I love technology. My children love technology. My students love when they are allowed to use technology. I come from a district with the basics. 2nd grade classrooms have Airliners, student response clickers, and projectors. The new district I just started working for values technology and has the money to invest in it. My summer school classroom has a Smart Board. I have basic knowledge of how to use. At this point, I think my students might know how to use it more than I do.
However, I love to learn. I know I have access to the internet to try to discover as much as possible on my own until I can get formal training. I want students to work on authentic learning activities. I want to be able to quickly assess my students understanding of the topic and provide immediate feedback. I want my students to be able to apply their learning to new situations. If computer games, clickers, Pinterest, or any other form of technology is a tool that helps me meet these goals, then I want access for my students.
For me, the top 3 elements in a 21st century classroom are
1. Collaboration
2. Critical thinking
3. Problem solving
We don't know what the future holds. My students will graduate in 2022. Our life could be so different by then. If I teach them how to think critically and problem solve, then they can apply that to whatever technology or challenges life provides. I think this leads into what type of learning environment I want to create for my classroom. I want a classroom that learns to work together, despite our differences. A classroom that sees others strengths and that each of us has areas we are stronger in. We are all smart. We are all smart in different ways. I want to create a community of students who realize this and when they leave my class, they realize this is true of all individuals.
http://www.pbs.org/teachers/digitallearners/
The PBS video is a great place to find out we are not alone. A revolution is taking place. Teaching kids to solve authentic projects is the way today. Technology is a resource to make this happen. If we don't use it, we are robbing our future. I love the quote "Things will go wrong and we won't have all the answers." I think this is because students will see we have to problem solve real world problems. Things do not go according to our plan on a daily basis. Daily we have to problem solve. Students need to see this, need to see how we handle this, and need to see there is not only one possible answer to the problems we face.
It's amazing to think what technology will look like for your graduating students in 2022! The PBS video really emphasized the importance of giving students the tools to think critically and problem solve with not just the technology that is currently available but to be able to apply these skills to the ever-changing world of technology.
ReplyDeleteI am in absolute awe of the changes and developments in technology over the past 10 years, and I can't even begin to imagine what will take place in the next 10 years. As a teacher, I feel like it is my responsibility to embrace, and learn all that I can about technology, so I can provide my students with the best educational opportunities to benefit their future. The learning and activities taking place in the schools highlighted in the PBS video were very intriguing. The technology was allowing the students with endless amounts of real-world opportunities and experiences. Their learning was not limited to just the walls of the classroom or school, but rather had no boundaries. With technology our students can access information much more efficiently and interactively than ever before. I look forward to learning and discovering ways to bring more of these priceless opportunities to my students.
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