Perspective
My thoughts entering this class were full of excitement and anticipation. I was thrilled to be learning about technology and how it affects our society and school system. It was challenging to explore my curriculum from a more technological perspective. We created several lesson plans to involve our new understandings of technology. As a professional, this has helped me tremendously because it has allowed me to play with what I already know and incorporate the more fun aspects of the computer, Internet, etc., to make lessons more enjoyable for students. The more enjoyable, the easier they learn and the more information they retain. While technological tools, such as Web 2.0, remain highly looked down upon by teachers, schools, and districts, they are finding their way into schools. By incorporating these tools where I can, like Will Richardson (2006) stated, I hope students will be able to discover and learn like they have never been able to before. It’s my hope that they once again become excited to learn.
Knowledge and Perspective
Looking back over our eight weeks together, I look at what I have learned and accomplished. I have used Web 2.0 tools that I have not had the chance to work with before. I have created a blog for my students and their parents so that they can keep up with what is going on in class. I have created wiki pages for my students and after school clubs. This has already become a hit with the students as they can discuss, leave comments, learn from others, etc.
While explaining the wiki to my students, I told them that this wiki would allow them to learn from each other, get ideas, and help others. I will simply guide them. They really enjoyed that they are in charge of their own page.
What I have learned from this wonderful exchange is that I do not always have to stand in front of the class and direct the action. It is okay to take that step back and let them explore. That is what we want them to do anyway, right? Become the lifelong learners that we are! We want them to use their resources, become independent and learn from their mistakes. Students become engaged when they know their learning falls upon themselves or when their work will be publicized. Marc Prensky (2005) remarked in “Listen to the Digital Natives” that “we need to incorporate into our classrooms the same desirable goals, interesting choices, immediate and useful feedback, and opportunities to “level up” that engage kids in their favorite complex computer games” (p. 11).
I plan to continue to expand my learning and development of technology in the classroom so as to improve student achievement. Over the next few weeks, I will be developing the wiki pages set up for my students. Most have already logged on and completed the making of their own page as well as publishing some of their own poetry. Without my explicit instructions, they have already commented on fellow students’ pages, commenting on well-written poetry and leaving comments and questions for me on my own page. Most of this they have done outside of school without being prompted!
This small experiment has worked well thus far prompting me to want to do more. Students ask daily if we will get to go back to the computer lab. They want to work with the computer even if what they are doing is educational.
Goals
My student engagement is up considerably when in the computer lab. They seem to take on a sense of responsibility, as using this technology is still a privilege in our school. I have a couple goals that are already set in place that may cause some trouble within my school due to institutional thinking, etc. I have often thought that if my students could turn their papers in via the Internet, it would make my life that much easier. I like very much the way we turn in our writing for our graduate classes. It is returned promptly with comments on how the professor liked the paper and where we can improve. One of my goals is to have my students turn in writing to be graded this way. I would not have a million papers to lug around and the turn around time would be much quicker with much better comments.
My other goal is to gain more experience with the wiki and blog. I would like for my students to develop and create their own. We have already begun work with the wiki and I am trying to develop a lesson to fit our mythology unit coming up. The wiki would allow students to work at their own pace and personalize their instruction. This would minimize “herding” as Prensky (2005) observes in “Listen to the Natives” (p. 11). I would like to put their education in their hands and create more meaningful learning experiences for my students.
Some of my fellow teachers do not seem to be impressed with the idea of a blog or wiki. I have even encouraged them to look at what I have done to understand the success that I have had thus far. They are, for the most part, against it because it is technology and they are very set in their ways. Even with this animosity towards Web 2.0 tools, I plan to continue experimenting and using them in my classes. I will continue to share with fellow teachers and administrators what we are doing and how it is going with my students as long as I can improve student learning and achievement.
Prensky, M. (2005). Listen to the natives. Educational Leadership, 63(4), 8–13.
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