The Importance of Technology in the Classroom

Technology is constantly changing and its advancement is an integral part of society.  In the 21st century, “Technology dominates the workplaces of most professionals and provides a “wider and more flexible set of learning resources” for individuals, educators, and organizations (U.S. Department of, 2010).  Although the Department of Education advocates the use of technology in secondary education classrooms, “There is a ‘digital disconnect’ between how students use technology for their everyday communication and how they use technology in the classroom” (Kolb, 2008).

Incorporating technology into the classroom diminishes this ‘disconnect.’  The use of advanced technology in the classroom promotes critical and innovating thinking and analytical skills, which are the backbone of any profession. Rather than being viewed as tools to efficiently transmit information and content to learners, technologies can be used by students as ‘intellectual partners’, and as tools to analyze and interpret their understanding” (Herrington, J., & Kervin, L., 2007).

When educators fail to realize the new ways students learn and retain information, the learning process and retention period may be hindered. Administrators and educators must therefore “take personal responsibility for understanding changes in tech implementation and integration in their buildings and classrooms (Larson, Miller, & Ribble, 2010).  Educating teachers to the benefits of advancing technology use with their students affects the learning outcome in the classroom.

Adapting technology and modern learning methods into one’s classroom can be achieved through small changes. Simple activities such as allowing the students to use cellphones or itouch (depending on school policy) for research instead of reference books will allow the students to apply information in the way their generation learns best.  Even the incorporation of ‘simple’ technological skills or tools, such as Powerpoints, or videos will increase student participation and desire to work on something that is relevant to their world today. If the knowledge of technology is taught, and the students are required to create their own materials (ie Glogsters, podcasts, websites), their level of cognitive abilities will be challenged and expanded even more. 

The use of technology in the classroom allows the students to incorporate daily lives into the learning process, challenges creativity, and forces the student to perceive information on varying levels.  Technology, if used well, has the ability to reach students of different learning styles, such as visual, audial, or hands-on.  Living in the middle of the Net Generation, students are able to interpret and decipher technology quickly. Their persistence and ability to manipulate tools well will be an asset to the classroom, as perhaps they will be able to teach the educator shortcuts or varying methods used to obtain the same product.  Although the teacher will supply the content to be learned, but students and teachers alike will be able to discover the best procedure.

Often times, using technology in the classroom is a distraction if the programs/devices are not fully understood.  The teacher could potentially spend more time trouble-shooting issues than using it as a tool to teach.  Similarly, if servers are down, or computers crash, the seemingly flawless lesson is now at the will of internal coding procedures (which ultimately interrupts the flow of the classroom). The teacher must also be willing to give up several class periods in order to teach how to use the desired method or tool.  Although teaching life skills, the desired content knowledge must take a backburner.  Being that a majority of teachers and schools must now ‘teach to the standardized test,’ important information could not be obtained on the necessary time schedule. 

Technology is always changing, and educators must be willing to adapt with it.  Just as students must learn information to excel, teachers must also continue learning.  Professional development courses or seminars are crucial for educators to learn new methods of teaching old material.  Even if one knows and understands a certain technological skill, it must be able to be expressed and incorporated well into the classroom. This idea must be practiced daily.  According to Diane Oblinger, the President of Educause, an organization structured for the advancement of technology in education, “Times change. Technologies change.  Students change. And so does education” (Oblinger, 2008).  Educators must be willing to adapt to the advancement of technology to provide the most applicable and critical thinking skills for their students.

Resources:

Herrington, J., & Kervin, L. (2007). Authentic learning supported by technology: Ten suggestions and cases of integration in classrooms. Educational Media International, 44(3), 219-236.

Kolb, L. (2008). Toys to tools: connecting student cell phones to education. Washington DC: International Society for Technology in Education.

Larson, L., Miller, T., & Ribble, M. (2010). 5 considerations for digital age leaders: what principals and district administrators need to know about tech integration today. International Society for Technology in Education, 37(4), 12-15.

Oblinger, D. (2008). Growing up with Google and what it means to education. Emerging technologies for learning. Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/ResourcesGrowingupwithGooglewhatitmeans/162862.

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology. (2010). Transforming american education: learning powered by technology (ED-04-CO-0040). Alexandria, VA: Education Publications Center. Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/sites/default/files/netp2010.pdf.

La Technologie m'a plait beaucoup!!

