"An important question is, how many of these new ways will ever be integrated into our instruction -- or even understood by educators?"
As I read the article, Adopt and Adapt: Shaping Tech for the Classroom, many thoughts were running through my head. The quote above is talking about the "new ways" in reference to the integration of technology in the classroom. As I was reading, first I reflected on past experiences in field placements and in my current student teaching placement and how technology is used in each of those situations. Then, I reflected on the technology that I have seen used by educators and how well those educators knew how to use the technology provided. Overall, I can say that with the technology that has been provided to educators, MOST is not being used in effective ways and MANY teachers spend MOST of their time trying to figure out how the technology works.
"...it is crucial for educators to learn to listen, to observe, to ask, and to try all the new methods their students have already figured out, and do so regularly."
Can technology be implemented and integrated in our daily instruction? Yes, educators have to be open to learn NEW ways to teach and address their students needs in the classroom in NEW ways. Motivating students is essential in teaching, in order to motivate students, you have to first know what motivates them. It is obvious that technology is a HUGE influence in students lives. Students are apart of technology just as much as they are apart of this world. I strongly believe that technology can be that link to motivation that many educators are in search of. While all of this sounds so easy to implement, I know it's not. That's why you have to go back to the quote above and know that educators are going to have to LEARN, ASK QUESTIONS, and try their best to stay with or AHEAD of what students already know about technology.
"So, let's not just adopt technology into our schools. Let's adapt it, push it, pull it, iterate with it, experiment with it, test it, and redo it, until we reach the point where we and our kids truly feel we've done our very best."
I know that as a new teacher, I want to provide my students with what's current and fresh. I want my students to be motivated by ALL lessons and LEARN as much as possible. In order to achieve this goal, I will have to stay "with it" as an educator and be willing to LEARN all the "new ways" of learning and teaching that are out there for my students! I believe that technology should be adopted and adapted by ALL educators.
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Although responsibility must lie partly on the shoulders of educators to keep up with current trends of technology and how to best integrate them into teaching strategies, etc, some of the burden should lie with administrators to provide PD time / resources so that educators aren't jumping in blind.
ReplyDeleteSince most teachers who maintain a career longer than a few years are lifelong learners, I am hopeful that these new technologies will find their way into the classroom as a function of good teachers' interests and talents.
I agree that teachers should be provided PD time, most definatly!! I know that some teachers just aren't willing to change their ways and need to change just as everything else tends to change!
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