Just shy of two decades ago, my Dad created a program called Women In Technology where he worked as a teacher at Armijo High School in Fairfield. His dedication to technology, and the belief that women should have more of a presence in the field, led to a powerful movement at his school and in his community. He went on to win many awards, including Teacher of the Year for his district. I remember going with him to a conference he held at his school (at age ten), and being in awe of the new technology being introduced by powerful and influential women in the field of technology at that time, as well as being so proud of my Dad for making this program come to life. Even that long ago, the benefits of technology in the classroom were recognized and celebrated. I am so thankful I was exposed to this at such a young age through my Dad. This set me on a path where technology became integral in my life as a student, and then later as a teacher.
Technology is an ever-growing, ever-changing field. Teachers are said to be lifelong learners. This could not be more true in the area of technology! It is important that I make a consistent effort to stay well versed in this field, because implementing technology supports the 4 Cs in a meaningful way. Sometimes technology can seem overwhelming because SO much is offered, but it is important to just take one thing at a time and implement it. I often remind myself that it is better to do a few small things, rather than to become so overwhelmed by it all, and do nothing. According to Darling-Hammond, a shift needs to happen in the educational system that in includes equal access to critical education resources, and a shift in curriculum and assessment that support 21st century skills. Darling Hammond discusses five key elements that must be implemented for a high and equitably achieving nation. The first element she writes about is having, “Meaningful learning goals, including thoughtful conceptualizations of the content and skills needed for success in the 21st century“ (pg. 279). This goes right in line with everything we have talked and read about in class so far. It also syncs up with what Mark Morrison discussed in his presentation. The first thing Mark Morrison talked about was active student engagement. He stated that students should be answering important questions and mastering important skills in order to have students be able to articulate what they are learning. Second, Mark talked about the importance of the “4 Cs”, and how we should be providing plentiful and meaningful opportunities for students to engage in critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity. Third, Mark discussed the deeper use of technology as an instructional asset and a learning tool. Technology should be utilized as a productivity tool. An area I want to grow in is allowing multiple options for my students to access the content and demonstrate mastery. Critical thinking skills can be shown on paper, or on a computer screen. When I allow my students a choice for how they access the content and show what they have learned, then I am allowing for them to delve into greater critical thinking by removing the barrier of, “It has done this exact way.” I think that method can also reduce creativity. In the short time I have been in this Master’s program, I have been exposed to more forms of technology that I can apply in my classroom. For example, my students could create their own presentations on Prezi, or they could review for a test through Quizlet. Perhaps having my students blog and respond to one another will be my next method I will implement to support the 4 Cs into my classroom. It is up to me as the classroom teacher to facilitate an environment in which these 4Cs can thrive, which in turn means my students are thriving.
2 Comments
Rafael Garcia Avila
9/23/2018 02:05:29 pm
Jennifer,
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Stephen
9/23/2018 05:36:54 pm
Hi Jennifer,
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Jennifer PerkinsTouro Student, Master's in Innovative Learning Archives
November 2018
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