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>
<http://c3e308.medialib.glogster.com/media/dc/dc42907d4b51e4bfc3799c335be22249342136990c5d999f27e57cce7befaa3b/studentswant-jpg.jpg>
<http://gnbvtmoodle.imgsoftware.com/pluginfile.php/1636/course/summary/Moodle%20wired.jpg>
No comments:
Post a Comment