Technology is part of our students lives, inside and out of the walls of the school. There are many different theories of how technology is affecting our students, but many “old” strategies are just as valid. The amount of information that students have access to is unparalleled to any time in history. However, that does not mean they know how to examine, analyse, and explain the information they are given. The initial skills still need to be taught to students, but the medium in which they are being taught can change.
As a principal, I would like to build a culture where technology is embraced, but not the driving force in education. Technology is to supplement not supplant educational strategies. Also, students have different skill sets from previous generations. To support these changes in students, educational leaders need to challenge teachers to push their own technological abilities.
Students in this new generation also have a new set of obstacles they are faced with. Students have a constant reminder of what others have and what they do not have. They also live in a day and age of “nothing is private” anymore. This is where educators have the duty to teach ethical behaviour in the use of technology. This falls under the standard 5. Schools need to be the model of how to properly use technologies, instead of running from them. To ensure that all students have an equitable education, schools and districts should invest resources to give students access to new technologies. While many of the students have access to technology outside of the walls of the school, we will do a disservice to all students if we ignore technology.
In keeping with standard 5, schools need to the speak the language of students in the digital age by supplementing the good things that are already being done in our classrooms.
After rewatching the video discussing the killing of creativity in schools, I cannot help but to think of what we reward in schools. The children that can "play the game" the best are winners and those that do not are in trouble. They are said to fail. I hope that things have started to change with individuals in education looking towards other options besides college. However, I think it is also difficult for educational leaders. Every person in this class knows how to play the game of school. I know I fear failure/being wrong, so I ask the professor "if this is right." It is my hope that by being aware of this and letting students succeed a multitude of subjects will hopefully allow them to be creative. I think this is just like other innovations introduced in schools. It is like a first date. They are awarkward, weird, scary, and can sometimes make you even vomit (no I will not tell that story), but they can also produce a fantastic outcome and many great stories. The use of innovations in the classroom, creativity, and change can be a very good and scary thing for all the people that know how to play the game because the rules have changed.
Go Cougs
Nicely stated Jim. Have you heard of the SAMR (Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, Redefinition) model? When you wrote about supplementing strategies it reminded me about the SAMR model and the need to show teachers how to move up and down and all around the model with the implementation of technology. I feel like the SAMR model is a great way to show teachers "how" to supplement versus supplant.
ReplyDeletehttps://sites.google.com/a/msad60.org/technology-is-learning/samr-model
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ReplyDeleteI have not heard of SAMR before and thank you for the resource. This is what I was talking about. I have heard of things like this, but not this particular one. I will be taking this back to our staff.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Jim that technology is a tool to be utilized with teaching, but is not a substitute for good teaching. I think that is why it is important for principals to model good use of technology and then have a shared vision as a staff of how we effectively utilize technology to enhance our lessons and students learning.
ReplyDeleteAlso, what happens when technology goes down for teachers not prepared? Thanks for the response.
ReplyDeleteI really like that you said we must "build a culture where technology is embraced, but not the driving force in education." I think that is a very relevant and powerful statement about how technology should be used in education. I often tell me students that a calculator is a tool and even though they can use it, they still need to know the math behind it.
ReplyDeleteYou also made a really good point that our students are growing up in a world where they are more aware then ever before of the have and have not. This is largely due to immediate information processing and technology. How do you think this effects the have and have not schools? Access to technology is a huge marker between schools with high income versus low in many cases. Is there a way that districts can even out the access to technology?
I think it can widen the gap between the privileged and under privileged schools. I think the biggest part of this would be to look at schools that have students with little access to technology and increase the funding in these schools.
ReplyDeleteHey Jim, I liked what you said about digital responsibility and the insight you brought to students not having a full understanding of the consequences from posts. I also liked your thoughts on the idea of students playing the "game" of school. I wonder if there are ways we can encourage students to find a passion in a subject to create that intrinsic motivation for achievement.
ReplyDeleteHey Jim, I liked what you said about digital responsibility and the insight you brought to students not having a full understanding of the consequences from posts. I also liked your thoughts on the idea of students playing the "game" of school. I wonder if there are ways we can encourage students to find a passion in a subject to create that intrinsic motivation for achievement.
ReplyDeleteI think we can find a way to help students find passion an intrinsic motivation by bringing passion to our jobs. I think that is a challenge for many educators.
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