There
are very few places you can go without encountering some form of
technology. To simply ignore that it is
there, and insist upon using the “old school” way of teaching, is to do a huge disservice
to our students. “When educators and policies deliberately exclude the opportunities
demonstrated through mobile media and participatory media pedagogy, they are
perpetuating an achievement gap that further cleaves society.” (Jenkins 2008) In other words, if we don’t prepare our
students for a digital world, we are hindering their potential to fully engage
in the world around them. They simply
won’t be equipped to keep up with their peers.
Whether
it’s a smart phone, IPad, or social media account, digital media plays an
important role in our students’ lives.
Why not embrace that opportunity and use it to our advantage? “…as
images push words off the page and as our lives become increasingly mediated by
a popular visual culture.” (Avila
and Pandya) Technology shouldn’t be a tool that is pulled out once or twice
a month to meet a demand of “I have to have technology in my lesson plans.” It should be integrated into everything that
we teach. The possibilities are
enormous. You can create a classroom
blog, where students could discuss a book they are reading. They can read their peers’ thoughts and
provide authentic feedback. Your
students can Skype with other students or experts in another country. They can do research, create digital stories,
or create a podcast featuring what they are studying.
As
a first year teacher, I realize just how lucky I am to have the availability of
the technology resources that I do. It
enables me to provide a student-centered learning environment where the
students have the technology in their hands.
They are engaged and DOING something, not listening to me lecture about
it. They are thinking critically,
collaborating with their peers, and creating solutions to problems. They are laying the foundation for a bright
and promising future.
Resources
1. Digital
Wish. Website with multiple lesson plans
for creating digital stories. http://www.digitalwish.com/dw/digitalwish/view_lesson_plans?keyword=storytelling
2. Edutopia:
A Blog on Classroom Technology. http://www.edutopia.org/blogs/tag/classroom-technology
3. Global
Warming and Climate Change. A lesson
plan that integrates science and technology.
http://www.mrsoshouse.com/pbl/globwarm.html
4. Kidblog.
A safe and simple blog for students and teachers. http://kidblog.org/home/
5. Problem
and Project Based Learning Activities. A
great site with numerous lessons plans that integrate technology. http://www.mrsoshouse.com/pbl/pblin.html
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