Tech Integration in the Classroom, Yay or Nay?

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Kids are craving to be taught through a medium that they use everyday in their personal life. The video, A Vision of K-12 Students Today, perfectly depicts the need and desire of children today to learn through technology. I particularly liked the dedication of the video, “Special Thanks to 16 digital natives,” because its true, these children were born into a time where technology is used throughout their daily lives. They should be using them in school as well as at home and with friends.

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In the blog, Why Do I Bother? [blogging] the author, Steve Wheeler’s first opinion is, "because it keeps him on his toes." Isn’t this how we want our learners to feel? We want them constantly thinking and formulating ideas, coming up with what ifs and why nots. He also states that knowing an audience will see his words builds the desire to try harder and delve deeper into his thinking. If current students had to post to a blog or create a digital story to convey their meaning, wouldn’t they want to put their best work out there for everyone to see?

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In the article, There’sNo Such Thing as a Technology Expert, Angela Watson talks about how many people feel overwhelmed by technology and seem to shut down quickly before really trying to use it. If a teacher, however, becomes proficient with one type of technology and wants to start her learners with that, that’s all they need in the beginning. Shoving many styles of technology will overwhelm students just as much as it does adults. A teacher’s usage of technology can grow with her students use, using different types gradually as she becomes comfortable educating her class.

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Ed Murphy’s, Bridgingthe Gap Between Technology Integration and Common Core Standards in the Classroom, really pounded home the idea that technology isn’t just more prevalent in our schools but needs to be highly utilized and is a disservice to our learners if it is not. He states that traditional textbooks are budgeted to last 6 to 7 years and educators need to bridge the gap with technology to keep current. He concludes his article by stating students are making decisions, executing ideas, and conveying learned information in exciting and unique ways with technology. They are the driving force of their learning.

We, as educators, need to keep our thinking ahead of our students' and know what their next big interest is and since it is 2013 it's most likely going to include technology. It is our role to facilitate their quest through technology and help them use it as a tool as well as a toy.