“The road is long, with many a winding turn…”

Wow, where do I start…..?

       I came into this Technology 101 course with just enough knowledge to, shall we say, get me in trouble!  Our district is on the fast track into the technology integration arena.  Thanks to a generous Race to the Top grant, all students in Warren Township have access to technology as a learning tool.  I have had the privileged of being a part of our first ever 1:1 initiative and have worked closely with staff to provide, through professional development, them with the skills they need to be successful.  We are well on our way of winding down that highway and are having to assess where we are…how far have we come, where will we go next???  This course has given me a wealth of resources and a PLN that has triggered a great deal of research and reflection of where we need to go and how we are going to get there.  I am extremely grateful that I have had the opportunity to participate in this class and learn from others. 

       As Harvey Mackay said, " A great accomplishment shouldn't be the end of the road, just the starting point for the next leap forward."  Warren Township has experienced some great accomplishments is the past few year where technology integration is concerned.  Technology integration is not a destination, but rather, a journey and I am ready for the next leap forward!

Who’s in the driver’s seat?

       Gone are the days when the teacher held all of the information, when she stood at the front of the classroom spewing her knowledge to students that were sitting in neat rows waiting to soak it all in!  If students are going to be able to critically apply what they are learning, we are going to have to switch drivers!  Unfortunately, many students don’t want to this responsibility because they are unsure of their skills.  It is up to teachers to help them become comfortable with this change in drivers.  Technology is a great tool to help students transition to the student-centered classroom, teachers just have to show them how to use their device as an educational tool.

       Teaching students to learn by using technology is not something that will miraculously happen; it will be a process.  The best way to teach this concept is by modeling.  If students see their teacher using technology to help solve a problem they will be more inclined to turn to technology as a tool when presented with their own set of problems to solve.  Students need to see the technology tool as a means of gathering information, collaborating with their fellow students, and presenting their findings.  The more they use these tools the more confident they will become and will begin to rely more on themselves than on the teacher for knowledge.

       Demonstrating mastery or understanding without providing explicit requirements is also a process.  I can remember when I first began my teaching career, I told my students exactly what I wanted in a project…PowerPoint was the only tool, they had to have X number of slides, slide number 1 had to include X, the slides had to have X number of pictures, etc.  I would even stipulate what websites they needed to use.  I took every bit of creativity away from my students.  The project was mine, not theirs; they just did the typing!  I now think that modeling expectations would be the first step to prodding students into taking ownership of their own instruction and providing quality work.  They are not going to get it right the very first time.  Providing constructive feedback is a great tool in helping with future projects.  Tools such as VoiceThread are great for giving feedback in a positive, constructive manner.  Eventually students will begin to take the ball and run with it!

A Fork in the Road…Choosing the Right Path for Optimal Success in the Classroom!

       In Annie Murphy Paul’s article “Freedom, digital distraction and control” she writes about three approaches to “conquering distraction” in the classroom. While reading her article I was thinking about my current professional development trainings and which of these three approaches best describes my classroom atmosphere. I then began to reflect back on my days in the classroom and realized that if that were still my job I would probably be doing things differently for my students than I do for my peers.

       When I am working with my peers I incorporate what Paul refers to as the “self-control” approach. I do not force my attendees to follow my lead or participate. My thought process is that they are in my PD session because they had a desire to learn about the topic; therefore, they are “self-motivated, self-aware and … intelligent enough to impose their own … solutions to digital distraction.” I see my job as to make the PD interesting enough for them to self-impose the “self-control” approach.

       It has been over five years since I was in the classroom. When I was working with high schools students I definitely “controlled by authority.” I felt it my responsibility to establish classroom rules as they related to acceptable behavior with the technology. At that time I did not allow cellphone in my classroom. As a matter of fact, if they brought their cellphone into my classroom and I saw (or heard) it, I would confiscate it and the student had to pick it up from the discipline principal. My, my – “the times they are a changing.” If I were to go back into the classroom today I would probably be inclined to use Paul’s “control through technology” approach at the start of the course. I still feel that I would need to establish rules and utilize the tools that are available in today’s technological world to “nudge students in the direction of desired use” at that time. However, I would make it my goal that students would learn to “self-control” after gaining understanding of my classroom atmosphere. I do believe it is possible to reach the “self-control” level; however, I do not think this can be done from day one. It is a process and as I said early, it would be my goal that by the end of the course my students could utilize the “self-control” atmosphere effectively. After all, it is what we all do in our respective careers, isn't it?

