The high technology that has slowly been introduced into American classrooms may be the beginning of a revolution in teaching and learning, but only if teachers harness and couple it with effective teaching practices.
At the Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning, researchers have identified nine instructional strategies that consistently affect improved student performance. They are:
1. idenitifying similarities and differences
2. summarizing and note-taking
3. reinforcing effort and providing recognition
4. homework and practice
5. non-linguistic representation
6. coopertive learning
7. setting objectives and providing feedback
8. generating and testing hypotheses
9. cues, questions, and advance organizers
These strategies (maybe "tactics" is a more appropriate term) are simple, and none necessitate high technology. But technologies, particularly interactive ones, give teachers more options to implement them.
Describing how in detail would fill volumes. But each of these strategies can be implemented using basic technology, and even limited understanding of the technology can let teachers do their jobs more efficiently.
For example, at my high school, we use a Google Form to quickly identify those students who haven't done their homework so that the appropriate administrator can ensure that they report to Homework Center-- an opportunity to get the support they need as well as an important accountability tool.
More intriguing are those technologies that facilitate new paths to learning: perhaps the displacement of the textbook, variations on the traditional teacher lectures, and a change in the routines that haven't changed fundamentally in nearly a century.
What does it mean to you to "digitize" your classroom?
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16 comments:
To "digitize" a classroom means to implement technology into it. I would say this isn't just any technology, it's only technology that is going to benefit your classroom. This may mean make it more productive, help students learn, or just teaching them technology. I'd say a digital classroom has to have at least one computer in it. Students may even be required to participate in the digital classroom from home since technology can be used from anywhere. They might respond to a blog post from the teacher or read their homework assignments online. The teacher could use a digital grade book or a program for attendance keeping. A digital classroom implements technology in a useful way to its students.
To me having a digital classroom in an elementary school simply means to expose students to technology. I don't think it is necessary to teach them all computer skills at a young age but being exposed to powerpoint, word and the internet is important to teach kids what they will be seeing and learning from as they get older. In all likelyhood they are being exposed to techonlogy at home so I think it is our job to share with them technology from which they will be learning for the rest of their academic career.
How will the teaching world adjust to the rapidly changing technology world? The article points out that technology does not NEED to implemented to teach students effectively. Most of the material hasn't changed, but the students have. This generation, with the power of Google and Wikipedia to tap into any amount of information, moves much faster than the houghton-mifflin textbook. The teaching techniques have to catch up to the new pace of learning. The only way to catch up to these kids is by speaking their language: computer. Give them what they want, to play around on the computer, but give them games that educate as well as stimulate. That is how we can teach the next generation without them even knowing they're learning.
noozleI think that digitizing your classroom means that you can keep track of grades, homework attendance all the other nuts and bolts that come with teaching in your computer. This makes record keeping so much easier. I think by converting to this format, teachers are better able to keep track of thier students, especially with the large class sizes these days. I think that having computers available to your students is also part of digitizing your classroom. My making them responsible for finding some of thier information online, it gives them a sense of power over thier own education.
To digitize my classroom, I envision a whole lot less paper! Not only would this save a ton of paper and trees, but I think it would grant teachers a more streamlined teaching approach.
For example, I want to teach 3rd grade, so I would start my day off with the Daily Language Activity (DLA) through Blogger or by using the IClicker to engage the students in a warm up activity to refresh what they had learned the day before. Additionally, before I start a lesson, I could use the IClicker and create a series of questions and take a poll of my students to determine their prior knowledge about the subject.
I would try to post as many homework worksheets as possible online, which would mean that I could let the computer grade the worksheet, resulting in fewer graded papers for me. It would also let the students get instantaneous feedback, which is important so they can immediately know if they don’t understand a topic and need further explanation instead of waiting until the day before a test.
I think it would be wonderful if students were exposed to and used technology more frequently in the classroom because it is changing the world. In our students’ future, they will have to have knowledge of technology, so the earlier teachers can introduce it, the better prepared they will be.
"Digitizing a classroom" can mean many different things, depending on the teacher, and the resources you have available to you. If you are lucky enough to have the money and support to introduce computers and internet into your classroom,the possibilities are endless.Using technology to teach students information can come in the form of a powerpoint, or overhead projection of the internet. Using it as a tool for students is also a great way to incorporate it. Involving students in typing on microsoft word, using powerpoints to make their own presentations, or researching topics on the internet can all happen. Technology can turn what used to be, a boring activity such as reading a textbook and taking a quiz into a much for interesting and interactive experience for students to learn. It is a tool to make learning fun and independant.
To digitize your classroom means to make your room more technology friendy. Technology can be almost anything but it can't be to just play games, it has to do with learning. Not only does a classroom have to have technology in it but the students must actively participate using technology. By doing this they may write up homework using there computers and having projects using powerpoints. A digital classroom would consist of a projector and some computers, so that the students get a chance to use technology. Teachers should use technology to help them record tests and grades so that it is easier to determine there grade. Technology can help both the students and the teachers.
