JLTheory+Into+Practice

Technology’s role in the classroom is expanding every year and there are two main reasons why it is important to stay at the forefront. First, technology provides teachers with a wide variety of tools to evaluate and engage their students. Both veteran instructors and new ones can surf the web to find different assessment techniques and lesson plans that have been created by others. With the advent of technologies like the interactive whiteboard, teachers have tools at their disposal that are leaps and bounds ahead of where we were even 10 years ago. Today’s technology allows teachers from all over the globe to share ideas and techniques, creating a world-wide network that benefits everyone in the profession. Secondly, putting technology in the classroom allows students to get familiar with it while they are still in their formative years. With the workforce becoming more competitive and more dependent on technological aptitude, students familiar with the most recent technological breakthroughs will be at a distinct advantage. Due to the importance technology has the education of our students, I intend to make it a centerpiece of my classroom. I will place a strong focus on teaching my students ways to properly use the internet to research information and write a paper. By guiding them along the way, I will also make sure that the kids know how to protect themselves from the dangers of the Internet and ensure the online footprint they make doesn’t come back to haunt them at a later date. I feel it is our responsibility as instructors to teach students the positives and negatives about technology in their lives. We must spend the time to make sure they know the difference between sources they can trust and those that have no credibility. It will also be important to teach them about primary and secondary sources so that they can make the right choices about the website they can cite and which ones they need to confirm with other sources. Teachers also need to talk to their students about the non-academic issues with modern technology, such as online predators and inappropriate uses of newer communications like texting. We go to great lengths to protect our students from traditional threats and it is no less important to talk to them about threats that have emerged from advances in technology. Modern technology can be a great tool to help teachers differentiate their lesson plans and keep students interested. Like I mentioned before, instructors around the world can now connect and share ideas. This allows for a greater exchange of ideas ideas than ever before. Teachers can also now use technology during their class to spark interest in the material or receive instant feedback from the students. The ability to receive anonymous feedback should help the constant struggle to assess quieter students who otherwise may be too shy to participate in traditional assessment techniques. Much like how teachers are always on the lookout to assist students who struggle with reading, we must now keep our eyes open for a new form of illiteracy, technological illiteracy. Due to the fact almost every career path our students will choose involves some form of modern technology, it is our responsibility to graduate students who can thrive in a world that places an increasing premium on the ability to adapt and master changing technologies. Part of how teachers can accept that responsibility will be by staying at the forefront of modern technologies ourselves. I plan on doing this by taking advantage of the network of blogs and podcasts available online which specialize in educational technology. Having access to the leaders in the field via the Internet can help ensure that I am always providing my students with up-to-date technology to keep their interest and help develop skills they’ll need upon graduation. I can also stay current by attending workshops and seminars that focus on technology in the classroom. This will allow me to hear from those who have already mastered the newest toys and experience them before they arrive in my classroom. Perhaps the best part of the advent of these modern technologies is that it allows students more ways to show off their creativity. My classroom will be one where students are required to experiment with new tools and see which ones they enjoy the most. Being familiar with the numerous tools available online will allow me to structure assignments that force students to try a variety of technologies. Hopefully this will not only introduce them to tools they may use their entire adult lives, but also ignite the imagination and make learning both enjoyable and enduring.
 * Theory-Into-Practice**