Using technology in the classroom (if done well), is an excellent tool and way to challenge the students. It allows them to be creative, while simultaneously learning life skills.  For example, my students are currently creating a complete 2 day itinerary to Paris.  Everything must be included - even methods of transportation and costs of the trip.  One group was unsure as to how far their chosen hotel was from their desired tourist points.  So what did they do? They emailed the concierge at the hotel to see if they would respond with actual information - Taking the project one step farther. Those of the Net Generation are problem solvers.  The world exists as a puzzle and they must attempt to solve it.  Fascinating.
I hope they carry these skills onward.

PS. The hotel emailed them back. They were so excited that they could use "real" information in their project.

Electronic Portfolios

Technology is changing and advancing constantly.  The idea that someone has instantaneous access to all of your information regarding teaching (who you are, where you want to be, etc) is still mind-numbing.  The amount of work and energy needed to properly maintain an electronic portfolio is equally intimidating.

Although my not-so-favorite electronic portfolio is simple and easy to follow, not all of the links work.  This would make it quite difficult for viewers to obtain all of the desired information.  I like the list fashion, however the author needs to check his work to make it useful.

A more decent portfolio exists here in that it contains an intense amount of information.  It encompasses a lot of information, and creates a picture for the viewer as to what the author is like.  His intentions and effort are excellent.  I do feel that it is slightly congested, and makes me overwhelmed.  A balance between the two portfolios would be nice.

Technology Presentations Galore

It is interesting to see the results when creativity and freedom are unlimited. At first the assignment of presenting a scholarly journal in a technological way can seem daunting.  However, by focusing and being creative in the process, the results can be astounding.  In addition to recorded powerpoints and videos, some students chose to present their information via online posters or even via written songs.  The possibilities were endless. It is "easy" to write a paper and stand up in front of a class to present the information.  However, creating a different "spin" to the presentation can be time consuming and difficult because there are so many ways the presentation could go. 

One of my colleagues took the general powerpoint and recorded her "lesson" simultaneously. The lesson even included the links to the information of which she was speaking.  This method would be very beneficial to the classroom - especially if the students or teacher were absent.  It would be very easy for the work to be completed and understood as if sitting in the actual classroom. I like that more information was discussed than that which appeared on the screen.  It 'forced' the student to listen to every word and to follow along so that nothing was missed. 

Music is an excellent tool for education.  Often times catchy tunes will not only capture the student's attention, but will help them to retain the desired information.  ( In my own classroom, I often see students mouthing the words to a song learned to try and remember the information while taking a quiz or test).  Writing a song to enforce information is a creative method of revealing ideas and engaging students.

Sometimes pictures are worth a thousand words.  The video presentation on ELL engaged the observer while educating them on the topic of using Technology to enhance the education of English leaners.  Even though there was not a voice to listen to, the music and words precisely revealed the concepts. 

Using a variety of methods is key in the classroom, as each student learns differently and at different paces.  By incorporating a variety of methods, the student will be assured to retain the information. Audial, Visual, and techtonic learners will be able to benefit from all of these methods if adapted appropriately.

Are you Smarter than...a Smart Board?

Interactive White Boards are the new wave of technology.  They allow students to become a part of the class, and not just observe it.  The novelty of being able to touch a screen and having all sorts of technological wonders manifest before you is mind-numbing.  The advantanges of Smartboards are many, as the students are actively engaged in the lesson.  The lesson may then be saved for those that were absent or for future reference.  They are also helpful to the teacher, as exactly what was taught on any given day can be stored and referenced later.  (This would be beneficial to prove to the students that a topic actually was covered!)

Although the advantangeous are numerous, there are also some disadvantages to be dealt with.  For one, the teacher may be so obsessed with using the smartboard, that the essence of the class (classroom management, eye contact, etc) may be forgotten.  As with any different form of technology, you are at the whim of the mechanics.  If the program/board/screen/projector magically fail, the teacher must be able to think quickly to save the lesson. The smartboard also increases the amount of work necessary for the teacher.  Although lessons may already be completed, much time is needed in order to turn them into valuable interactive lessons.

Even though their are some disadvantages, the educational benefits are too numerous to discuss (both for teacher and student).  I would absolutely want one for my classroom.  Teaching a foreign language, my students are constantly at the board to review answers or to discuss various concepts.  The idea of an interactive board would only enhance their engagement, and perhaps their curiosity!  Just today I was provided with a portable smart board tablet.  Since my classroom is not provided with a Smartboard (and I begged for one), my principal provided me with a tablet that is able to do many of the same functions as the board itself.  Although the use of the tablet keeps the students in their seats more than at the board, they will be excited to see their work turn into something for the class to see.

