I
was never much of a technology oriented person, my idea of integrating technology into
my classroom instruction included a PowerPoint presentation and managing my
online gradebook. To my way of thinking “if
something ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” I’ve
been dreading this class ever since I enrolled in my master’s program at TAMUC.
To be honest, it has been a genuine challenge
overcoming my preconceived notions and personal demons in regards to Web 2.0
Tools and my ability to navigate and incorporate them into my classroom lessons. This learning experience has taken me far,
far away from my comfort zone and down the proverbial “Rabbit-Hole” kicking and
screaming the entire way. But, when the dust finally settled and I realized that
the sky was in fact “Not Falling,” that I was still breathing, and that the
worse had not come to pass, I discovered that I had a newfound appreciation for
these Web 2.0 Tools which until now had always frightened and intimidated me.
“The only thing we have to fear is Fear Itself.” — Franklin D.
Roosevelt,
32nd
U.S. President.
Web 2.0 Technology Tools
have provided me with an invaluable avenue by which to communicate, share
ideas, and collaborate with other professionals from around the globe. They have given me the means by which to incorporate
student-centered activities that are both engaging and informative into my
instruction while also enriching the depth and breadth of their understanding
of state mandated TEKS-based content. These
tools further grant me the means to evaluate student learning besides simply
relying on paper and pencil assignments, quizzes, exams, and standardized
test. Applications such as: Prezi,
Pixton Comic Creator, Kahoots!, ePortfolios, Protopage, Twitter, blogs, wikis, podcasts,
Skype, Google Hangout, and even video presentations, should all be explored and,
whenever possible, integrated into the classroom curriculum to broaden the means by which a student
can choose to demonstrate their understanding of material while also having the
added benefit of increasing their overall effective technology literacy. Acquainting them with current technologies
within the confines of the classroom, provides them a safe haven in which to
practice and develop their skills, honing them for the day in which they join
the work force with the necessary tools to be confident in their abilities as
well as successful in their future careers.
*I can think of very few jobs in today’s digital
society which don’t require at least some sort of rudimentary knowledge of information
literacy. As we move into the 21st
century, more and more reliance is being placed on integrated technology in the
workplace, in our schools, and even within our homes. There is a shift in school and college instructional
models across the nation towards a more “immersive” learning environment, an
absolute necessity in today’s world economy if we hope to remain relevant and
competitive in global markets.
“Never before in history has
innovation offered
the promise of so much, to so many, in so short a time.” — Bill Gates, Microsoft cofounder.
However, all is
not rainbows, unicorns, and lollipops when it comes to integrating technology especially
within an educational setting; the other side of the coin is not so bright and
shiny. Technology is advancing so
quickly that oftentimes school districts cannot keep up and their teachers are
not adequately prepared to implement these new tools in a way which
maximizes their potential. The inevitability
of technical problems also detracts from the attraction of integrating Web 2.0
tools into education. The best lesson in
the world can be brought to its’ knees quickly by an ill-timed technical glitch
especially when being implemented by teachers who are unfamiliar or
uncomfortable with the technology.
Another disadvantage is when technology is used in the place of
meaningful instruction, where no logical connection exists with the class
curriculum, and the tool is simply being used as a “filler” of time. Web 2.0 Tools should be used to enhance a
student’s educational experience not replace it.
“Moderation in all things.” —
Publius Terence Afer (190-159 B.C.), Roman Dramatist.
With the integration of
technology into education also comes a greater responsibility and need for teachers
to teach students about digital citizenship and ethics. What is the best way
for us as educators to get students to see the importance of online citizenship
in a digital world? The AECT Code of
Ethics and the matter of “giving accurate credit to other’s work and published
ideas” needs to stressed and implemented within the instructional design of a
classroom setting which integrates Web 2.0 Tools into their lessons. How do
copyright issues apply to asynchronous learning environments like the one I
currently find myself participating in.
How does an instructor manage possible copyright issues in this type of
environment which is always in a state of flux in regards to source materials
or even safeguard the generated work and ideas of the students themselves?
And finally, today our students are relying more
and more heavily on technology for their informational needs. For a growing number of students, if their
needs are not immediately met, many grow frustrated and disinterested in the
curriculum. This desire for immediate
answers instead of delving deeper into the subject matter for a more complete
understanding of the topic at hand can become problematic especially later on
in their educational careers and when they enter the job world to realize that
not everything in life is just “Point & Click.”
*The level of inactivity in today’s youth is
frightening. I used to play outside with
my friends from dawn to dusk during the summer, inventing and playing games,
exploring the neighborhood, and overall leading a very active lifestyle. Today, children still run… to their rooms to
get on the internet for gaming or their phones to text and tweet. Childhood obesity is at an all-time high, is
technology solely to blame for this problem?
I think not but it does play a major role.
“America is the first
culture in history which is in jeopardy of amusing
itself to death.” — John Piper, American
Writer.
My responsibility moving forward as an educator is to make sure
that I don’t get so set in my ways. I
need to make sure that I keep current with technology advances, receive the
proper training, and continually work to incorporate them into my classroom
instruction; becoming the best educator I can possibly be for my kids while
also keeping in mind that technology
is a two-sided sword. When it works it
cuts through much of the tedium and minutia of an instructional lesson but;
when it doesn’t work, well, we end up bleeding for our art. Always have a backup plan, just in case!
