Technology In the classroom
Technology is a necessary piece of the 21st Century classroom. As the world continues to become increasingly digital with time, students need to remain up-to-date so they can be prepared for their technology-rich futures. 21st Century Learners need new, updated classrooms with enhanced teaching styles that can meet their specific needs.The tech-savvy classroom creates a meaningful learning environment in which students are doing work that they find relevant. Will Richardson, the author of Learning of the Blog, notes that the way in which students are experiencing school is dis-empowering. Sir Ken Robinson makes a similar statement, describing how schools are not in need of reformation, but a transformation so that students can become active, engaged learners who are being prepared for their futures.
A way in which we can provide students with an engaging education is through multimodality. Texts are not limited to the printed word. Instead, educators can expand the traditional teaching method by including multimodal texts, therefore, students are becoming multiliterate. As the world becomes increasingly digital, they are being prepared to work with the multimodal texts that they are going to continue to experience throughout their lifetimes.
The multimodal classroom opens the door to media literacy. Through media literacy, students examine the meanings behind texts they find on an everyday basis in the media. Media literacy allows students to use their critical literacy skills to understand how and why media messages are being delivered to consumers. Through examining these texts, students ask questions such as: “Who is this targeting and how?” and “Who is benefiting, how, and why?” The incorporation of media literacy broadens the critical thinking skills of students, allowing them to become active thinkers and readers of their worlds.
In regards to outlets through which students can expand both ELA skills and digital literacy skills, the possibilities are endless. There are always new Web 2.0 apps entering the online universe. Creating blogs and micro-blogging on Twitter are empowering online tools students can use to build upon their digital literacy skills. Students are not only enhancing their writing skills, but are also becoming tech-savvy by learning how to link websites, add photographs, and design their own sites. Another especially technological assignment students could partake in is the creation of a radio show. Through this assignment, students are able to write collaboratively and work with apps such as Garageband. This multimodal project has students not only creating scripts together, but they are also building communication skills, and are incorporating sound and music. Class projects such as these have students working with the peak of Bloom’s Taxonomy, thus reaching the highest level of understanding. As the written word is becoming increasingly digital, it is important that students are able to express themselves and publish online.
The Personal Learning Network provides educators with an opportunity to network with one another. This makes the transition to the flipped, student-centered, technology-rich classroom all the more smoother. The PLN serves as an online community in which teachers collaborate and learn from one another. As the Cybrary man states, “Teachers cannot know everything, so we must learn from one another.” The educator’s Personal Learning Network familiarizes him or her with many digital resources and works to build digital literacy skills. The NETS-T model begins with a statement that reinforces this idea: “Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate student learning, creativity, and innovation...” In order for teachers to provide students with technological skills, they must first acquire these skills themselves. After they have done this, they are then able to complete the rest of the ISTE’s Conditions and Standards.
The first two ISTE conditions that stem from the educators aptitude with technology are “Shared Vision” and “Empowered Leaders.” Through the ability to teach using technology effectively, educators can spread the word about how to do so with other teachers. The Personal Learning Network provides the perfect place for him or her to do so. Teachers are then able to create a relevant curriculum that meets the needs of the 21st Century Learner. The Digital Age is relatively new, yet plays a major factor in the present and future lives of today’s students. Today’s educators, however, have not necessarily been exposed to nearly as much information about the digital world as the students they are teaching. When the students are provided with an education that connects their education to their real-life experiences, they are doing authentic, meaningful work.
The National Council of Teachers of English supports the incorporation of technology. In their framework regarding the 21st Century learner, the guidelines include that future students should be able to: “Develop proficiency and fluency with the tools of technology,” "Design and share information for global communities to meet a variety of purposes,” and "Create, critique, analyze, and evaluate multimedia texts.” The technological classroom meets all of these standards, and provides students with these skills that are necessary for the futures of 21st Century learners across the globe.
A way in which we can provide students with an engaging education is through multimodality. Texts are not limited to the printed word. Instead, educators can expand the traditional teaching method by including multimodal texts, therefore, students are becoming multiliterate. As the world becomes increasingly digital, they are being prepared to work with the multimodal texts that they are going to continue to experience throughout their lifetimes.
The multimodal classroom opens the door to media literacy. Through media literacy, students examine the meanings behind texts they find on an everyday basis in the media. Media literacy allows students to use their critical literacy skills to understand how and why media messages are being delivered to consumers. Through examining these texts, students ask questions such as: “Who is this targeting and how?” and “Who is benefiting, how, and why?” The incorporation of media literacy broadens the critical thinking skills of students, allowing them to become active thinkers and readers of their worlds.
