Learner centered instruction, that in which the students are active learners, appears to be the future of education. Long gone are the days of teachers talking at students and memorization and recitation as the method of assessment. While teaching style is shifting to develop critical thinking which prepares students for success in the real world, it seems that national and state standards are becoming more rigid. It seems that these two are at odds as the standardized tests have difficulty in assessing creativity and collaboration.
Critical thinking development via the use of online learning environments can develop skills in creativity, strategy, and problem solving. In order for an online environment or game to be effective, it must be immersive. As students are exposed to a variety of media, the more immersive, the more it seems to thrive. The same should be applied to educational media. One should feel as if solving the problem has meaning. The same principles that make games successful should be applied to educational tools.
Digital, media, and visual literacy are increasingly important as we shift teaching into the digital age. It is necessary for students to decipher and create visual learning materials. Furthermore, it is imperative that students can think critically and apply what they have learned into their own material. This type of learning along with the benefit of access to technology, promotes creativity.
Group work and collaboration has long been a part of the standard curriculum. It allows students to learn from one another, take on different roles, and play to their strengths. Cooperative learning like this allows students from a wide array of learning styles and abilities to work together. This type of learning is critical as it is something that mirrors real world experiences. In nearly every career there is collaboration and the ability to work together is paramount to a successful project. Technology makes this type of work a more viable option. Individuals are able to contribute to the group from remote locations and get real time updates. "Creativity is a much-prized quality in society...but is not nearly so in schools." The way we perceive intelligence has shifted profoundly in recent history. While in the past logical and mathematical reason was the basis for determining who was smart, we now understand that people learn and express themselves in many different ways. Technology provides us with an outlet for creativity that has the potential to instantly reach across the globe. As the text states, it is not necessary for the student to be revolutionary, but creating in a new way to the individual is empowering. I believe this creates confidence and opens new doors in exploration and creativity in ones self. Critical thinking through the use of online problem-solving environments is very intriguing. I am not a video gamer myself, but I am quite aware of how popular it is in my generation and it surely will be for generations to come. Using the tech that kids use for fun as a tool for learning is a great idea. I think the challenge is coming up with learning tools that feel more like games. When a student is engaged in the material, they should not feel like they are studying, but playing an immersive and challenging video game. A video on critical thinking, it is not short, but it is quite interesting.
Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. Corazza, G. (2014). Creative thinking - how to get out of the box and generate ideas: Giovanni Corazza at TEDxRoma. Retrieved September 9, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEusrD8g-dM
Z. (n.d.). Free online word cloud generator and tag cloud creator. Retrieved September 9, 2016, from http://www.wordclouds.com/
The idea of using a technology based teaching tool is very interesting. Some students may grasp concepts readily and be able to work independently. Using a tech tool will free those students to continue learning rather than waiting on the teacher to explain further to other students. The teacher is able to spend additional time with those that need more hands on learning. We all know that people learn in different ways and using a technology based teaching tool can assist the teacher in reaching all students. This will also afford opportunities for those who do not have access to technology outside of the classroom which may be restricted by socio-economic status (Gollnick, 2013).
To this point I had not given much thought to what my must have technologies would be. These new technologies are expanding exponentially. One technology that I learned about is a student response system, also known as a "clicker". As a fan of Jeopardy I was intrigued by this and it is exactly what it sounds like, it is a remote that allows students to respond to questions remotely rather than raising hands and one student says the answer aloud. Im sure we have all had those times in a classroom when we think, "Please don't call on me." The clicker allows all students to answer and the teacher to review the results at a later time. Check out the video below to see an example of one of these systems.
Creating highly interactive, inquiry-based learning environments is exciting to me. Many people do not learn effectively by being talked at. An interactive environment enables a student to give input and actively contribute to their own education and the education of others. Inquiry based environments contribute to critical thinking and encourages creativity. This type of interaction enables a student not only to learn the information, but to understand and really grasp the what and why of their education. It would look something like the smile program from Stanford University in which students are challenged to think critically by creating questions from lessons they are taught.
This chapter has opened my eyes to how much I do not know about teaching technology. When I graduated secondary school 14 years ago, my school was still using blackboards and learning was supplemented by computers only in home (if you had access) and at the Library. I am very excited to explore new technologies and ways to implement them in the classroom. To be an effective teacher to others, I must educate myself on the new technology available. This information will help to build my digital identity as an educator.
Resources:
Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.
Gollnick, D., Chinn,P. (2013). Education in a Pluralistic Society. 9th Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.
SMILE: Stanford Mobile Inquiry-based Learning Environment. Stanford Graduate School of Education. Last updated Aug 12, 2016. Accessed Aug 30, 2016 from
Student Response Systems from Turning Technologies. Participate Technologies CC. Published on Nov 2, 2012 Accessed Aug 30, 2016 from https://www.youtube.m/watch?v=ol8NESyJDU8
