This semester, in Integrating Technology into Learning and Teaching, we have been learning about a number of technology tools that can give students authentic learning experiences. Each week as we read the next chapter from our textbook and dig into various tech tools during class time, I am blown away by the amount of technology that is unfamiliar to me. I ended up starting a new Pinterest board to try to keep up with all the new tools that I don't want to forget about. I admit I still have a lot of tools to go back and add to the board.
I personally do not have a technology background - my experience has been as an elementary school teacher in MCPS. Up until this point, I've always strived use technology in my lessons. But to what level have I done so? Our textbook says, "If schools are to foster meaningful learning, then the ways that technologies are used in schools must change from technology-as-teacher to technology-as-partner in the learning process." Have I been using technology as more of a teacher?
When I taught kindergarten and second grade, I often used Discovery Education to introduce topics, supplement learning, or access information that students may not have much background knowledge about. In kindergarten, I taught a unit where students learned about jobs and community helpers. Our max of four field trips a year were already booked, so I was unable to take my students out into the community to see workers in action. Instead, we scheduled in-school visits from different workers, such as a police officer. We also viewed some of the "When I Grow Up" videos on Discovery Education like this one about firefighters. It was informative but not as meaningful as those in-school visitations. Robin's presentation on Skype in the Classroom got me thinking about this unit and how meaningful it would have been to expand on those lessons so that my students could talk to professionals from different parts of the world. For instance, I'm sure my students would have loved a chat with Jean Pennycook, a researcher who works with penguins in Antarctica, among many others.
After Amanda's presentation of VoiceThread, I was thinking of how I could have used this tool with my kindergartners too. Our textbook directed us to the VoiceThread Digital Library, which has a plethora of examples of ways to use the tool with K-12 students. I also happened to stumble upon this great wiki of VoiceThread examples for primary grades. It gave me some wonderful ideas about how much more I could have done with that unit (among others). Students could have used their knowledge of jobs to select their future occupation, and then write and illustrate a story about themselves. I love the possibility for students to upload their illustration and record their own narration. Giving each other feedback by leaving comments is another way to make the project even more meaningful for students. This is a much more authentic learning experience for students than simply streaming videos. By using these technologies, there is potential for teachers and librarians to meet many of the NETS standards from Chapter 5: Communicating with Technology. For example, students may "create original works as a means of personal or group expression" when they are writing stories about jobs. Additionally, they can "communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats" by using VoiceThread. I think it's fantastic how easily the projects can be shared with those outside of the classroom, like family members. These examples of technology integration would also be supported by AASL Standards for 21st Century Learners, such as 1.1.2: Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning and 1.1.3: Develop and refine a range of questions to frame the search for new understanding. These standards would apply to using Skype in the Classroom to conduct interviews.
I think my past experiences with technology also speak to the importance of a library media specialist who is a tech leader. The years I have spent thus far working in a school with a library media specialist have not enabled me to become proficient in my integration of technology with teaching. Why is this? An AASL article, School Librarians as Technology Integration Leaders: Enablers and Barriers to Leadership Enactment, reports research findings that cite a supportive principal, opportunities for a leadership role and responsibilities, and the desire to make a difference for students and teachers as the top enablers for librarians to have success with being a leader in the realm of technology. Time was overwhelmingly a barrier for those who were unable to act as a technology leader in their school. If you click through to the article, you can read more about many other factors that affect media specialists' abilities to act as technology integration leaders. Could any of these factors have contributed to the reason why I didn't have much training or experience with new technologies in my teaching career? Absolutely, I think many of them apply to my situation. Thanks to this class, I will now have the background needed when I become a media specialist to be that leader for my colleagues. I also know that as a leader and information specialist, I will need to keep abreast of all the current effective technologies that undoubtedly will sprout up after completing this class.
As I reflect on opportunities for technology integration that were passed up in my lessons, I can't help but think that if I was the media specialist working with a kindergarten teacher, I would have had the opportunity to suggest collaborating on the use of communication tools like Skype in the Classroom and VoiceThread. As I am learning in my other class, LBSC742, it is extremely important to demonstrate to teachers our value as media specialists. Proving ourselves ensures that they will trust and respect us, as well as return to us for help and collaboration on future lessons. By establishing a good relationship with fellow teachers, we help them see that technology is merely a means of getting students to their destination.
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