Video in the classroom..

Using video in the classroom is the up and coming method of teaching.  Although it would be a time consuming endeavor, the information and skills the students would learn would be highly beneficial.   The teacher using the video as a project must be willing to give up a class or two to explain the software, how to use it, and how to edit it.  Class time would also be necessary for planning, if in a group setting, and the viewing of the product. 


If the teacher is willing to undergo such a task, the students will learn 'beaucoup'! While using the project to teach or reinforce a concept from the classroom, the students will simultaneously be working on their people skills (including communication and compromise), their technology skills, and their content area skills. 


I have used video in various ways in my classroom.  For example, my French 3 students learn Reflexive Verbs (ie verbs you do to yourself - ex. Brush your teeth, wash your hair).  To communicate with me that they understand the topic, each student must create their own product and create an infomercial for it.  They are provided with a rubric of the necessary phrases and class time for script writing - to ensure that they are using their own knowledge and not merely online translators.  Each info-mercial must be an original product and must be within a certain time limit. The students ask questions and answer them in order to 'sell' their product.  
Due to the unstable technology provided by the school, I emphasize the creation of a video or podcast, but also provide the option of live presentations. This allows me to meet the various standards depending on how the individual works. We will have a couple days for the viewing of these commercials, as there are nearly 30 students in the class.  The outcomes are usually impressive, as the students take pride in their work (and in wanting an A). As with doing any technology based project, there are multiple challenges that present themselves.  For one, the students need to be able to use and provide their own equipment.  The class time set aside was mostly used for script writing, and for reviewing the methods of presentation. The presentation day always proves to be interesting, as various methods were used, it is necessary to know which technology is needed for each presenter.


The students are excited to share their videos! They like the idea of creating something for the others to see.  The challenge of presenting in a foreign language adds to the stress level, but they are looking forward to it none the less.

Look Out Ron Howard!: the Making of a PSA

The prompt: to create a short PSA using Windows Media Maker

The result: an entertaining video about caffeine awareness and newfound knowledge of the software.

At first the project seemed to be daunting: how were we supposed to create an idea, film, and edit within 1.25 class periods?  However, once the project was under way and our ideas were solidified, it became a sort of fun challenge to create the film.  It is amazing how much work and effort goes into a 1 minute video! Normally, the hardest part of creating a project is coming up with an idea. Once that is completed, the ideas often flow more easily.  Coming up with an idea that could be related to everyone in the class was easy: time management.  Everyone is trying to juggle personal and professional lives as well as their continued education.  What is thing people use to keep them charged during the frantically busy day? Caffeine.  

Since this situation holds true to all of our hearts, there could not be a way for us to say that caffeine is bad and should not be used.  That would be hypocritical of us.  However, the more we discussed and researched statistics, we found some startling information regarding the topic.  Therefore, we simply wanted to make others aware of it: both its benefits and its harmfulness.

Once our general idea was created, coming up with the details proved to be a little more difficult.  Although the 3 of us worked well as a group, we were unsure of where we wanted the final result to go (in the beginning).  This led to a lot of discussion, but quickly led to a rough story board.  Once the pieces of the video were set (a sort of outline), the pieces and details fell into place.  By the end of the first class, each group member knew what their "homework" was.  By dividing the tasks (ie music, statistics, props, etc) and having them prepared for the following week, we granted ourselves more time for filming and editing.  The Emerald City was within reach and we knew how to follow the Yellow Brick Road to get to it!

Because of the advance preparation, we had the same vision and we knew what needed to be done to acquire it.  Each member fell into their role beautifully, whether it was as actress, videographer, or director.  Following the filming, the editing process also fell into place.  We continued to thrive as a group, ensuring that each person had their turn to learn the program and to "make it happen." I do not feel our communication skills could have been better in that we had a final goal in mind and knew teamwork was essential.
At the end of a very long night, the audio would not import into the the video.  It then became divide and conquer, as we each tried to call people or search online how to make this work.  Again, each one knew exactly how group work needs to function.  I feel (and hope my team agrees) that this was truly a group effort and that all talents and abilities were used.