I began my year with absolutely no experience teaching using any form of technology. I had never used networked computers on an “intranet”. I had no idea how to fix the simplest of problems.  I had no idea how to “teach” my students. The instruction methodology I had used in the classroom was not working in the lab.  So how does a linear teacher teach using a nonlinear tool? I managed to find a way that works for me.

The biggest learning this year:

• realizing the power of a good PLN – Twitter included
• using technology as a tool
• finding my instructional stride & understanding it still has to fit me when using technology
• keeping my technological learning transparent and letting the students teach me and learn with me
• taking risks as a teacher and seeing my students take risks with me – this one was the best one

All this new learning also created some questions:

• How important is the process when teaching new technology to students?
• How big is the risk to student safety when using certain Web 2.0 tools – in terms of giving of private information for accounts and where is the information stored and who has access to it?
• How big of a risk will I take in allowing under 13 yr old students to use various Web 2.0 tools?
• How to I ensure I am using the technology as a tool to drive good curriculum and not just use the technology for its own sake?
• How do I assess the learning and by what criteria?
• Does using Web 2.0 tools to enhance the curriculum increase student learning?

It seems my learning has created more questions than it has answered. I would hope that is the sign of an effective teacher.

So the stack of professional reading grows higher for the summer as the need to revamp my prep classes and manner in which I teach grows stronger.

What was your biggest learning this school year?

What are you reflecting on?

Anything good to read this summer?

]]> http://blogjunkie.edublogs.org/2009/06/13/a-year-of-teaching-with-technology-in-review/feed/ 3 http://blogjunkie.edublogs.org/2008/10/24/response-to-new-online-omnivores/ http://blogjunkie.edublogs.org/2008/10/24/response-to-new-online-omnivores/#comments Sat, 25 Oct 2008 03:20:09 +0000 blogjunkie http://blogjunkie.edublogs.org/?p=23 Crawford Kilian states in his post here on “The Tyee”:

… we faculty still think of teaching and learning as a face-to-face encounter between a standing instructor and a bunch of seated students, making notes of what the instructor says and writes on the chalkboard.  This is simply not what our students are doing anymore.

This reminded me of a conversation I had with two fellow educators of the techno-geek crowd. I teach elementary school and these gents teach high school.  We were discussing the use of technology in the classroom.  The gist of the conversation was that if we, as educators, do not follow along with the technology our students are using we will find connecting with our students difficult and they will begin to disconnect with us and the subject.  We need to meet them on their turf, where they’re at so we are using Web 2.0 tools such as podcasting, blogging, wikis and along with  paper reports we are having students create PowerPoints, imovies, slideshows etc to demonstrate their knowledge of a subject area.  As teachers we are creating lessons using the same software tools to make our teaching relevant to our webhead students.  It was inspiring to find there were other teachers out there, especially post-secondary teachers, realizing the same thing.  If the conservative post-secondary institutions of higher learning are moving forward, there should be hope the those below them.  Or should there?

Kilian goes on to say,

…We might wish they were dutiful note-takers, scrawling with ballpoint pens in their binders the way we did.  But they’re not.  We don’t do them, or ourselves, any good by trying to give them a first-rate 1960’s education.

There would be the key, “a first-rate 1960’s education.”  This isn’t the 60’s or 80’s.  We are in the 21st Century and our teaching needs to be there too.  What amazes and discourages me is how many teachers simply refuse to learn how to use the technology that is relevant to education using the stupid adage, “can’t teach an old dog new tricks” as their excuse. These teachers have entrenched themselves. They have forgotten how to learn and the importance of continuing to learn through-out their teaching careers.  If you stop learning what the hell do you think your students will do?

…From Kindergarten to high school, educators are going to have to get serious about that old cliche, “learning how to learn.”  And we ourselves will have to learn how to learn, or get out of the business.

Bravo!