The generation that I have grown up with has been able to experience something rather unique. My colleagues and I were able to bridge the gap between the computer-less classrooms of groups before us and the digital world that surrounds current and future generations. Having this perspective allows us to create connections with current students much more seamlessly than teachers before us. The reason I think these connections may be a little better is that the technology being developed will not be as foreign as it was to teachers when the rapid development occurred. With this in mind, I am very confident and excited about the role that technology will take in my career as a teacher.
By and large, the greatest benefit of technology is the sheer access it provides for students. Many students have computers in their homes, and for those that do not, they certainly have them in school. This means unparalleled, instantaneous, access to information. It is my personal opinion that, similarly to grasping large numbers, humans are simply not capable of comprehending the amount of information that is at our fingertips. And in a world where information is power, being able to provide that information to students seems like a no-brainer.
Furthermore, my strong opinion in support of technology is based in the inevitability of the development of this technology. The bottom line is that, no matter what we do, this technology will surround these students always and forever. With that in mind, it is important that we help these young people build the skills needed to navigate technology. As pointed out in Kevin Kelly’s 2010 New York Times Article: Achieving Techno-Literacy, “You teach the student…not to learn stuff, but to learn how to learn.” Those words of Kelly’s 8th grade son could not be more dead on. It is our role as educators to be stewards of proper use of technology, if we ignore this charge, we are simply setting up our students for failure. An example of what happens when you fail to educate kids on the proper use of technology was explored in 2010 survey by Scholastic. A New York Times article cited that nearly 2/5 of children surveyed believed that all information found on the Internet is accurate. To me, you will not hear a louder call for the effective use of technology in education.
With the aforementioned in mind, there is certainly a time for students to unplug and simply physically interact with other learners and with their environments. One of biggest downfalls of technology is when it is overused and substituted for experiential education. This especially needs to be considered when looking at various learning styles. While we can make generalizations that youth will learn better through technologies, a lot of times students will simply need to touch and feel to learn. Being able to find the perfect balance between overuse and proper use of technology is one of the more difficult parts of technology in education.
On the other side of the coin, it is important to realize and appreciate the impact of assistive technologies (AT). AT will not only help students with disabilities, but it will also assist in reaching students of various learning styles. For instance, finding software that turns words into pictures or vice versa not only helps students with speaking difficulties but will also help learners who rely heavily on visual stimuli.
In looking towards what my classroom will look like, there is no doubt that technology will play a pivotal role in my curriculum. Specifically, I will focus heavily on using various forms of media to provide access to information. I firmly believe that allowing the students to create their own pieces of media provides some important skills. Having them create movies and Podcasts, as we have in this IT course, will allow them to employ their learning and understanding. It is through this employment that students will be able to solidify what they have learned. Ultimately, I no longer want technology to be viewed as an additional class; I foresee a school where technology is interweaved in every aspect of the curriculum.
