EDU 580: Technology Module 1
July 24, 2010
Lynda
My Teaching Philosophy as it Relates to
Technology in the Classroom
As a soon to be certified teacher in special education, my philosophy related to technology in the classroom could be summed up in one word: balance. I have resisted learning the depths of what computers are able to do, possibly because I am not a “Digital Native” like my children are. Learning how to use a computer has been like trying to learn a foreign language and this is not one of my strengths. Being around “techies” can be very intimidating because they can appear to be all knowing. I have often felt that I was not in their league. At this point in my life, however, due to increased opportunities to engage with computers and techies, I am intrigued to learn as much as I can so I have as much of this “language” at my fingertips (literally) as possible. Within myself, I have come to a balance, no longer resisting, my curiosity sparked, and my former inhibitions replaced by a new sense of confidence. It has been helpful for me to become aware of the specialized nature of technology. Even someone who has a lot of knowledge about the computer, may not know everything but have expertise only in certain areas.
In the classroom, the teacher must know as much as possible about computers so he or she can provide balance for students. Teachers must be many steps ahead of their students, particularly in the area of safety. Safety involves teaching students to be aware of precautions necessary when networking online, such as not giving your real name, phone number, address etc. Not chatting or communicating with someone you don’t know is imperative. Child predators can easily disguise themselves, painting themselves to be something they aren’t and unfortunately, children have been abducted and/or murdered as a result. Safety also involves using the internet properly and legally regarding copyright laws and downloading of music. Academically speaking, students need to be warned that not everything out there on the internet is true. They must consider the source and check other resources to make sure the information they seek is accurate. Because the internet has the ability to provide a quick answer to our questions (an example of instant gratification) I think “Digital Natives” who are used to this speed may need to be more careful about believing everything they research or see on the internet, than the generations before them.
Learning to type should be a prerequisite for learning computers (or at least a skill that is taught simultaneously) and this can start in the elementary grades quite easily with a computer tutorial. [My typing class in high school took place on manual typewriters the first semester. How lucky we all felt when as second semester typing students we had the chance to learn on electric typewriters]. Children around the age of 9 should have typing as a part of their curriculum which would provide balance to them in two ways: 1) if all children have access to learning how to type, perhaps in grades 3 or 4, then no child will be left behind (at a disadvantage) because they can’t type, and 2) knowing how to type brings balance to the student’s life i.e. they can work more efficiently and wisely with this knowledge. I have seen professors who do not know how to type….who type with one finger at a time. I can imagine how much more they could do if they could type and how much more efficiently they could use their time and knowledge.
A profound sense of balance can be found through technology for students with special needs and this is most exciting to me. For most of our students, I don’t know how they would manage without assistive technology and computers. With lives that are so out of balance, and out of the norm (requiring a different kind of balance) technology has provided an essential way for these students to work at a deeper level and to be more likely to reach their potential in many ways, especially with communication. Technology has also been a way to discover that a child has more capacity than originally thought.
One child whose movement is restricted due to his condition, and who remains non-verbal at this time is motivated to answer questions by (slowly) reaching out to a speech activated gadget, indicating the correct answer for a math problem or social question. Instead of using an old way of having the student point to a picture or word to show his answer, pressing an electronic gadget is much more interesting, immediate and motivating. Technology provides balance for other students who are non-verbal by allowing them to communicate their needs and wants, or what part of their daily routine they are at, at that moment. For example a student types: “I want computer” or “I want lunch.” It may not be time for either of those activities, but the interaction allowed by the speech-activated software (text edit) provides meaningful interaction between student and teacher. She can answer his declaration of what he wants by referring to his written or typed schedule, showing him when this activity will happen, and what he needs to do first.
There are many things to learn about computers or laptops so they can be used to their potential. A special opportunity to learn different topics related to using the computer in the classroom occurs at UMF with the “Dine and Discuss” evenings for special educators in the area. Because our students with disabilities have so many challenges, being able to know what the computer can do makes it more likely that the educational needs of these children will be met.
Other aspects of balance pertinent to the regular classroom include arrangement of the desks to facilitate teacher supervision so the teacher can manage a classroom of students working on computers well. It also includes regular supervision to make sure students are on task (not doing something else with the laptop) and that they understand what is being asked of them. Marc Prensky, the author of Digital Natives Digital Immigrants, offers a thought that teachers would do well to keep in mind (2001). He said regarding Digital Natives that “their brains may already be different (than digital immigrants)” and that “We now know that brains that undergo different developmental experiences develop differently, and that people who undergo different inputs from the culture that surrounds them think differently. And while we haven’t yet directly observed Digital Natives’ brains to see whether they are basically different (such as musicians’ appear to be) the indirect evidence for this is extremely strong” (Prensky, 2001 p. 4). This thought can give understanding to how children who are exposed to the digital world from an early age function. It can also be a challenge to reach and maintain balance as teachers who do not share this rewiring of the brain. One way to help ensure that teachers are learning technology is to better facilitate the use of their time on workshop days, and provide opportunities for teachers who know a lot about a certain area, to teach it to the rest of the staff.
For the teacher or ed. tech. technology provides balance in the form of efficiency when preparing materials. If we had to use a typewriter, due to the time involved many materials would not get made. If we had to rely on our own handwriting, the materials would not be uniform and might not be easy to read or as attractive as the materials made with the computer. Technology also provides an excellent way through email, for teachers to communicate quickly with parents (if they also have computers…some don’t) to convey information and get answers that may make or break that particular day. For instance, calling or sending an email if the child is acting unusual, and finding out through this technology that she didn’t sleep all night, will give the teacher the important information needed to give more slack and to be more creative as an instructor while catering to this situation.
Finally, teaching technology to students in the classroom provides the opportunity for them to have practice using this new “language” so they can function as well as possible in the world they are growing in. There are some organizations and documents that require one to use a computer, or at least, make it much more difficult not to use technology. A few examples of this are: filling out the fafsa, registering for courses, or finding out your grades. Banking is often managed by a computer, as well as ordering items from stores. Researching an illness online is a wonderful way to gain understanding of the condition and to discover options on how to deal with it. (It is hard to remember when the internet was not available, and if one wanted to learn more about an illness they had to spend hours in a library).
In order to strive for balance, teachers and administrators must regularly reevaluate their role with regard to technology in the classroom, and how their students are doing learning technology. Being as aware as possible about current expectations, combined with anticipating future expectations is vital to the education of our children.
References
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives Digital Immigrants. Retrieved July 28, 2010, from http://www.marcprensky.com/.
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