Technology Integration…It’s a Journey, not a Destination…..

       Each day, when I go to work, I incorporate a great deal of strategies and tools just as I am sure you do. There is never ONE right way or ONE only way to do my job. In addition, as soon as I complete ONE task it leads to another…. K-12 education should be the same. As an educator, if I want my students to have real world experiences, I must provide them. Technology integration is a huge part of that real world experience. If my students are going to have these experiences parents will be a very important stakeholder in helping me integrate the technology.

       In order for parents to jump on this technology integration bandwagon it is important that they understand what technology integration is and what it is not… In order for parents to have this understanding the following needs to happen:

1. Parents need to be part of the conversation from the very beginning. In other words, include parents in the planning stages, long before you purchase the technology or have a plan in place. If parents feel like they have ownership, they will go to bat for you with other parents and students.
2. Parents need to realize that the technology will not replace the way that things have been done in the past; it will, however, enhance how things are done. My guess is that when parents go to work they do not do everything on a computer. Each day, it is my decision as to how I will achieve the tasks I have been given. Some I choose to complete using my technology, others are quicker to complete using the old tried-and-true methods prior to technology. Parents need to understand that your goal is to teach students how to make the decisions as to which way they wish to complete the task. This is a huge part of developing critical thinking skills.
3. Parents need to know that their child is safe. Today, it is common place for them to hear stories about young adults that have fallen prey to online predators. It is important to have a plan in place that teaches students about digital responsibility. How to protect themselves while using the technology that has been entrusted to them. Digital responsibility is not intuitive, even when the user is a young adult. This plan needs to be shared with parents so that their worries can be put at ease.

       It is important to note that even with the above mentioned suggestions, technology integration will not be a smooth ride; there will be bumps along the way. Technology is ever changing; therefore, technology integration is a journey, not a destination.

21st Century Skills - Challenging Teachers and Students to Take the Road Less Traveled...

21^st Century Skills are core competencies that certain individuals believe schools need to teach in order for students to be successful in today’s world.  These core competencies have been identified as Ways of Thinking (creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving, decision-making and learning), Ways of Working (communication and collaboration). Tools for Working (information and communications technology and information literacy), and Skills for Living in the World (citizenship, life and career, and personal and social responsibility).

I believe that teaching students “Ways of Working” is crucial to their success outside the school walls.  “Ways of Working” emphasizes communication and collaboration skills.  For me, it is hard to separate communication and collaboration.  These two competencies stress speaking and writing as well as working with diverse groups of individuals, learning to make compromises to reach the end result and sharing responsibilities for collaborative work.  John Seeley Brown and Paul Duguid, in their article The Social Life of Information, define effective work teams as those in which “the talk and the work, the communication and the practice are inseparable.”

Infusing communication and collaboration into the classroom can be done by making lessons relevant to real-world situations and allowing students to be creative during the process.  In addition, fostering teamwork as a process and helping students to learn to deal with misunderstandings and conflict in a direct manner will prepare them for life outside of the classroom.

As classroom teachers we must be willing to allow our students to drive off the main road, take the back roads and see where they lead.  This will require us to change our way of thinking about classroom assessments where everyone has an “identical” project.  That identical project is much easier for us to turn around a grade; however, it can get very boring and monotonous as well.  If we, as educators, are bored with the results; more than likely the students were bored with the process.  Some ideas for assessments might be allowing students to interview persons of authority on the subject and create digital and audio files of the interviews.  You might team your students with another class to research specific topics and then produce a multimedia Public Service Announcement.  Students can be assigned specific interdependent roles created with their individual interests and talents in mind.  The roles might include those of background research, data gathering, creating graphs, and communicating findings.  These investigative teams can meet, face-to-face or virtually, to plan and execute their assignment.  When done, students can share their project.  Each one of the assessments mentioned above demonstrates the students’ ability to work effectively with a diverse team.

