I have a confession to make: I read more eBooks using my phone than traditional books.  Before I continue, let me first say that I love traditional books (I almost called them old-fashioned, but we aren’t yet to that point!) and I continue to purchase them whenever I go into a bookstore.  Given the choice; however, I am now more likely to choose an eBook that I can read on my phone or tablet over the paper version.  As an example, I am currently reading Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs on my phone, despite the fact I bought it as a paperback a few months ago.  Our home is crammed with bookshelves that are filled with books.  Books I have read many times over, and books that are on my reading list.  With the lack of time (and extra hands) brought on by motherhood,  I feel that my discovery of eBooks and the simplicity of reading them on my device has reignited my love of reading.

I sometimes purchase eBooks, but have become more accustomed to borrowing them through the Fraser Valley Library.  They have a simple application (App) that allows me to search for books, borrow, download and then begin reading all in a matter of minutes.  More often than not, there are long wait lists for popular titles, but one can put a hold and have the eBook sent to their device when it becomes available.  As education approaches an era where bring-your-own-device becomes the norm in classrooms, how ready are we to give up our traditional libraries in exchange for eBooks?  How does this look at a school level?  At a district level?  What if we go beyond just eBooks, and explore digital resources for all classes, specifically Open-Source textbooks and classroom materials?  As more students have screen access, do we not owe it to the environment and to our budgets to at least explore that possibility?

What do you think about digital materials?  How realistic is it to switch an entire system over to digital materials?

When it comes to education and the use of technology in the classroom, all too often it seems that we are making some key assumptions about students.  Specifically, we are assuming that our students will be automatic experts (or quickly will become experts) in whatever technology we wish to use.

I guess I don’t need to remind everyone about the good old saying, “you know what assuming does…”

As a computer sciences teacher for grades 9 through 12, I have first-hand experience when it comes to students and their experience with technology.  In discussion with colleagues about the use of technology in the classroom, I often hear about struggles with the lack of knowledge on the behalf of students (rather than the teacher) being the main barrier in properly using classroom technology for learning.  Assumptions surrounding student abilities when it comes to technology likely stems from their immersion (for many, from birth) in technology.  This generation of students will never know a world without the internet, mobile devices or computers–which certainly makes them comfortable with technology–though not necessarily experts.  I have found that the biggest issue facing students, in regards to learning and technology, is the disconnect between technology as a “toy” and technology as a learning tool.  For example, many of my students are proficient to the umpteenth degree at locating images on Google, yet struggle with properly inserting images into Microsoft Word.  My students might be amazing at Mindcraft but struggle with basic programming using Scratch.  Owning an iPad versus knowing how to use applications designed for learning, as another example, are two separate things.

What does this mean for education?  It means that we need address our assumptions about students and technology to include their inability to properly utilize technology for their learning, and create opportunities for educators to learn how to teach technology in addition to teaching with technology.

What are some assumptions you have about students and technology?

Michelle Allen is BACK with tips, tricks and ideas for teachers who want new ideas about technology in the classroom.  Check back soon for more insights about teaching with technology, student learning and more.

 

On a good day, being a teacher is hard work (on a bad day, well–better left unsaid).  It’s hard to hear that what we do in our classrooms isn’t necessarily ‘good enough’ for today’s learner; that we aren’t progressive enough, or that we don’t utilize snazzy new methodologies.  That we don’t use the right technology, or that we use technology in the wrong way.  It’s also hard to see students fail where they used to be successful.  I’ve read in a number of places that schools are archaic, with our schedules and classes and curriculum.  I’ve read about individualized learning and imaginative education, and new ways to use technology to help engage students.  There are a lot of great ideas out there for teachers–lots of methodologies, concepts about assessment, ideas about student engagement–so many ways to help us teach today’s learner in a way that will lead them to success.  The problem with all of these ideas and solutions is that every school, every teacher, every class is different.  I know there are many teachers are trying new things with their classes, hatching new ideas, creating new learning opportunities and yet, they still are seeing failure and lack of engagement from their students!   Jensen, Taylor, and Fisher (2010) point out, “The impact of 21^st century skills, technology and learning on student achievement is difficult to measure as the landscape of schools and individual classrooms is so varied, and as digital technology remediates the form and function of public education” (p. 13).  We are faced with so many challenges in each of our classrooms that to expect each and every teacher to achieve that perfect picture of authentic learning with every single student is asking the impossible.  There are so many factors that influence student learning, from the class itself (who’s in the class, how to do students interact) to the availability of resources and support.

I am a huge advocate for teachers trying new things in their classrooms, and I love to hear success stories about passion projects or student websites–but I am also an advocate for teachers.  The pressure to change and add in new methodologies and technologies into our teaching isn’t going to lessen as we move further into the 21st century, and so I wanted to give some advice and encouragement to my fellow colleagues:

Make your own lesson plans that reflect who you are as a teacher
(not ‘Google’ or the teacher down the hall)

Push your students to do better than mediocre (even if they push back)

Learn and use new tools for learning (but always have a backup plan)

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY:

If your lesson, or your technology, or your new assessment practice (or, or, or) doesn’t work out the way that you read it was supposed to, or your students hate it, or nothing goes as planned…

THAT’S OKAY.

