As technology constantly evolves, so does education. We as teachers need to stay up to date and current with technology and current instruction to better meet the needs of our students. Our students are growing up in the 21st century which is completely engrossed in technology. These children live and breathe apps, devices, and the Internet. They are constantly connected with each other and this needs to be represented in our classrooms.
Technology has completely changed instruction as well as literacy. In today;s world students are constantly collaborating with one another. It is no longer the teacher giving a lecture but the students participating in project based learning and experiencing what the lesson is on their own with the teacher overseeing. In regards to literacy, the teacher can do so much more now then having students participate in book clubs and write in their journals. They are able to post discussions online via Edmodo or Padlet and read books online using apps such as Epic!, Storia, and RAZkids. Technology is being interwoven so that students are collaborating online and being connected through technology. They are able to achieve lots of different activities using technology.
No longer is reading just primarily in a paper format. I wonder what is to come in the next 5 or 10 year with technology and literacy. As technology changes and improves, educators must change and improve their teaching in order to implement technology to enhance our student's learning.
I think you make a great point right from the beginning of your post. As the amount and level of technology increases so does education. Teachers need to stay up to date on their knowledge of technology. When first integrating technology into the classroom it can feel overwhelming and like another thing on our plate. I have noticed that over time it becomes more natural and not like an added item to our plate. Your point about students collaborating is very true and important to realize as an educator. Students have many opportunities to work together and share ideas. Gone are the days of the teacher instructing the entire period and now we are there to facilitate the learning as the students are discovering the answer themselves.
ReplyDeleteRE: "I wonder what is to come in the next 5 or 10 year with technology and literacy."
ReplyDeleteKirsten,
This is an important thing to wonder about! As educators we must always be looking forward. A great tool to help us predict how educational technology and instruction will change is the Horizon Report. This report is published yearly by the New Media Consortium. You can find the report for K-12 here:
http://www.nmc.org/nmc-horizon/
Happy learning!
Dr. Dell