Classrooms are evolving what seems to me to be overnight. Long gone are the days of traditional lectures
with students taking notes with pen and paper.
More and more frequently I am hearing talk of technology in the
classroom. But what exactly does that
mean? I’ve been living abroad in Costa
Rica for the last two and a half years and I can’t help but feel a little
behind. From my little school with no computers, no wifi, and no projectors,
the rate at which technology is being incorporated into classrooms back home seems even
faster. The technological wave has hit.
Now it’s not just the one “Smart Classroom” in a school (which is what I remember), but it’s common
for teachers have Smartboards, for students to have iPads, etc. So as I prepare myself
to make the transition back to New York and into a classroom embracing the 21st
century, I have to ask myself… what exactly does this classroom look like, and
am I ready?
Well, the answer to that question is probably quite simple: It doesn't matter if I am ready. The Social Media Revolution has taken over. As a teacher, it is my responsibility to help students learn and to prepare them for their future. And the future now looks quite different than it did even just a few years ago. As a teacher in this day and age, I am signing up not only to be a teacher, but to be a lifelong learner: a learner who explores new technologies and how they relate to students. Technologies in the classroom can engage students in new and exciting ways and give them the skills they need to be successful--and it's my responsibility as a teacher to figure out how to do so.
But what does using technology in the classroom actually look like? Like I said, I am coming from two and a half years of teaching in a school that might seem like a time capsule from the past for some of the more tech savvy teachers out there! In Costa Rica there is a phrase "detrás del arbol" (literally translating to "behind the tree") which is used to describe people who are out of the loop. As much as I don't want to admit it, I myself have become victim to being behind the tree, and need to do some exploration to find out what a modern classroom looks like. In A Vision of 21st Century Teachers, teachers share some of their tech methods in the classroom. Some of the many excellent examples were blogging, creating digital music mixes, collaborating to make mixed media presentations, using a camera to capture math in the real world, and creating digital books. My favorite suggestion was using technology to take virtual field trips. Imagine my future classroom, where students come in not only to learn Spanish, but to explore the world and its cultures right there from their seats! Probably the biggest takeaway from this video is the rationale for why teachers use technology in the classroom. It gives students confidence, it prepares them with skills they will need in the future, and it allows the teacher to meet the needs of students with different learning styles.
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| Virtual Field Trip to Carnegie Museum |
Until next time!
The Future Señora
Pura Vida
Pura Vida
Hi Danielle, this is a great post. You made many interesting points, and it was a really fast read. I especially liked what you said about us being life long learners. Things are changing every day, and I feel behind too. When I was teaching English two years ago, my biggest excuse (for not using a lot of technology in my classes) was that other teachers at school were not using technology often. I did not feel confident in doing something different. But as you say, it is our responsibility to prepare our students with skills they will need.
ReplyDeleteI learnt a lot this week. Can't wait for you next post!
Hi Gulistan! Thank you for the comment. I have to say, I agree! When you are surrounded by teachers using technology in the classroom, they give you the little "boost" you need to bring your classroom to the next level. It's a little harder when you need to forge the use of technology in your classroom (and school). Luckily, it seems to me like throughout this course we will be getting a lot of ideas to use in our own classroom and to my surprise, they seem relatively easy and fun to implement! That's my kind of technology in the classroom! :)
DeleteDanielle, I absolutely love everything about your blog, even the image of an airplane and a globe in the background! It's such a great reminder of how geographically and culturally interconnected society has become. We even talked about two of the same videos in our blog posts! However, I didn't watch the last video you mentioned until now. I agree with the fact that classrooms today still don't accurately reflect the present-day impact of technology on our lives. Also, you don't seem to be "behind the tree" at all! Wonderful post :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for your feedback, Virginia! I actually played around a bit before finding this image for my background. As soon as I saw it, I thought the same thing! How fun for a future world language teacher and really for the theme of technology. We are growing more globally interconnected by the minute. And thanks, it's always nice to hear that I'm not as "behind the tree" as I thought! :)
DeleteWhat you are describing is what educators have been calling a shift from "the sage on the stage to the guide on the side". On other words, going from a teacher-centered classroom to one where students are able to think and reason and find answers for themselves. We will see more of this concept in our flipped classroom Mods.
