Course Reflection: Impact of Technology on Education, Work, and Society

Throughout the past seven weeks, I have been completing the course Impact of Technology on Education, Work, and Society for my master’s degree from Walden University. During this course, we have explored various types of technology, learned about the 21^st-century skills that our students need to develop in order to be successful in their futures, discussed how students today differ from students in the past, and reflected on how these topics impact our teaching. It has been a highly beneficial course because it has helped me to develop my technology skills, deepened my knowledge of the teaching process, and has helped to reinforce the idea that learner-centered teaching is highly effective.

The three main technological tools that we explored were blogs, wikis, and podcasts. Before taking this course, I had little to no experience with any of these tools. We started by making our own blogs. I had read other people’s blogs in the past, but I had never created my own. We then did an assignment where we created a wiki with other students from the class which was completely new for me. Finally, we interviewed students and created a podcast. I had never created a podcast before either. There was definitely some trial and error working with each of the technologies, but through that trial and error I was able to become more knowledgeable and confident working with them. As a result of this class, I can say that I am much more technologically savvy than I was before. I also know that I will utilize some, if not all, of these tools in my classroom in the future.

Looking at how students learn, what they need to learn, and how teachers can best teach students today were all big topics throughout this course as well. The students that we find in our classrooms today are much different than students found in classrooms in the past. This is largely due to the media that they have access to from young ages (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010c). It is also true that we teachers are preparing our students for a much different work world today than teachers of earlier generations were. Our students have to compete globally and against machines in today’s workplace (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010b). Teachers need to be mindful of these ideas and work to teach their students the proper 21^st- century skills that will best prepare students for their futures. This class really helped me to see that one of the best ways to do this is to change the teacher-centered mentality of the past to a learner-centered mentality. Many of the most successful teachers today are facilitators of learning and guides to their students rather than the ‘’source of all knowledge” (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010a).

As a result of taking this class, I feel I have grown as an educator. Exploring easy methods of incorporating technology in my classroom in meaningful ways has increased my confidence in this area. I am planning on utilizing blogs and wikis in my classroom right away during this school year because of this. Also, the reflection I have done about student learning and the most beneficial ways of teaching 21^st-century learners will help me to be a more effective teacher for my students. I am excited about becoming more of a facilitator of learning rather than always being at the center of my students’ learning. I am confident that doing so will allow my students to prosper and reach greater achievements than they have in the past.

 

With all the new knowledge and insights I have gained throughout the past seven weeks, I am going to set two long-term goals for transforming my classroom environment.

• My first goal is to have a 1-to-1 student to computer ratio for my ELL classes within two years. Not having the resources and/or money will be an obstacle that I will face in achieving this goal. Looking at the budget and strategically planning for the additional computers is one way to overcome this obstacle. My ELL classes are small, and, therefore, we will not need a large number of computers. I could also apply for grants and/or scholarships to obtain the resources to buy the computers.

• My second goal is to motivate the three colleagues that I do content/ELL collaboration classes with to become facilitators of learning rather than having teacher-centered classrooms within the next two years. This type of learning is excellent for all students, but especially for ELL students. This may be a tough sell for some teachers because of the fears and difficulties that come with making this change, but having the chance to collaborate with colleagues and incorporate activities where the teachers are facilitators will hopefully help others see the value of this type of teaching.

 

At the beginning of this course, we completed a self-evaluation checklist relating to our skills with incorporating 21^st-century skills and technology into our classrooms. Before taking this class, my incorporation of these important skills and tools was happening sometimes but not always. During this upcoming school year, this incorporation is going to jump from sometimes to almost always which I am sure will result in greater student achievement overall.

