaching-tools/>
2"Education World: Integrating Tech: More Than Just Having ..." 2004. 9 Dec. 2014 Linda Starr <http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech146.shtml>
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