Pearls of Wisdom

As I look back at my past blogs, I am all too aware of a common theme that runs through each entry. This theme centers on my fledgling knowledge of technology in an era that is rich with technological tools. Throughout this class, we have been introduced to tools that can be utilized in the classroom to improve student engagement. I would say to improve student learning, but the jury is still out on that point. It stands to reason that if technological tools improve student engagement in the classroom, then student learning would also be measurably improved. Now the key for me is to spend time getting to know these technological tools and deciding which can be used in my classroom.
To further this idea, I need to look back at why I became a teacher. I remember all too well what it was like to survive in the blackboard jungle. I was bored as a student, and as a teacher, I wanted to provide my students with an engaging experience that allowed them to be freethinkers rather than robots. The classroom environment that I was exposed to was drastically different than the environment of classrooms today. Technology as we know it now was not available when I was a student. I remember the often heavy-handed approach taken by my teachers to make sure I was given the information that I needed to be successful. Teachers would spew information that students would later regurgitate on assessments. Although that approach may have worked to some degree in the past, it certainly doesn't work in today's classroom.
The sad point in this reflection is that I am a hypocrite and a product of my environment. I think that my classes are fun and encourage freethinking, yet my delivery is not much different than that of the teachers I had. This issue will hopefully be resolved throughout my graduate experience, and the very reason I enrolled in the program. I want to find, through technology, ways to get students excited about learning, and part of that might involve the semantics of what learning means to students.
Students often associate learning with work, and my students don't associate work with any future benefits. I think that technology can help change this perception by allowing students to learn without it being considered work. The introduction to technology tools has given me a framework to rebuild what I do in the classroom, and in the end, help students learn with enthusiasm.
Arguably the greatest lesson that I learned so far in my studies is that technology implementation by itself is not enough. The appropriate technology must be chosen to enhance the content being taught. At this point in my learning, I could use technology more frequently, but I think that I would be using it for the sake of technology. I don't know enough yet to be able to determine how technology could be used to enhance learning. What I do know is that there are a multitude of technology avenues that must be explored and hopefully utilized in my classroom.
I have often toyed with the idea of creating a paperless classroom, but to this point have not felt confident with implementing that plan. I think that by using a Ning or Moodle to give students access to class information, and by using Google Docs for word processing, I would be well on my way to achieving my goal of a paperless classroom. More important than that, by using a Ning or Moodle for class information, students would have 24 hour access to my class. By utilizing these tools, I would be able to eliminate the walls of my classroom and the hours of the school building. The possibilities of Google Docs also will allow my students to collaborate together, for we all know that misery loves company. Hopefully, technology will take misery out of the equation, and we will be left with meaningful learning experiences.
I am also encouraged by all of the online tools that we have utilized in our studies. Prior to our class, I had never given consideration to using online tools, and as a matter of fact, I never knew online tools existed. I think the greatest advantage of these tools is that work can be completed, either individually or collaboratively, wherever one has access to the internet. No longer are we separated into Mac and PC user groups. Using online tools, we can all access the same information, regardless of the platform we use. Now that I have been introduced to these online tools, it is important that I spend time researching the best online tools for my students.
Times certainly are changing, and I think that I am preparing for this future by being involved in this graduate program. I have already started to transform my classroom because of the information we have learned in class, and I look forward to continuing this metamorphosis as I further build my knowledge concerning technology. I am excited about building this knowledge base so that I can provide and exciting and engaging classroom for my students, and hopefully have them develop a love of lifelong learning.