Learning Tools

Technology tools offer students a multitude of opportunities for learning.  The Internet can connect them to any information that they need, so students need guidance to discover the best resources for the subject that they want or need to learn about.  Students who have grown up playing with desktop, laptop, or mobile computing devices know how to use them for fun and entertainment, but they may not know how to differentiate between a site that was created by a reputable source and a site that is filled with inaccurate information.  As teachers, we have the responsibility to teach students how to identify good sources that they can rely on for correct answers.  However, some issues that students need or want to learn about can be represented in several different ways by differing points of view.  Students must be taught how to locate sources that represent each stance or point of view regarding an issue in order to develop a well-rounded understanding of the issue and to form their own opinions.  As students develop these skills in school, they are learning how to find information independently- a necessity for adulthood.

Anya Kamentz's article discusses the three ways that teachers can eliminate digital distraction in a technology-enhanced classroom.  When it comes to students' behavior management in the library, I typically use control by authority. There are always students in each group that effectively manage their own behavior, but there are also students who easily engage in off-task behaviors and distract their classmates.  I'm constantly on the lookout for students who are distracted or off-task so that I can redirect them to the task at hand.  I have looked at options for implementing control through technology and using tools to help keep the students busy on their assignments.  Ultimately though, I would like to see all students exercise self-control.  One way I can help accomplish this is my designing lessons that can be personalized to students' interests so that they are more motivated to keep working rather than waste time.  I also like Kamentz's suggestion to teach students about goal-setting and making a list of objectives that they can check off as they accomplish parts of the task.  When students learn to exercise self-control, it makes the classroom environment much more productive and conducive to learning.  More importantly, though, students develop an important life skill that will serve them well throughout their schooling, their career, and their personal life.

There are many reasons to integrate technology into instruction and learning in the classroom.  Here are 3 that I think are important for teachers to understand.

1. Learning with technology can increase opportunities for student choice and the development of critical thinking skills.  When students have a computing device with Internet access available to them in the classroom, they can access numerous resources for finding information and tools for creating products that show what they have learned.  The multitude of choices cause them to think critically about the best tools for the task and the ideal project to show their learning.

2. Technology allows students to create things within authentic, real-world contexts.  With access to the Internet, students can engage with experts and contribute to online conversations about topics related to the curriculum or their interests.  They are given opportunities to realize that what they learn in school has application beyond the classroom, and they can share their projects with a global audience.

3. Technology integration can start small.  Teachers don't have to infuse their entire curriculum with technology overnight.  It's okay to start with one or two small steps to discover what works well and what doesn't.  As they take small steps, teachers will gain confidence and begin using technology in lessons more frequently until technology integration is a natural part of the lesson-planning process.

21st Century Skills

I think that critical thinking is the 21st Century Skill that will be most important to students' success and well-being in life.  This skill requires students to evaluate information and determine how it can be used to make decisions and solve problems.  In the classroom, teachers can require students to use critical thinking by allowing them to select a topic they want to learn about and then determine what information they need to find out about it and which sources they should use to find that information.  They then must evaluate the quality of the information and decide how they should represent their new learning for other audiences.  This involves selecting appropriate technology tools for the task.  Giving students the opportunity to make decisions at every step of the process calls upon their higher-level thinking skills and requires critical thinking.  A good way to assess students' critical thinking is through reflection.  Reflection requires students to engage in metacognition to record which decisions they were faced with and why they made the choices that they did.  They can also reflect on whether they think they made the best choice and whether they would make the same decision next time.  This allows both the student and the teacher to be better aware of the student's thinking and decision-making process throughout the project.

Philosophy of Education

As an educator, my purpose is to facilitate opportunities for students to develop their critical thinking skills and to apply creative thinking to solve problems.  Students are inundated with media and information from all directions.  They must learn how to approach information with a critical stance and always examine the source of the information to determine whether to assimilate it into their knowledge and belief system or reject it.  They must also use their knowledge and experiences to create products that fill a need.  My role in this process is to model critical thinking and demonstrate how I use resources to answer questions and assemble knowledge to fulfill information needs.  I must also serve as an assistant and mentor to students as they embark on this journey to develop the information-finding and critical thinking skills they will need to succeed in the workplace and as informed, well-rounded individuals.

Technology offers students opportunities to access any information they may need.  The Internet is a resource that students will likely use their whole lives, and it contains both facts and inaccuracies, as well as writings that build up specific beliefs and viewpoints and other writings in direct opposition to those beliefs and views.  While they are still in a formal school setting, students must utilize technology to learn how to navigate the Internet and develop a framework for critically evaluating everything they read and view before forming their own conclusions.

Technology also allows students opportunities to collaborate with each other on learning projects.  As they work together to create a presentation, video, or webpage, students learn how to communicate what they have learned and refine their conclusions by discussing them with others.  Students can also use technology to interact with individuals that they would never meet in person.  Via email or videoconferencing, students can utilize human resources in their quest to develop an understanding of the world.

I'm participating in the Technology Integration 101 course to further develop my teaching skills.  I am most interested in learning techniques to make my lessons more student-centered than teacher-centered.  Currently, I do not allow my students much choice in the way they approach an assignment, the tools they use, or the product they create to express their learning.  I would like to learn how to let go of some of that control, yet still ensure that students use time productively and create meaningful products.

I do not consider myself an expert or leader in any area of technology integration, but I have used several digital tools with my students, including Google Apps for Education.  I've also taught several digital citizenship and online safety lessons, and I've utilized some great online resources to assist with this instruction, such as Common Sense Media's Digital Passport.  When it is relevant to the topic of conversation, I can share with my classmates some of my experiences using these tools and others with students.

The area that I will need to spend the most time exploring and getting ideas from my classmates will probably be the topic of informing stakeholders of the importance of technology integration.  I will want to develop a compelling way of communicating the reasoning behind technology integration, so I will take extra time to find the best sources to quote and the best data to back up the argument for technology in the classroom.