In regards to outlets through which students can expand both ELA skills and digital literacy skills, the possibilities are endless. There are always new Web 2.0 apps entering the online universe. Creating blogs and micro-blogging on Twitter are empowering online tools students can use to build upon their digital literacy skills. Students are not only enhancing their writing skills, but are also becoming tech-savvy by learning how to link websites, add photographs, and design their own sites. Another especially technological assignment students could partake in is the creation of a radio show. Through this assignment, students are able to write collaboratively and work with apps such as Garageband. This multimodal project has students not only creating scripts together, but they are also building communication skills, and are incorporating sound and music. Class projects such as these have students working with the peak of Bloom’s Taxonomy, thus reaching the highest level of understanding. As the written word is becoming increasingly digital, it is important that students are able to express themselves and publish online.
The Personal Learning Network provides educators with an opportunity to network with one another. This makes the transition to the flipped, student-centered, technology-rich classroom all the more smoother. The PLN serves as an online community in which teachers collaborate and learn from one another. As the Cybrary man states, “Teachers cannot know everything, so we must learn from one another.” The educator’s Personal Learning Network familiarizes him or her with many digital resources and works to build digital literacy skills. The NETS-T model begins with a statement that reinforces this idea: “Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate student learning, creativity, and innovation...” In order for teachers to provide students with technological skills, they must first acquire these skills themselves. After they have done this, they are then able to complete the rest of the ISTE’s Conditions and Standards.
The first two ISTE conditions that stem from the educators aptitude with technology are “Shared Vision” and “Empowered Leaders.” Through the ability to teach using technology effectively, educators can spread the word about how to do so with other teachers. The Personal Learning Network provides the perfect place for him or her to do so. Teachers are then able to create a relevant curriculum that meets the needs of the 21st Century Learner. The Digital Age is relatively new, yet plays a major factor in the present and future lives of today’s students. Today’s educators, however, have not necessarily been exposed to nearly as much information about the digital world as the students they are teaching. When the students are provided with an education that connects their education to their real-life experiences, they are doing authentic, meaningful work.
The National Council of Teachers of English supports the incorporation of technology. In their framework regarding the 21st Century learner, the guidelines include that future students should be able to: “Develop proficiency and fluency with the tools of technology,” "Design and share information for global communities to meet a variety of purposes,” and "Create, critique, analyze, and evaluate multimedia texts.” The technological classroom meets all of these standards, and provides students with these skills that are necessary for the futures of 21st Century learners across the globe.
My Digital Creations
Blog
Blogs regarding teaching styles, education, technology, and ELA.
Twitter
Micro-blogging helpful educational tools and thoughts on the English classroom.
Multimodal Adaptation of The Scarlet Letter
A presentation that could be used alongside The Scarlet Letter to boost student understanding. Additionally, students could create their own multimodal adaptations to boost digital literacy skills.
Media Literacy Presentation
A presentation on the importance of media literacy skills in the 21st Century, along with a "how-to” on teaching students and children these skills.
Radio Show
A radio show that could be preformed by students to increase digital literacy skills, complete with a “making-of” segment.
Personal Learning Network Proposal
A proposal explaining the importance of a Personal Learning Network amongst educators that could be used as a framework for implementing PLNs in any school district.
Online Storytime: Collaborative Digital Storytelling Assignment
The digitalization of an assignment that would normally be done in class. It is a collaborative storytelling activity in which students meet Common Core Standards for writing while expanding digital literacy skills.
Online Presentation on the Digital Generation
Presentation regarding the importance of technology in the classroom and a classroom that meets the needs of the 21st Century learner.
Blogs regarding teaching styles, education, technology, and ELA.
Micro-blogging helpful educational tools and thoughts on the English classroom.
Multimodal Adaptation of The Scarlet Letter
A presentation that could be used alongside The Scarlet Letter to boost student understanding. Additionally, students could create their own multimodal adaptations to boost digital literacy skills.
Media Literacy Presentation
A presentation on the importance of media literacy skills in the 21st Century, along with a "how-to” on teaching students and children these skills.
Radio Show
A radio show that could be preformed by students to increase digital literacy skills, complete with a “making-of” segment.
Personal Learning Network Proposal
A proposal explaining the importance of a Personal Learning Network amongst educators that could be used as a framework for implementing PLNs in any school district.
Online Storytime: Collaborative Digital Storytelling Assignment
The digitalization of an assignment that would normally be done in class. It is a collaborative storytelling activity in which students meet Common Core Standards for writing while expanding digital literacy skills.
Online Presentation on the Digital Generation
Presentation regarding the importance of technology in the classroom and a classroom that meets the needs of the 21st Century learner.