When thinking about digital literacy and the use of technology, I have wondered as an educator, what is my goal? Is it to instill curiosity? Creativity? It makes me wonder if a part of me can not do this without the use of a tool that involves technology. I do like to think of technology as a facilitation tool for students, but when it becomes a dependent tool it makes me wonder where education is heading.
I agree that the use of technology is inevitable and can certainly be used to a teachers advantage. Some of the sites and sources we have seen in class are excellent tools to instill that creativity and curiosity in students. Technology has become a fundamental component of literacy that teachers need to continue to explore, experiment, and keep implementing as a strategy for students to grow and develop in their skills.
Technology is advancing at an increasingly rapid rate, yet somehow the youth of today can keep up! A new app comes out, they know how to use every feature the next day, a new social media site debuts millions join in a week. They are so well versed in technology that most know how to circumvent the "controls" adults use to limit their access to information.
ReplyDeleteUsing technology in a classroom is another way to incorporate student's interests and likes into learning. It is a way to get them engage in the lesson, to understand the material, and an outlet to practice and use their literacy skills.
Teachers need to continue to learn about technology, to experiment with it in the classroom, but most importantly, we need to find a way to use it effectively in a learning environment. We can't just say "oh here's an assignment using technology" and expect students to magically love it and be engage in discussion and learning.
I went to Purdue for my undergrad and professors loved to use iClickers. They used them for attendance, for class participation, for extra credit points, for check points to ensure students were learning the material. Out of my four years, there were 2 classes that used iClickers effectively and efficiently: a physics class and a personal finance class.
Using technology just because it is there, is not an effective way to teach or have students learn. Teachers need to become more versed in technology and its language in order to creative new and innovative ways of using it in the classroom.
I am already finding myself slipping behind in the technological world. I remember back when I was in high school. We had black and white screen graphing calculators. Now they are color screened and have way more options, menus and capabilities... oh and they are rechargeable! My point is, that you cannot expect to understand everything about new technology let alone keep up with it, but you just have to do your best. You can do this by focuses your attention on the most relevant resources to your subject. As I will be teaching Physics, it is important that I learn how to use these newer calculators.
ReplyDeleteSince I am gradually finding myself asking more questions about technology and the digital world, I am constantly looking to find more answers. "How am I supposed to use this thing? What is a Hashtag?". It is now when I turn to digital literacies the most. Google's search engine has become on of my best friends in college. The nice thing is, whenever we are confused, we can ask. As for how to stay interested in advancements in technologies and digital literacies, that has to come from within. You must remember that as your students evolve in an ever-changing world, so must the way they learn. Hopefully this is enough to motivate you and all teachers to prevent slipping behind the technological world.
It's nuts to think that the students we teach (most likely) never had to wait for a 56k modem to connect to the internet or download a song over the course of a week. Media is instantaneous now. The days of trudging through encyclopedias are over. It reminds me of The Matrix (can you believe that that film is now 15 years old? If it were a kid, it would be in your class), and how anyone can simply download skills and knowledge.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing missing is the instantaneous learning. The information is all right there, ready to be called at the click of a mouse or the touch of a finger.
The fact that learning is not instantaneous is where we come in, then. This is where we teach. It isn't so much about the what, but of the how. Information will always be delivered to students through books, or the web, or our words. I think that the heart of education now lies in guiding our students into figuring out how to interpret that information.