“Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the kids working together and motivating them, the teacher is most important.” - Bill Gates
How in the world can I encompass everything I think about using technology in the classroom in one blog post?! But I will try! To start off, I am very passionate about the benefits of technology when it comes to education and my own life! I think that there is no question that using technology in any lesson greatly increases students' motivation and engagement. Any time that I have involved a youtube video, a website, or even an online article into any of my small group lessons I have noticed that I am able to grabs students right away. Even in my own learning, I am so much more personally involved in a lesson when any of my teachers include technology. However, I am also kind of overwhelmed with the immense amount of the technology available to us in terms of academics, management, and organization. Every time that I learn about a new app or website that can benefit student learning I always think that I would love to use that in a lesson, but then I leave that seminar or class and I completely forget about it.
Challenge for myself: For the rest of my practicum experience and in my student teaching in the fall, I want to incorporate a new kind of technology that I haven't used in a lesson at least once a week.
I know that applying technology to teaching takes practice and I really need to learn the ins and outs of whatever piece of technology I'm using. On the other hand, I know that if I don't try them with students, I won't know the best way to use them to promote learning. As my own professional development, I would really like to make it a goal to go out of my way to learn new technology and new ways to make learning as engaging and interesting as possible. But I also want to make sure that the technology that I use in the classroom is supplemental and benefits student learning. If using technology keeps the learning at the surface level, I don't think that it should be used. Using technology can take time, I want to make sure that the time I spend developing my use of technology in the classroom is worthwhile and challenges students to grow and push their learning further.
I think that when students are presenting information that they have learned or been working on for a while, I think that providing them with choices of the platform from which they present is really important. Technology provides students with so much more freedom to express their learning. Apps and website such as Google presentations, Prezi presentations, videos from Animoto, and so many resources I have yet to uncover.
A resource that I am going to start looking into regularly is Free Technology for Teachers.
This blog will help me learn ways to apply technology to different academic subjects and will help me learn what technology is out there for teachers. Although I'm feeling a little small in this world of the internet and apps, I'm excited that everything is available for me to continue learning and grow as a teacher and learner.
Thanks!
Kate
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I just want to echo you and say that I think Richard Bryne's blog is extremely useful and very interesting. Freedom and choice in the classroom is so important as we struggle to make learning relevant for our students. I agree with you that some platforms of technology will help us do that for sure!
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