"Learning through Technology" Learning Skills for the Technology Savvy Student

My first thoughts when I enrolled in “Learning through Technology” as my first graduate class at SNHU was how proficient I will become at using Word Documents, Excel and Power-point. As I sat in the classroom and viewed the syllabus, I realized that my learning skills journey was going to be taking a different route from what I envisioned. The notebook and pen that I was so accustom to utilizing when I was taking my undergraduate classes was being replaced by the computer and getting to find out the many technology tools the Internet can provide.

The expectations that were presented to the class mentioned something called WEB 2.0 Tools and how they were going to be a major focus on our learning skills. Then I heard some other technology jargon such as Digital Technology, Social Media and Internet Resources. These expectations and new technology skills that were being thrust upon me intimidated me and put my “over-whelming” signals at high alert. I was asking myself what was I getting into, what do these tools mean, and how am I going to use these tools in the classroom once I understand what all the fuss is about them?

As the weeks started to progress, I started to realize that the old way of learning and teaching had changed, but also had to change for the improvement of our future. The new technology tools are enhancing the learning skills that our kids, today’s students, are requesting and embracing in the classroom as they develop into tomorrow’s leaders. These technology tools that I was being introduced to is all about “Teaching and Learning in the 21^st Century”.  

“The 21^st Century Student” taught us what they want and how to learn to become better students. The common theme that resonates with these students is the utilizing of technology tools for engagement in the classroom. The next step is to transform the old chalk and blackboard teachers into “The 21^st Century Teacher”. I believe this task is going to be a challenging one for the majority of teachers of today as they are technology immigrants trying to catch up to the technology native student.

I am excited about the opportunity to introduce these WEB 2.0 Tools into the classroom when it’s my chance to be “The 21stCentury Teacher”. The tool that seems to be utilized quite often at the college level is Blogging as my 2 sons have told me that that is how their teacher’s want their assignments presented. But not only is Blogging reserved to the classroom, but any individual with a laptop and access to the internet can Blog. I have a niece that has her own Blog site and Blogs about her son who has Down syndrome. This technology tool is one that I feel more comfortable with and can see embracing more often than the other WEB 2.0 Tools that I’ve been exposed to.

“Learning through Technology” have allowed me to explore and expand my learning skills on the many WEB 2.0 Tools to produce assignment work and engagement in the classroom that I would never have imagined on my first day when walking into the class. These tools provided me the confidence to Blog, create a Diigo account, display an Digital Story, prepare a Lesson Plan, and finally capture all this knowledge and design a Weebly for a WebQuest. I would have to say not bad for a technology immigrant crossing over into the uncharted seas of trying to be a “21^st Century Learner”.

There are three major takeaways that I have learned from this class. The first as a potential “21^st Century Teacher” is the opportunity to utilize WEB 2.0 Tools in the classroom and see the students flourish with endless creativity and enjoyment. This can be summoned up in one word – engagement. The second major lesson learned as trying to be a “21^st Century Learner” today and then to become a “21^st Century Teacher” of tomorrow is that the Internet is our friend when properly used and policed. Digital Citizenship must be encouraged and maintained whenever the Internet is being used in both the classroom and outside the classroom. The final and valuable lesson that I need to remind myself daily is that if you need to find something just “Google”!

Technology Learning and Change

Webinar - Infrastructure, Financing and Evaluating Results (http://event.on24.com/event/34/29/74/rt/1/documents/slidepdf/presentation1up.pdf)

A variety of articles and webinars exist to research the "Digital Learning Environments" that are being discussed and implemented for transforming the classrooms of yesterday to accommodate the needs for the "21st Century Student Learner".  Many debates have covered the pros and cons for implementing Digital Technology Tools and providing the teachers with resources for effective classroom learning and engagement. I viewed the Webinar "Infrastructure, Financing and Evaluating Results" that brought to light the intricacy of implementing the WEB 2.0 Tools that students will be utilizing.
 The most important topic covered and viewed that was determined by a poll of teachers and administrators is the importance of the Infrastructure. The Infrastructure design supports which product and program goals are determined to ensure the consistency which is the backbone of the technology being implemented. There are decisions involving the pre-planning, assessment, monitoring, and re-evaluation when determining which devices and functionality of the technology you want to implement into the classroom. This process must identify the vision and goals necessary for implementing a successful but complex technology system. Mentioned within the webinar is the fact that schools are in a "technology implementation crisis" when the technology infrastructure does meet the needs and goals of both the students and teachers.
Project Red 2010 discusses the value of how important it is to both the teacher and student the need for implementing online collaboration with the right technology. Online collaboration increases learning productivity and student engagement which is essential to the learning growth required for today's classrooms. When the right technology tools and digital devices are put in the hands of both the teacher and student that addresses the effectiveness and efficiency of the curriculum goals, improvement in collaboration and engagement should be attained. However, without identifying the students needs as well as the teachers with the right technology tools and supporting them with safety and trust, you end up with expensive and heavy paper weights. Curriculum drives technology that must meet the goals established by the school district and properly funded with measurable and attainable results.
Also discussed within the webinar that is just as important is the financing and evaluation of results of the technology implementation for the school districts. I hope that when my time comes to utilizing the WEB 2.0 Tools, which will continually be upgrading, in my classroom all of the financing and evaluation result issues will be resolved and allow me to reap the benefits that the students, teachers, administrators, parents, and community leaders had to endure to get the technology tools in place to have a successful classroom today!

