Technology has become ingrained in the culture of education within the last decade. Computers were a once a week treat for classes only twenty years ago, now students have access to some sort of technology or device for several hours a day. The problem with the influx of this technology into schools is that simply by having access to it, does not mean that they are competent in using it to enhance their learning, "simply purchasing the latest digital technologies does not necessarily lead to the acquisition of digital and media literacy competencies." (Hobbs, 2011). Often students do no take the time to search for and evaluate the information properly. As the media specialist at my school, it often falls on to me to teach these skills of research and evaluation to the students as the classroom teachers often don't have time to properly take on the subject. I only see each class once a week and it really needs to be a daily skill that they must repeat often to truly grasp the concepts of digital literacy.
While technology integration for students may take time to properly show them how to use it, for teachers the implications for their own lessons is purposeful and driven as they are able to accommodate students at their individual need. Within a classroom of twenty plus students, a teacher can accommodate a variety of learning styles while also challenging individual students. "One cannot help but meet a variety of learning styles, with experiential depth, if technology is purposefully and wisely integrated into the regular day-to-day curriculum." (Kuhn, 2008). Our teachers today will often use Google classroom to send out assignments for students to use daily and receive their assignments. Often teachers are incorporating websites into their lessons that have games that the students will play to practice the skills of the day.
As an educator, it can be intimidating when looking into all the ways and different types of technology to incorporate into the classroom. When taken in stride, it does not have to be something scary, it can be liberating seeing students take their skills and be able to apply it in real-time to real-world issues. "Technology has unleashed learning, and the potential for students to apply
knowledge in the world outside of school; new pedagogies leverage all of this in the
formal learning process."(Fullan & Langworthy, 2014). Technology is used to create deep learning while connecting it to curriculum standards. I use many different types of technology in the library, with a combination of low-tech, no-tech, and high-tech stations that are referred to as makerspaces, which many libraries across the country are adopting. Digital literacy is the new normal in education. Students often do adapt faster than their teachers but they will still need guidance on how to evaluate what they are using and how they are incorporating it into their own life outside of the school community.
Fullan, M. & Langworthy, M. (2014). A rich seam: How new pedagogies find deep learning. London: Pearson. Retrieved from https://www.pearson.com/content/dam/one-dot-com/one-dot-com/global/Files/about-pearson/innovation/open-ideas/ARichSeamEnglish.pdf
Hobbs, R. (2011). Empowering learners with digital and media literacy. Knowledge Quest, 39(5), 12-17. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.
Kuhn, M. S. (2008). Connecting depth and balance in class. Learning & Leading with Technology, 36(1), 18-21. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.
Thank you for your post. I agree with many of the points you discussed. When we first integrated technology daily into the classroom, I was overwhelmed and quite honestly resistant. I did not know how I could possibly get my students to engage meaningfully with the content. Our media specialist worked with the teachers and students to help us tackle the harder issues. Once I realized what types of things I could do and what my students were capable of with technology, I never looked back. I am always looking for new ways to engage my students with technology.
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