As I began this course and reflected on the classroom environment that I engender to my students, I asked myself, "How can I give my students the skills necessary to be successful and productive in the 21st century?"
In one word, the answer is technology.
As articulated by Paul Hamilton (2012) in the YouTube video "Technology in Education", technology is pervasive in society and holds the keys to a student's future success. Hamilton then identifies four skills necessary to being successful in the 21st century:collaboration, communication, creativity, and divergent thinking.
In order to provide students with these skills, we need technology to foster these skills and point students in the right direction. What this means is not only implementing them in the classroom, but giving students guidance, training, and opportunities to experiment with them as well.
Utilizing technology in the classroom can be daunting for many teachers, especially if they have little experience or training using it. In addition, many educators fear that technology in the classroom is a distraction, a gimmick, or a crutch that hands students answers instead of having them work for them. Though these fears are all viable concerns, if implemented correctly, technology can be seen as a powerful tool that enhances skills and increases productivity.
The article "Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students" highlights five positive benefits of technology integration:
A technology rich classroom will also promote more collaboration with peers, as students use digital storytelling applications and other cloud-technology innovations to work on assignments cooperatively. This collaboration will lead to the development of social and communication skills.
With many benefits associated with a technology rich classroom, it is almost a no-brainer to integrate more technology into lessons and assignments. However, in order to successfully implement technology and maximize the benefits, thought must be put into teacher training, school-wide and classroom technology policies, and Common Core alignment.
Throughout the Signature Assignment in READ 30557 21st Century Literacies in Today's School, I will investigate how to create a classroom that embraces the benefits of technology, focusing on how to set up a positive environment and how to create and design lessons and assignments that promote critical 21st century skills.
References
Hamilton, P. (2012, November 21). Technology in Education [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXyCECMxhOs
Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students. Retrieved from
https://www2.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/EdTech/effectsstudents.html
In one word, the answer is technology.
As articulated by Paul Hamilton (2012) in the YouTube video "Technology in Education", technology is pervasive in society and holds the keys to a student's future success. Hamilton then identifies four skills necessary to being successful in the 21st century:collaboration, communication, creativity, and divergent thinking.
In order to provide students with these skills, we need technology to foster these skills and point students in the right direction. What this means is not only implementing them in the classroom, but giving students guidance, training, and opportunities to experiment with them as well.
Utilizing technology in the classroom can be daunting for many teachers, especially if they have little experience or training using it. In addition, many educators fear that technology in the classroom is a distraction, a gimmick, or a crutch that hands students answers instead of having them work for them. Though these fears are all viable concerns, if implemented correctly, technology can be seen as a powerful tool that enhances skills and increases productivity.
The article "Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students" highlights five positive benefits of technology integration:
- A more active role in the classroom
- Increased motivation and self esteem
- More collaboration with peers
- increased use of outside resources
- Improved design skills/attention to audience
A technology rich classroom will also promote more collaboration with peers, as students use digital storytelling applications and other cloud-technology innovations to work on assignments cooperatively. This collaboration will lead to the development of social and communication skills.
With many benefits associated with a technology rich classroom, it is almost a no-brainer to integrate more technology into lessons and assignments. However, in order to successfully implement technology and maximize the benefits, thought must be put into teacher training, school-wide and classroom technology policies, and Common Core alignment.
Throughout the Signature Assignment in READ 30557 21st Century Literacies in Today's School, I will investigate how to create a classroom that embraces the benefits of technology, focusing on how to set up a positive environment and how to create and design lessons and assignments that promote critical 21st century skills.
References
Hamilton, P. (2012, November 21). Technology in Education [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXyCECMxhOs
Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students. Retrieved from
https://www2.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/EdTech/effectsstudents.html