Where I Stand Today with "Learn through Technology"

As I started out on my journey for a MED at SNHU, the subject “Learning through Technology” was the first class recommended to start out on this new endeavor. The class sounded intriguing and presented an opportunity to get back into the classroom and dust off the cobwebs of my educational enrichment.  When I entered the classroom, I was not sure what to expect or what skills would be required to make this a successful transition from my undergraduate studies, which happened many years earlier in my life, to post graduate studies.  

The course syllabus revealed that I was to learn something called “digital technology” via WEB 2.0 Tools that encompasses understanding subjects known as Blogging, Diigo, and ultimately finishing up with Webquest. With each class assignment, my confidence grew and started to transition from an “immigrant” technology novice to becoming on the edge of a “native” digital technology user. As my oldest son stated, “you need to learn today’s technologies to stay with the flow of learning skills required to be successful”.

I have been introduced to a new generation of learning tools to meet the needs of the 21^st Century Student.  The word “engagement” seems to be the common theme throughout the videos and documents that we’ve reviewed for our assignments as the new learning skill for the students of tomorrow with the assistance of the WEB 2.0 Tools. I have seen how these new tools can get an individual engaged due to the fact I’ve relied on my classmates to assist me in accomplishing the assignments. However, the 21^st Century Teacher must also be receptive to this new teaching style that is required to facilitate the classroom. Both positive and negative views have been presented regarding how to ensure a safe environment with the Internet in which the WEB 2.0 Tools reside. My belief is that the delegation of responsibility on “Digital Citizenship”, a focus of having the Internet safely being utilized, falls on both the parents and teachers with the students committing to the requirements of the guidelines that should be enforced by the school district.

The technology tool that I’ve seemed to have grasped with less puzzlement and frustration is Blogging. Once I grasped the technique of how to “Link” corresponding articles, videos, or documents to an idea presented, it has made Blogging somewhat enjoyable and at points rewarding. The “Link” also allows the reader of the Blog to research some of the corresponding documentation that relates to the topic mentioned as well. The jury is still out on the benefits of what Diigo brings to technology learning for me, but with all new tools that I encounter, I usually start out with some resistance and hesitancy but then start to grasp and warm-up to the new concept.

As I continue on my quest in this class and future classes to both grow and develop my learning skills, I must continue to accept and be willing to embrace with confidence the benefits on utilization of both the social media tools and digital technology tools to become a successful teacher someday.  Being a member of the 21stCentury Teacher society at some point in my career will allow me to help with the development of our future students. The challenges that lie ahead are unpredictable but as we prepare our children for tomorrow with all of the digital technology tools and skills, the future looks very promising.

Week 2 - "At What Price Does Digital Technology Cost in the Classroom"

"In Classroom of Future, Stagnant Scores"

There is a transformation in the way in which the "21st Century Students" are being taught and the push for technology in the classroom is soaring. Soaring in terms of the costs associated with this dynamic digital technology appeal as requests for more budget funding is asked of the tax payers at the ballot box, but also soaring as students are engaged more now than ever in the classroom due to "digital devices engage students to learn at their own pace, teach skills needed in a modern economy, and hold the attention of a generation weaned on gadgets".

However, the jury is still out on the payoff for bringing digital technology into the classrooms. A heavy, financial burden is being felt as the crisis that plagues many school districts regarding the increase in school budget cuts and teacher layoffs loom while spending rises into the billions for technology upgrades and improvements. As an example, the Kyrene School District in Arizona invested approximately $33 million in digital technology. "21st Century Skills" are essential for the growth of the student to become successful in the classroom and some day in the boardroom. The teacher's role in the classroom is evolving into being a guide through the tunnel of technology where hope and enthusiasm lingers but test scores somehow seem to be stagnant. 

The critics to this digital technology boom contend that "schools are being motivated by a blind faith in technology and an overemphasis on digital skills ... at the expense of math, reading, and writing fundamentals". However, the National School Boards Association has praised the district in which Kyrene resides for it's technology innovation. "The district leaders position is that technology has inspired students and helped them grow, but there is no good way to quantify those achievements". There have been studies that show improvements in classrooms, schools, and districts. While there have been other studies with conflicting results on the success of technology on standardized test scores.


Student engagement is the core argument for investing in classroom technology the article points out. This idea is also the core of the National Education Technology Plan that the White House released last year. The plan endorses bringing "state-of-the art technology into learning to enable, motivate, and inspire all students". This technology transformation sounds great and needs to be addressed at these political levels to even think of making digital technology become successful in the "21st Century Classroom". The social-economic environment that we live in on the east coast is considerably different from students that sit in the classrooms on the west coast. I would go out on a limb and contend that the benefits of technology for the students of today are essential and required for their learning skills and the future for the economy of tomorrow. However, difficult financial choices are having to be considered to get this "revolutionary transformation" into the classroom and we haven't even addressed the requirements and skills needed for the "21st Century Teacher"!

