Technology in schools has changed so much in just the very short time since I was in high school. Chalkboards have been replaced with SmartBoards; desks have been replaced with tables to hold the twelve computers in a room versus the two that used to be there. In the past, technology was a convenience making life better. Now it is a necessity in every day life. As a teacher I have seen the importance of using the most current technologies and methods to teach our future leaders and citizens.
I believe learning should be student centered.
Being an
eMINTS teacher I tend to follow an inquiry-based style of learning and teaching. Students in my classroom are very seldom given information. I think it is much more valuable for students to seek out the information on their own.
Thirteen Ed Online (2004) states, "Memorizing facts and information is not the most important skill in today's world. Facts change, and information is readily available -- what's needed is an understanding of how to get and make sense of the mass of data." I do several inquiry style activities, but the most rigorous are WebQuests. One WebQuest I use is about
volcanoes written by a colleague in my building. In this WebQuest students learn about types of volcanoes, signs of an eruption and the type of damage caused by each type. This WebQuest requires students to gather and compile information to analyze data and draw conclusions.
When students take control of their learning, they create more meaning and I have seen proof of this in my classroom. My sixth grade students can create fabulous PowerPoint presentations. Sometimes presentations are created as a culmination of ideas learned in a unit, but one of my favorite ways to use presentations is when the students make them to
teach each other. Peer teaching is a very valuable tool. I like having students become experts about one particular topic and then teach it to their peers. When teaching about
glaciers, I have the students research from a website then create a PowerPoint presentation about a particular type of glacier. I think this type of peer teaching gives students ownership and responsibility of their learning which makes it more meaningful to the students.
I also use a
Sound and Light WebQuest to show students how the concepts of sound and light are applicable in a real-world setting. In this WebQuest, students use problem solving and research skills to find solutions to lifelike problems. This method of learning fits into the inquiry based style because students are seeking out information and drawing conclusions on their own. They are given a prompt by the teacher, who focuses and guides their learning, but the actual instruction is student led and centered.
I believe students have different styles of learning that can be fostered by the use of technology.
As an undergraduate student at the
University of Central Missouri, I took several psychology classes that taught about Bloom's Taxonomy and Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences among other theories of teaching and learning. I did not really see the full importance of these theories until I started in the classroom. The past four years of teaching have certainly let me see every student definitely has their own style of learning. Smith (2007) states in his article, "All seven intelligences are needed to live life well. Teachers, therefore, need to attend to all intelligences, not just the first two that have been their tradition concern." I have to vary my methods of instruction in order to reach all students. What works for some students will just simply not work as well for others. I do not use a lecture and notes style of teaching very often, but when I do, I always make sure to use several of Gardner's Intelligences. For example, I always use my SmartBoard to display the
notes for the whole class which caters to my visual/spatial learners. I also speak what is on the board in order to reach my auditory learners and students are always required to write the notes, which is good for my bodily/kinesthetic students. Using many means of delivery insures I will reach all students.
One of my favorite activities each year is my
Endangered Species project. In this project, students have to research their choice of endangered species online to write a word processed report and then create two authentic projects to display their knowledge. I give students a
list of choices for their projects which includes ideas such as writing a song/poem, creating an art project or simply making a list. Giving students choices like this allows them the opportunity to enjoy learning by creating something they are interested in and can be proud of.
I believe immersing our students in technology will make them successful in the future.
Technology is everywhere. "In less than a generation, computers have radically changed the way we live, learn and do our work" (Provenzo, Brett & McCloskey 2005). I cannot think of a profession that does not require the use of some sort of technology. Even my husband who farms and runs a tire repair shop is surrounded by emerging technologies making the job easier and more efficient. In my classroom, I try to introduce my students to all kinds of technologies. We use computers,
SmartBoards, calculators, digital and manual scales, handheld computers,
clickers,
VideoFlex cameras, digital cameras, scanners and even the copy machine in the workroom.
Microscopes are used in my science classroom to view microorganisms, cells and crystals. The students enjoy this hands on type of learning with a simple to use technology. In the past, I have also taught handheld computer classes to sixth grade students. We used
Tungsten E2 Palm Pilots. Throughout the course students learned the basic functions of their handheld and some ways to use it in the
classroom. I also shared freeware programs with the students from websites such as
Learning in Hand and
GoKnow.
Teachers and students now have access to a whole world of information with the introduction of the Internet into schools. In my classroom almost 40% of the information I teach comes from a source other than paper text books. We take information gained from the Internet to create PowerPoint presentations to present to the class. This inquiry based style of learning allows students to come up with their own answers rather than having everything given to them. This promotes problem solving skills and analytical thinking among other essential life skills.
References:
Thirteen Ed Online. (2004). Workshop: Inquiry-based learning. In
Concept to Classroom. Retrieved February 18, 2008, from
http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/inquiry/index.html
Smith, M. K. (2002) Howard Gardner and multiple intelligences,
The encyclopedia of informal education,
http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm. Last updated: December 28, 2007
Provenzo Jr., Eugene F., Arlene Brett, Gary N. McCloskey. (2005)
Computers, Curriculum, and Cultural Change. 2nd edition. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
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Teaching, Learning and Technology Concept Map Inspiration