 

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010a). The changing role of the classroom teacher: Part 2. [Video webcast]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2819318_1%26url%3D

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010b). The changing work environment: Part 2. [Video webcast]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2819318_1%26url%3D

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010c). Today’s students. [Video webcast]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2819318_1%26url%3D

 

Creating a Podcast

Podcasting is another one of the many tools that I would like to experiment with and see if I can incorporate into my ELL classroom. Throughout this past week, I created my own podcast related to students' experiences and preferences in relation to using technology for both social and academic purposes. This is the first podcast I have ever created. I used Audacity, which you can download for free online, to record and edit both my recordings and the recordings of my students. I found this tool to be very easy to use and something I could definitely envision my students being successful with. I then imported my podcast into iTunes so that I could convert it from a WAV file to an MP3 file. From there I created an account on podbean.com to upload and create a URL for my podcast. Finally I attached the link below. The hardest part was remembering how to change a WAV file to an MP3 file. I hadn't done it in so long. All I did to figure this out was type "how to convert a WAV to an MP3" in a search engine. There was a description for how to do it in iTunes that was easy to follow. I truly believe this would be an easy project to add into my curriculum in the future.

I hope you enjoy the podcast.

Link to Students and Technology Podcast:
http://mrsking.podbean.com/2013/08/04//


Resources used:

www.audacity.com

www.podbean.com

www.iTunes.com

Looking at 21st Century Skills

Throughout the past couple of days, I have spent some time exploring the website and a report presented by the Partnership for 21^st Century Skills which is “a national organization that advocates for 21^st century readiness for every student” (Partnership for 21^st Century Skills, n.d.). The business and everyday world around us is constantly changing due in a large part to advancing technology. According to the Partnership for 21^st Century Skills, “today’s education system faces irrelevance unless we bridge the gap between how students live and how they learn” (n.d.). This organization is working with states and schools on bridging that gap by focusing on six critical elements. These six elements are: (1) emphasizing core subjects; (2) emphasizing the learning of information, communication, thinking, problem solving, interpersonal, and self-directional skills; (3) using 21^st century tools to develop learning skills; (4) teaching and learning in a 21^st century context; (5) teaching and learning the 21^st century content of global awareness and financial, economic, business, and civic literacy; and (6) using 21^st century assessments that measure 21^st century skills (Partnership for 21^st Century Skills, n.d.). The hope is that if schools address these six elements appropriately our students will be prepared for the world they will enter after high school.

During my research, I found that my beliefs are aligned with the organization’s mission and goals. I completely agree that our students need to develop the appropriate skills to enable them to be successful in the future and competitive in the workforce. When our students graduate and begin looking for jobs, they are going to have to compete globally and against machines (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010b). It is essential that we as educators realize this and prepare our students in the best manner possible. I feel that the six elements listed above can help our students learn what they really need to know in their futures. The Partnership for 21^st Century Skills is aligned with the No Child Left Behind mandates and the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) skills which I find important. We are becoming less competitive in our STEM skills globally and this needs to change (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010a). Another aspect of the site and organization that I like is the fact that they emphasize collaboration and professional development. I believe that those are two key factors in the growth of any educator or educational system. Overall, the information provided by the Partnership for 21^st Century Skills is great because it explains its goals and mission, describes why and how it is beneficial and needed, and provides steps and resources for people, schools, and states to follow to begin implementing these skills into curriculum. I found all of the information to be helpful in understanding the importance and necessity of incorporating 21^st century skills into our classrooms.

Looking at this information makes me think about the implications it presents for my students and for me as a teacher. I know that I am going to make a huge effort to provide opportunities for my students to develop the skills they will need in the future to be successful. Learning more about the Partnership for 21^st Century Skills has validated the importance of integrating more meaningful and innovative technology into my classroom. I truly feel that doing so will aid in my students’ development of the skills they need. There truly can be nothing greater professionally than to really feel that your students are receiving the most relevant, meaningful, and beneficial education possible. I am working hard to ensure that I can provide this type of education for my students.    

Resources

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010a). Skills for the 21^st century. [Video webcast]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2819318_1%26url%3D

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010b). The changing work environment, part 2. [Video webcast]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2819318_1%26url%3D

Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (n.d.). A report and mile guide for 21st century skills. Washington DC: Author. Retrieved from http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/P21_Report.pdf

Incorporating Blogs in the Classroom

As stated in my previous post, I am trying to plan how I will incorporate Blogs into my high school (grades 9 – 12) ELL classroom during the upcoming school year. I believe that blogging can always be beneficial in the classroom, but it will be especially so for me during this specific school year because I am going to be on maternity leave during a portion of the first semester. Having my students create Blogs will enable me to continue to be involved without actually being present in the classroom. I can check on their posts whenever is convenient for me and provide the necessary feedback to help them continue to grow.

