Change is not something that comes easily for me. I struggle with moving away from what feels comfortable to something that is initially awkward and difficult. However, increasing the use of technology in my classroom is a transition that I am eager to make. This change is energizing because I know that technology is something my students are comfortable with and excited to use. Technology has great potential to impact education and I am eager to take advantage of it. I believe firmly in the Lemke and Coughlin’s (2009) comment that “instead of requiring our students to check their Web 2.0 technologies at the schoolhouse door, we should teach them how to use these tools for learning” (p. 54). The learning that I have gained throughout EDUC 6715: New and Emerging Technologies, has exposed me to tools that could change the face of education. It has also taught me about the change process and the influence I could have in the adoption of new and emerging technologies in my school.
My learning in this course is best demonstrated through the work that I did in the creation of an online learning module that makes use of the Course Management System (CMS) Blackboard. This lesson on cells provides my students with many benefits over how it would traditionally be taught. Some of these benefits include: working at your own pace, accessing materials as needed, providing information digitally, and allowing students to collaborate and communicate in new ways. I then created a report to share with my colleagues about the implementation of such an activity. This could be shared with the entire staff or in my professional learning community to serve as a model of best practice, a critical component in teaching educators (Reeves, 2009). Like many teachers, I am highly motivated by hearing about innovative learning experiences other teachers are using in the classroom. Sharing my experience could motivate others to increase their use of technology with students. This activity also exposed me to sources of grants that could serve as funding for technology related projects. I took an initial step in the grant process by preparing a rationale statement that could be used for this project.
It is vital for educators to stay informed on emerging technologies with the potential to transform education and to promote their adoption in the classroom. One of the ways that I can do this is by developing my own Personal Learning Network. This could involve setting up an RSS Aggregator and subscribing to blogs, articles, or other digital information related to emerging technology and education. I appreciate hearing what other teachers are doing and value the advice they have to offer. The Horizon Report is another great tool to learn about emerging technology. In order to lead the adoption of technology at my school, I need to be willing to try new tools and share the results with other teachers. It will be important to carefully research the technology, identify the standards to be met with the lesson, and consider issues that could limit success so that my students will have a positive experience. Multi-User Virtual Environments (MUVE’s), digital games, and online learning have great potential to impact teaching and learning in the 21st century. It is important for me to remember that I don’t have to be an expert with the technology before I use it but I do need to be willing to try it out and seek support as needed.
Jenny
References
Lemke, C., & Coughlin, E. (2009). The change agents. Educational Leadership, 67(1), 54–59. Reproduced with permission of Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development in the format electronic usage via Copyright Clearance Center.
Reeves, D. (2009). Model teachers. Educational Leadership, 66(5), 85-86. Retrieved from the Academic Search Premier database.
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