To digitize a classroom to me means to implement new and changing technology into your practice of teaching. It seems to me a tricky task because I think it is important to have a balance of technology and basic learning practices. Technology must be presented and utilized well in order to actually be helpfull. However as in your example of the homework checker we see that technology can have its major benefits. I think that digitizing a classroom for me would mean presenting new and important technology to my students in a fun and understandable way. I would teach them to use important tools such as powerpoint and search engines they can continue to utilize. I will also use technology for my own benefit to sort and store information about my students as well as to present information to them. If it is presented correctly I think technology can save time and open up a world of information for students.
To me, digitizing a classroom means to bring forth technology in many aspects which normally would be used in a basic form such as textbooks or lectures. The way one might digitize their classroom is by showing powerpoints instead of standing up in front of the class and giving a lecture. Doing activities on the computer is another form of technology to be used intead of doing activities with handouts. Homework online instead of using textbooks and submitting work online instead of handing in work is also another way to digitize the classroom. There are many ways one is able to digitize the classroom, but to me it is allowing the advances of technology to help better your classroom to make it more efficent and interesting for your students.
Ali McMahon
Since I will be teaching at the elementary level of education, I would like to incorporate technology and "digitize" my classroom in a different way than middle or high school levels. I will create some PowerPoint presentations to propose questions in the classroom and have the students try to answer the questions in their small groups. Since the students are of a younger age, my role as a teacher will also encompass teaching them how to search topics on the internet and how to use certian programs such as Word or PowerPoint tocreate documents of their own based on what we are currently studying in the textbooks. To me,to "digitize" my classroom would mean that we are stepping outside the textbook and hopping into the internet.
If I were to “digitize” an elementary school classroom, the only technology needed would be a computer, since students at that age are barely learning basic computer skills, such as using the keyboard and mouse. In that case, a computer lab shared by the entire school would be ideal, where students can attend a computer session a week learning the basic functions of the computer and exercising those skills through activities (games for k-2nd, and tools such as word processing for grades 3 and up). Having a separate facility away from the classroom would be useful for computer lessons, but having a few computers inside each classroom (grades 3-6th) would also be useful to give students the option of using word processing or the internet for a specific assignment.
To me,digitizing a classroom means incorporating technology into the daily lessons of the teacher. This doesn't necessarily mean that the teacher should use technology as the only way to teach the class. It simply means that the teacher can use technology to his or her advantage. For example, instead of photocopying a copious amont of material (which can waste paper, energy, and time), the teacher can instead present the lesson on a PowerPoint and have the students write down whatever information they feel is important. The teacher can also encourage students to use technology for research, a more enganging way of learning, or allowing the students to express creativity whether it'd be through writing or digital art. A classroom does not have to have a computer for every single student in order for it to be digitized. I think as long as the students get an understanding and basic knowledge of how technology works, then the classroom can be tagged as digitized.
to me digitizing my classroom means makings it more interactive and assessable to all my students. I would want to bring tech in only when it served a purpose not just for the sake of using it. there would be a computer and a projector, I would also use flip cameras and Iclickers. I want to make tech seem fun and exciting and use it to make the lesson more interesting and engaging like having kids make movies instead of writing a paper. over all I see digitizing my classroom as a way to connect more with my students and teach them in ways not only more reliever to there generation but also more interesting then the non tech classroom.
"Digitizing" the classroom means new teaching techniques, a greater access to resources, and integrating education with aspects of life outside the classroom. With the use of technology in their schoolwork, students can be encouraged - or reminded - to finish assignments, as in Professor Stowell's school. Or students can be more willing to do their work because it involved a computer, or maybe even music from an ipod or internet from their phone, a gadget that is fun but can also benefit school. A teacher could be better organized in a digitized classroom because grade input is easier and more efficient that hand-written grade books. Additionally, resources, information, books, excerpts, images, etc. can be provided for students online, and thus less use of paper. Technology, such a growing phenomenon that will only continue to grow, can be used educationally to make students comfortable with their already digital life. Technology in the classroom can be used for interesting projects, such as creating an advertisement, practicing math on a calculating spreadsheet, watching the President's Address online in a history class, or presenting world issues with the click of a button. Ultimately, a "digitized" classroom keeps people, especially younger, "up-and-coming" generation, informed and in touch.
It is apparent that technology dominates a majority of the students' lifestyles, even outside of the classroom. Therefore, for high school students I will be sure to encorporate the use of spreadsheets and databases in my classroom. For example, in my math class I will guide students in using Excel to create graphs such as bar graphs, pie charts, and scatterplots when working with statistical data. This will give visual learners, as well as the other students, the opportunity to apply data to a graph in a way they may be more comfortable in doing. Also, if available, the students at the high school will be able to view their current grade online. From personal experience, this helps a student by allowing them to track their grade and evidently see which areas they need more work or focus on. Lastly, I will email students the powerpoint shown in each class. This is because it may be, at times, tedious and time consuming to wait for every individual to write down everything on the powerpoint. The ability to add technology into the classroom allows a student to become more experienced and comfortable with different types of advances of the internet, databases, word processors, and spreadsheets.
a major shift in education is upon us.. students are now well-versed in technology that many teachers are unaware of. This technology, unaware to the students can actually foster thier education much more than "traditional" education. We have an oppurtunity as teachers of the new generation to teach them in THIER language. Communication through technology, integration of the computer to the classroom will not only spark interest in technology friendly students, they will learn more.
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