Where will this journey take me?
My time spent in the Masters of Educational Technology program (MAET) at Michigan State University has opened my eyes to what a world of education and technology can and should look like. I have been exposed to the Maker Movement and the belief that our students should be tapping into their creative sides and actually making things. I have explored Technological Pedagogy and Content Knowledge (TPACK) philosophies and opened up my classroom to a world with sound practices, engaging content and purposeful technology. I have researched Wicked Problems and rigorously researched how we should tackle some of the most pressing issues in public education.
I have gladly done all of this because I truly want to be an ambassador of high quality education and technological use paired together in a harmonious relationship. My desire is to find a position and school district that shares in this view of 21st century education unconstrained by the limitations of the past and allowed to push the boundaries of teaching and learning like never before. In order to accomplish this, I must remain committed to being a lifelong learner willing to break down my own preconceived notions, biases and outdated way of thinking. I have to stay well versed on tools, techniques, and pedagogy that lend themselves to the marriage of content and technology in the classroom.
The first area I would like to continue learning about is the process of effectively introducing technology into a school. Technology integration is the use of technology resources computers, mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, digital cameras, social media platforms and networks, software applications, the Internet, etc. in daily classroom practices, and in the management of a school. Successful technology integration is achieved when the use of technology is: routine and transparent, accessible and readily available for the task at hand and supports the curricular goals, and helps the students to effectively reach their goals. Technology is an integral part of how we work and live, every day. Teaching students how to use technology to learn, research, collaborate, and solve problems from an early age will better prepare them for their careers. It can also help reduce the fear of new technology in the future by familiarizing them with the discovery process for each new tool.
The next area I would like to further learn about is to develop the ability to properly decide what digital devices are best for the student population I am serving if we are moving towards a technology focused school. Everyone always says it's not about the device, it's what you do with it. But the truth is, educators need a good device to accomplish their goals, and there's no shortage to choose from. To borrow a phrase commonly used in the military the “spray and pray” approach gets you nowhere, this is where you spray every kid with a device and pray something miraculous happens in the education system for them. The devices that are selected must be researched, experimented with, but also uniform. This helps to alleviate issues of training, professional development, and maintenance. You have to be able to consider a devices durability, especially for younger students, the portability of the devices selected and the modifications that are available for students who need accommodations.
Lastly, I want to learn more about unconventional approaches to learning and schools. I am not advocating for online schools, or 100% digital learning via modules or some other form but I do believe that the future is about access, anywhere learning and collaboration, both locally and globally. Teaching and learning is going to be social. Schools of the future could have a traditional cohort of students, as well as online only students who live across the country or even the world. Things are already starting to move this way with the emergence of massive open online courses (MOOCs). We have to be able to reach our students where they are and allow them to learn in more nontraditional places or ways. School classrooms are going to change. Thanks to the cloud and mobile devices, technology will be integrated into every part of school. In fact, it won't just be the classrooms that will change. Games fields, gyms and school trips will all change. Whether offsite or on site the school, teachers, students and support staff will all be connected. In my ideal world, all classrooms will be paperless.
I know that learning about technology, the benefits and drawbacks related to its use and how best to ensure my current or future district is not something that I can learn about once and be current on. I must be diligent and committed to a pattern of continual learning. What are the best tools, the best strategies, the best everything when it is concerning technology and education in order to prepare students for a rapidly changing world that does and can take them anywhere.
I have gladly done all of this because I truly want to be an ambassador of high quality education and technological use paired together in a harmonious relationship. My desire is to find a position and school district that shares in this view of 21st century education unconstrained by the limitations of the past and allowed to push the boundaries of teaching and learning like never before. In order to accomplish this, I must remain committed to being a lifelong learner willing to break down my own preconceived notions, biases and outdated way of thinking. I have to stay well versed on tools, techniques, and pedagogy that lend themselves to the marriage of content and technology in the classroom.
The first area I would like to continue learning about is the process of effectively introducing technology into a school. Technology integration is the use of technology resources computers, mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, digital cameras, social media platforms and networks, software applications, the Internet, etc. in daily classroom practices, and in the management of a school. Successful technology integration is achieved when the use of technology is: routine and transparent, accessible and readily available for the task at hand and supports the curricular goals, and helps the students to effectively reach their goals. Technology is an integral part of how we work and live, every day. Teaching students how to use technology to learn, research, collaborate, and solve problems from an early age will better prepare them for their careers. It can also help reduce the fear of new technology in the future by familiarizing them with the discovery process for each new tool.
The next area I would like to further learn about is to develop the ability to properly decide what digital devices are best for the student population I am serving if we are moving towards a technology focused school. Everyone always says it's not about the device, it's what you do with it. But the truth is, educators need a good device to accomplish their goals, and there's no shortage to choose from. To borrow a phrase commonly used in the military the “spray and pray” approach gets you nowhere, this is where you spray every kid with a device and pray something miraculous happens in the education system for them. The devices that are selected must be researched, experimented with, but also uniform. This helps to alleviate issues of training, professional development, and maintenance. You have to be able to consider a devices durability, especially for younger students, the portability of the devices selected and the modifications that are available for students who need accommodations.
Lastly, I want to learn more about unconventional approaches to learning and schools. I am not advocating for online schools, or 100% digital learning via modules or some other form but I do believe that the future is about access, anywhere learning and collaboration, both locally and globally. Teaching and learning is going to be social. Schools of the future could have a traditional cohort of students, as well as online only students who live across the country or even the world. Things are already starting to move this way with the emergence of massive open online courses (MOOCs). We have to be able to reach our students where they are and allow them to learn in more nontraditional places or ways. School classrooms are going to change. Thanks to the cloud and mobile devices, technology will be integrated into every part of school. In fact, it won't just be the classrooms that will change. Games fields, gyms and school trips will all change. Whether offsite or on site the school, teachers, students and support staff will all be connected. In my ideal world, all classrooms will be paperless.
I know that learning about technology, the benefits and drawbacks related to its use and how best to ensure my current or future district is not something that I can learn about once and be current on. I must be diligent and committed to a pattern of continual learning. What are the best tools, the best strategies, the best everything when it is concerning technology and education in order to prepare students for a rapidly changing world that does and can take them anywhere.
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