If we provide students with lots of tools and tell them the sky is the limit we will be amazed with what they will give us in return!  We just have to be willing to take the back roads, you know, the ones less traveled.

A Pit-Stop at Education Station...

What does it mean to be an educator?  For some teachers, it means presenting information for students to know and understand.  For me, being an educator is much more.  As an educator, I see myself as one who imparts knowledge and understanding as well as one who nurtures and encourages students to be all that they can be.  I consider teaching a calling, not just a job, and my call as an educator is to create successful students, from the brightest to the most challenged, and most importantly help them to believe in themselves as much as I do.

I believe the classroom climate should be such that students are allowed to perform at their best.  Students are unable to focus on what teachers want them to learn if they feel threatened, so it is important for teachers to ensure that their classrooms are a safe, stable and nurturing environment.  Classrooms should be places where students feel wanted and appreciated, where their opinions are encouraged and valued, and where their emotional and physical well-being is important.  It should be evident that there is reciprocating respect between the teacher and students.  Students should know what teachers expect from them.  Rules and consequences should be communicated and they should be administered consistently and fairly.  Teasing, taunting, and bullying should not be tolerated.  Teachers should praise students for making good decisions, for displaying a genuine effort to learn, and for academic success.

Just as no two students are alike, no two students learn in the same way.  Educators must use a variety of methods to present information in order to reach every child.  A lecture format has a role in school, but teachers need to “branch out” and find different ways to teach the same concepts.  That might mean demonstrations, role-plays, or the use of technology to enhance the curriculum.  In the same vein, teachers need to assess student achievement in various ways.  Along with standard paper and pencil tests; projects, portfolios, and oral presentations are additional ways to evaluate student outcomes.  Ultimately, it is the student who is responsible for his or her own learning.  It is hard to teach someone who does not want to learn.  As an educator it is my goal to try to motivate students to learn for the joy and satisfaction it alone brings.  I believe parents are vitally important to helping me reach this goal, and I welcome parent input and participation in my classroom.

Today, technology affects almost every part of our lives, our home life, our work life, and our social life; therefore, it must change the way we teach.  Technology integration is much more than teaching basic computer skills and software programs in classes designated specific to these processes.  Effective technology integration is attained when the use of technology is automatic not contrived.  Technology also changes the way we as teachers teach, it allows educators to reach different types of learners through more than one means.  It also changes the teacher-student dynamic.  When technology is effectively integrated into subject areas, teachers expand their role to one of mentor and coach.

Today’s schools are a reflection of our society as a whole.  Unfortunately, some students do not always have someone to look up to that can guide and encourage them to make the right decisions for their lives.  One of the true purposes of school is to prepare students for their role in society while teaching them to be good citizens.  That is why it is so important for teachers to be good role models for their students.  They should help students develop problem solving skills, good work and study habits, and social skills that teach students how to get along with others, even those who are perhaps different than they are.  While school cannot always be fun, I believe teachers should try to make it interesting.  Students need freedom to explore their world and to discover for themselves how it works.  They need to know that what they learn is applicable to their everyday life.  I want them to understand that the most important thing they can do to ensure success in life is to get a good education.

I want to make a difference in the lives of my students.  I truly believe that that is my mission as a teacher.

On the road again…

Well, here we go.  I am “on the road again” with the “next step” for completing the Introduction to Blended and Online Teaching coursework.  As I embark on this journey, I am most excited about meeting new people and learning from them!  I love the collaboration piece that I get from classes with fellow educators.  In the first course, I learned about so many tools and was able to implement them in many of my professional development sessions.  My colleagues were thrilled with the ideas/tools that I brought back to them.

As the course gets underway, I look forward to sharing my knowledge as it relates to technology integration.  I don’t consider myself to be an “expert” on many things; however, I have done some extensive training with Google Apps for Education and I feel that I would be a good resource for my fellow classmates in this area.

I have not actually been in the classroom in over 5 years; therefore, I am a little nervous about how I will complete some of the assignments.  I will, more than likely, have to call upon my peers to help me with the classroom piece of this class.  Oftentimes it is difficult to participate in courses that are predominately directed toward the classroom teacher.  I will need lots of ideas and hand-holding from those teachers that are currently in the classroom.

I am anxious and at the same time excited about this course.  I look forward to learning new things.