 It doesn’t make you a bad teacher, even if that’s how society makes us feel sometimes.  It makes us people who care about learning, who care about students leaving our care with more knowledge, more skills and more abilities than when they arrived.  Like I said, being a teacher is hard work, and don’t let anyone try and tell you otherwise.

The saga continues with ideals behind 21^st century learning and the future of education!  Throughout these last few years, the buzz surrounding the concept of educational reform, and the future of education has certainly been growing.  In British Columbia, we are currently undergoing some reforms surrounding curriculum, and that has take the debate out of the educational realm to the public, who have more than a few opinions regarding the future outlook of education.  Rotherham and Willingham (2009) aptly point out that “the skills students need in the 21st century are not new” (p. 16), and this I believe is a part of the issue that many in the public realm are struggling with.  Many parents and members of the public don’t seem to understand what we as 21^st century teachers deal with in our every day classrooms, in terms of student motivation, engagement and relevance.  Those who are in tune with 21^st century skills know that “student-centered methods” such as inquiry, collaboration, projects and problem-based learning can be effective in promoting skills development.  The issue with these methods, despite proven effectiveness—and how well knows they are by educators and schools—is that they simply aren’t used by teachers in the classroom (Rotherham & Willingham, 2009, p. 19).  In some schools, leadership has made the endeavor to increase professional development and support for teachers looking to include more student-centered methods in their classroom practices, especially in districts where the vision of the future encompasses the values the 21^st century learning.  In places still “stuck in the past,” new theories and practices are not making their way into the classroom.  Williams, Brien and LeBlanc (2012) discuss this phenomenon in today’s classroom, specifically how “In a standards-driven system, improvement efforts are held ransom by an inappropriate use of an outcomes-based approach that forces teachers to cover an impossible volume of curriculum and then evaluates their success using a testing format that undermines creative instructional practices” (p. 3). I can also see veteran teachers, and those attached to the status quo perpetuating this issue.

I’ve seen this in action, and I truly believe that it stems partly from a feeling of unpreparedness rather than stubbornness.  In other words, if someone asked me to jump off a cliff, I’d likely hold off as long as I possibly could.  There needs to be a better approach to helping teachers move forward, instead of terrifying them so much that they create a system in which reform is held hostage.  Is there a “perfect” method of moving forward from the “standards-driven” system?  I don’t know.  I do know that there is hope for this change because teachers—no matter how long they’ve been teaching or what kind of technology they use—are ready to take on the challenges of learners, no matter what that looks like.  It is up to schools, to digital gurus, to leaders and to those more comfortable with new methodologies to offer support rather than toss copies of the latest “it” book and iPads out to teachers in a haphazardly manner.

References:
Rotherham, A. J., & Willingham, D. (2009). 21st century skills: The challenges ahead. Educational Leadership, 67(1), 16-21.
Williams, R.B., Brien, K., & LeBlanc, J. (2012). Transforming schools into learning organizations: Supports and barriers to educational reform. Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy, 134, 1-32.

A few years ago, anyone using the terms “tweeting” and “hashing” would likely be looked at rather sideways.  When you think about it, the English language has significantly expanded (and yes, shortened) since technology and the internet has become prevalent in our everyday lives which means that terms that didn’t once exist are now used on a regular basis.  Even phrases like “follow me” have become mainstream.  If you haven’t yet joined Twitter, or you have an account but don’t use it, I might just be able to convince that a few minutes spent with Twitter might be worth it.

First of all, to sign up for Twitter:

You can download a help sheet here: Introduction to Twitter

Second, follow the help sheet to get started.  I suggest that you follow some larger “names” to get started, but also try to reach out to follow people you know!  To find someone, you can search by their Twitter handle (their @name), or by their actual name.  For example, my Twitter name is @m35allen, but if you search for Michelle Allen, you’ll also locate me!  Once you have become familar with Twitter, your profile and your followers, you can begin to “tweet” out to the world at large!

Sending a Tweet:
Twitter sends out information in 140 characters or less, which means anything you tweet needs to be concise and specific.  I wouldn’t recommend using most forms of shorthand in composing tweets, as there may be people reading your tweets that don’t necessarily understand your coded shorthand.   Type your tweet into your homepage, and then click on “tweet” to send.  It’s important to use the “@” and “#” features in Twitter so that people can see what you are sending out.  By including an “@name” in your tweet, you are directing your information at a specific person or organization, and it allows for more people to see your tweet besides those who follow you.  By including a “#” you are categorizing your tweet into a stream of like tweets, that many people potentially follow.  For example, “#think35” is the tag for tweets related to Langley School District.  You can also include a link in your tweet, but keep in mind that sometimes web addresses are long.  This means that you will need to use a tool to shorten your link, one option being http://bit.ly.

The biggest thing to remember about Twitter is that to make it worthwhile, you have to actually participate with it!  Send articles out, inquire about issues to other users and make an identify for yourself.  You don’t need thousands of followers to be a successful tweeter; however, the more you use it, the more connected you become and likely the more you’ll find it to be useful.