My first step of this project will be to get parent approval. According to Will Richardson (2010) in Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms, the best way to do this is to send a letter home that includes “a description of the technology, how it will be used, what security measures have been put in place, what [my] expectations are for [my] students, and what the curricular goals are for its use” that parents must sign. I will also discuss the proper use of Blogs, my expectations, and internet safety with my students. From there, we will begin our blogging journey. My idea right now is to utilize the Blogs to have my students answer specific questions or respond to prompts. They will need to log into my Blog where I will post questions and/or prompts either related to whatever topic is being covered in class or general topics that will enable them to work on their writing abilities. I will post a rubric or detailed explanation of the requirements and deadlines for their responses as well. After students respond, I will then read each response and provide feedback. I have not decided whether or not I would like the students to comment on each other’s posts in the beginning. I may simply have them get used to sharing information online and being comfortable stating their opinions and responses at first. ELL students may be shy and nervous about their ideas being visible to other people, and feedback from peers may not be beneficial in the initial stages. Once they become more confident, I would like to have them begin writing comments on classmates’ Blogs. We will discuss proper methods of doing this before it is actually required, and students will know that I have no tolerance for inappropriate posts and/or comments of any kind. I am not exactly sure how often I will have students post. I will probably begin with one post a week and make adjustments from there.

The general purpose for the Blogs will be to enhance writing abilities in regard to content, organization, and language usage. It will also be beneficial for preparing students for discussions we will have in class. In my ELL classroom, I try to create an environment where students are participating and talking as much as possible. We do a lot of oral questions and discussion appropriate for the language abilities of the students. Having students organize their thoughts prior to a discussion is an excellent tool. It helps students to feel confident and able to contribute. Another benefit of the Blogs is that the questions and prompts that I post will force students to think deeper about the topics being covered. They will be able to work on skills such as stating opinions with rationale, relating text to real life, answering questions with support from resources, and more. They will also practice writing academically on a computer rather than with slang and abbreviations. Kathy Martin, a 6^th grade teacher who utilizes Blogs in her classroom, found that her students really did not understand how to appropriately answer a question on a Blog that was visible to everyone (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). It is important that students are able to do this. These skills will help my ELL students to be more successful in all their classes and in their futures beyond high school. Many of my learning goals could be achieved through simply answering questions on paper, but incorporating Blogs ties more into the interests, language, and skills needed for the future of high school students.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). Spotlight on technology: Blogging in the classroom [Video webcast]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2819318_1%26url%3D

 
Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

A New Adventure

I have recently decided to venture into the world of blogging. I am an English Language learners (ELL) teacher at the high school level. Through this blog, I am going to share my plans and experiences of incorporating technology into my ELL classroom. In the past, my use of technology in teaching has been limited to PowerPoint presentations, video clips, and programs like Microsoft Excel. This can be viewed as doing the same old things differently rather than doing different things with technology (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). I have been very cautious about doing different things because I have not taken the time to truly understand how to use many of the new and exciting ideas that are available. That is all about to change though. I am currently working on my Master's degree of Integrating Technology into the Classroom. As I learn about new and innovative ways to utilize technology in my teaching, I will bring them into my classroom and document the results. I know that there are a number of ways that technology can be used to assist my students as they progress in their English language acquisition. I am excited about sharing my experiences and hearing ideas and suggestions from others.

I am currently in the planning stages of having my ELL students create their own blogs during the upcoming school year. I have not decided exactly how I will do this, but I do know that it will be a great way for my students to practice and progress in their English writing abilities. Creating my own blog will allow me to be more of an "expert" when I help my students begin their own. I would love to hear from others who have used blogs in their classrooms. I am always open to tips and tricks.

 

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). The emergence of educational technology [Video webcast]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2819318_1%26url%3D