As I try to comprehend the benefits and risks of all this, there are definitely many pros to integrating digital technology into the classroom for today's students to prepare them for the lessons to be learned for tomorrow's challenges. But do we want to lay the burden on them later in life with the price tag that comes with introducing  the WEB 2.0 Tools when we have to increase the taxes that will be eventually be their responsibility? I personally would love to have the WEB 2.0 Tools at my disposal to enrich my teachings and bring a stronger engagement into the classroom once I eventually get that certificate. I can think back at the days of sitting in the classroom and being bored with the mundane teachings in the subjects that I took. However, there were classes that the teacher integrated the utilization of newspapers for current events and stock market decisions that did energize me and the rest of the class. Game show events was another big hit with me as we challenged each other. This is what I envision my classroom will be like when I get my opportunity to utilize WEB 2.0 Tools to engage my students and feel the energy that I once felt.

I have several brothers and a sister that are teachers and also a few  neighbors and we discuss some of the WEB 2.0 Tools that I have been exposed to and utilize. They talk about how they are now just getting some of the technology tools into the classroom but it just scratches the surface for their needs and needs of the students. However, a discussion with a neighbor who has family out on the west coast and visited over the summer informed me how far ahead the students out there are with access and utilization of the digital technology tools. I do realize that funding has an impact on obtaining these tools and different areas of the country have differing socioeconomic challenges, but with the National Teaching Standard requirements there should be funding from the federal government to help all school districts across the country.

Week 1 Blog Assignment 2 - "The 21st Century Learner"

"The 21st Century Learner"

Has the time finally arrived when the academia leaders realize the importance of integrating digital technology into the classroom and move the students of today beyond the boundaries currently holding them back? The focus of the school boards, administration, and standardized curriculum need to address the lesson-plans and chalkboard teaching styles of today into a new direction for today's students to advance their knowledge skills and language by using what is known as WEB 2.0 Tools.

The "21st Century Learner" is asking for a change in how they are taught to a new concept that has always been a skill in-grained in all of us and that new concept is to "challenge me on how to think". However, the challenge goes further in their request and almost to the point of demanding: "let me use use the digital technology available to me to create and share knowledge". These students realize their potential and welcome the teacher to capture their interests and attention by engagement. Engagement in the form that allows them to experience new learning skills beyond the stagnating, traditional curriculum that holds back their creativity and growth.
 
What is becoming an epidemic without realizing the potential that lies ahead for the future CEOs, athletes, small business owners, and yes, even teachers that sit in the classroom today is that digital technology provides a vision to thinking "outside-the-box" and challenge oneself. These leaders that will move us through the "21st Century" and beyond need to be engaged in the classroom by transforming how they are taught to how they can think.

Week 1 Blog Assignment 1 - Am I Ready for Digital Technology?

"Learning Through Technology" is my first class as I pursue a MED in Business here at SNHU. The class title alone struck a bit of excitement which reminded me of when I was back in my high school and college days. However, when the teacher started to review the expectations of the students and a review of the syllabus, a rush of nervousness sank in and I started to ask "what am I getting myself into at this stage of my life". I then tried to compose myself and consider the positive aspects of the class and the potential it has to offer me.

As I scanned the room, the realization of being a student for the first time in 18 years started to overwhelm me as I sat there with a notebook in one hand and a pen in the other while others were opening their laptop or inserting their thumb-drive into the computers in front of us to prepare for this digital technology journey. My experience with digital technology many years ago was learning how to compose word documents, arrange excel spreadsheets, and other PC compatible tools. When I finally graduated from SNHU the Internet was not even in my vocabulary yet.

Linked-in and Facebook are some of the tools that I currently use in my day-to-day life but they are just the tip of the iceberg as to the digital technology resources that are available to us that provide both opportunities and possibilities for us to find interesting ways to seek out new skills and knowledge. There is so much information that is available at our finger-tips that I never realized how the complexity of finding it and using it could be so enlightening by the use of today's technology. Education is a powerful emotion, and knowing and using all of the right tools to display this knowledge just makes this a wonderful and passionate time to be learning.

I realize that technology has come along way and I better hold on for dear life to grasp everything that is to be thrown at me. A bit of apprehension on what the future of learning will look like in this digital technology driven era still looms over me, but I welcome this new digital technology challenge and find these new set of technology tools fascinating. The dawn of an era exists in which we have WEB 2.0 Tools available to enrich our knowledge and enhance our 21st Century skills as we find new ways to learn, teach, and communicate. Plus, for me it allows me to be able to stay in communication mode with my sons and understand their learning world as they embark on their college career. I must leave the 20th Century that I am comfortable with and grasp the thought of how the WEB 2.0 Tools is going to improve my life to learning and teaching someday.