Reflections on EDUC6710

I have been lucky in my life. I first started using computers when I was three years old. I was programming at eight. We signed up for Prodigy when I was fourteen, and I learned how to communicate with others from around the world. Because of this, I have always been excited about the capabilities of technology in educating and developing our youth.

During the past couple of months, I have been able to use some new technologies that I have not really experienced before, specifically wikis and podcasts (blogs were not new to me). More importantly, I have been able to see these technologies from the viewpoint of a student, and how they can be used to not only assist but increase learning.

My philosophy for teaching has always been one where the teacher acts as the facilitator for student-led learning. What this class allowed me to do was find many new ways to bring educational opportunities to my students. While I have some techniques to use with my students, not all of my students have succeeded with these. Now that I have more ideas that I can use, for instance a wiki that will help them explain and understand mathematical terms, I hope that some of the students that are having trouble will be able to grab on to a different way of thinking.

As I go forward, I plan on starting technology programs from the beginning of the school year. I feel that leading my students in discovery of the options available to them will lead to a better education for them. But in order to achieve this, I need to stay on top of the technologies that are available and the new ones that are coming out on almost a daily basis. I am reading other blogs about technology, staying in touch with people who are using these technologies, and working with colleagues to see which techniques they think we can use together to help all of our students be 21st century learners.

My main goals over the next two years are to make my classroom completely integrated with technology, and continue fighting for education reform.  These two goals are mutually compatible as the largest reforms will involve students contacting each other and professionals from their desk at school or home to increase their knowledge and to become community and world leaders for the future.  Fighting through the bureaucracy is a difficult task, but one that I am happy to help out with. 

An App for the Classroom

In many classrooms, one of the biggest issues is teaching students who do not speak English as their first language.  Teaching word problems in my math class often means teaching the meaning of words as well as the techniques for solving the problems.  We currently have translation dictionaries available for each of our students, but a new app for the iPhone and iPod touch has been released that has tremendous implications.  Word Lens instantly translates text from one language to another (currently only Spanish/English, but that will be improved with time.)  Imagine putting a problem or a text on the board and having your students be able to understand it in their own language instantly by simply viewing it through their hand-held device.

. . .Now we just need the schools to allow hand-held devices in the classroom.

Podcast

For our class assignment this week, we had to do a podcast.  I don't like the sound of my voice on playback, so I will probably not do many of these unless it is for an assignment.  We were instructed to determine the amount of technology our students use on a regular basis.  I was definitely surprised that all of my low-income students had computers at home and worked on them daily.