ReplyDeleteI am really looking forward to learning more about the flipped classroom! I love that quote, "the sage on the stage to the guide on the side." I've read quite a bit of research that students learn best when they discover knowledge on their own and it makes sense for teachers to be the facilitator in the classroom and the "guiding light" for students. Of course, I can't wait to see how teachers actually make that transition (and a successful one at that) in the classroom!
DeleteI really liked what you wrote in your last paragraph about how we truly need to evaluate not only how we're teaching bought what we are teaching. That is something I also touched on about how we need to consider the skills that are students are going to need in the future and that what we learned may not necessarily be of much use to them. Like you said it's a bit of a Pandora's box bought I think if we're going to be successful if educators it's something we really need to think about.
ReplyDeleteChristopher, you're right! I think preparing our students for the future is essential, and classrooms that aren't incorporating modern technologies and stick to the old fashioned "pen and paper" approach aren't truly preparing their students with the skills they need to thrive after they graduate. The problem comes when we see just how fast technology is changing--how do we prepare our students to be adept in technologies in a world where those future technologies don't even exist yet? I think it's important that we as teachers teach our students the skills of how to learn, how to do research, and how to find answers to their questions. Teaching our students how to be problem solvers and critical thinkers are two big stepping stones to be successful in the future!
DeleteAs someone who has never really taught a class before, I'm actually quite relieved at the idea that I don't have to be the "sage on the stage" as Kate said! It takes some pressure of the teacher and instead gives everyone (teacher and students) the go-ahead to be an endless work in progress, always searching and exploring as we learn.
ReplyDeleteHi Emily! I also loved the phrase "the sage on the stage to the guide on the side" because, well, it's so fun! And, I think it rings true to just how much modern classrooms are changing and evolving. I'm really looking forward to discovering more about how how we as teachers become a successful "guide on the side" in the classroom!
DeleteHi Danielle,
ReplyDeleteI think you do a good job on new educational technology. You are right, whether we are ready or not, the social media revolution has taken over. As a teach we need to use new educational technology to relate and connect with students. So the instructions can be more attractive and helpful.
I totally agree! It's interesting because I will be becoming a teacher and trying to implement social media into the classroom learning environment, something I myself never experienced as a student in school. I think it's great that the social media revolution has begun because it is about time that technology has gone from being a "distraction" in the classroom to being a valued tool! I really am excited to be creative in my future classroom and think of new ways to use social media with my students. If you have any ideas, I would love to hear them!
DeleteHi Danielle,
ReplyDeleteI saw the Social Media Revolution also, I totally agree with what you said about social media has already taken over without us even realizing it, and it's our responsibilities to prepare out students for their future. I think with having social media and new technology in our life, it's both our challenges and opportunities to be teachers, which means we need to learn the knowledge faster than our students and also keep us being creative and motivated all the time.
I love what you said about social media and technology in the classroom- that it will keep us as teachers motivated and creative! In my reply to Pei Zhang I mentioned how excited I am to being creative in my future Spanish classroom and I can't wait to brainstorm ways to use social media with the students. I think it will keep me AND the students engaged, creative, and learning. What a perfect environment for a classroom! :)
DeleteDanielle, I have to tell you, I read your post for three times and I made notes while reading it. Not only great points have been made, you post is enjoyable to read because the way you put your points. I hope you don't mind I quoted you in my journal. I like the way you see technology in classroom: it doesn't matter whether we are ready, nobody does, because we are lifelong learners. So are our students. Excellent title, too! Learning how to write from you!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your comment, it made my night! I love that you quoted me in your journal. We are all writing these blogs and sharing our thoughts and experiences, and it is of course a great feeling to be validated by another member of the blogging community! I look forward to reading your blog throughout the semester and hearing your ideas :)
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