I feel slightly overwhelmed by the amount of information we received and implemented this week and yet it sparks something in me as a student and as a teacher. I think about how every time I go to a professional development event, such as a conference or even an honor band event and I come home rejuvenated and excited to share my new knowledge with my students, my co-workers and even my friends and family. I really enjoyed the first video we watched in our lecture because I can completely relate to the idea that involving students with integrated technology and face-to-face facilitation creates a similar excitement and motivation in students as I feel coming home from those conferences. What if every day could be like that in my classroom? What if kids could learn and have fun, every day? By integrating technology into the classroom, we provide our students with a worldwide authentic audience which provides immediate feedback and collaboration across social, economical and cultural divides. Although I am truly excited about this prospect, I still feel that I am more of a technology immigrant than a native.
Today's students are bombarded with information constantly from different sources of technology and I feel daunted by the task of facilitating the science learning method in which students are in charge of their own learning. I feel that much of my pedagogical knowledge is too teacher-centered and worse, I don't feel I have enough technological knowledge to efficiently use technology to enhance my classroom in this way. Our reading described some issues that other teachers have reported as obstacles to integrating technology. These absolutely apply to me! Most schools I have worked in have little or no budget to spend on technology, and the technology we have is incredibly outdated. When new technology does become available, I find my workload to be so demanding that I don't spend the amount of time I need to gain the technological knowledge to feel comfortable in front of my classroom teaching students a technology I barely understand myself. On the other hand, I personally have not been teaching for the past 2 school years, and have had the opportunity to work as a paraprofessional in a computer lab of 100 mac desktops. This has been an incredible experience for me to experiment with technology and find out that I do in fact have the skills to figure out computer issues that arise if I am patient with myself, and use Internet and book resources (google is my friend when I don't know how to use a program or fix an issue). The final video in our lecture this week reiterated this point for me. Many of the coders said that coding starts out as intimidating, but by breaking down the problems into small steps and involving yourself directly in the issue, you not only memorize the steps to fix the issue, but you learn and retain that information.
Perhaps the most important piece of information I am walking away with this week is about the TPACK. In order for me to reach my goal of creating the classroom environment I want which integrates technology and a face-to-face facilitation approach, while breaking down my own insecurities about technology, I need to focus on developing my TPACK. Our reading broke down a method of developing curriculum, by making columns "curricular outcomes," "pedagogical approaches," and "potential technologies,"in order to determine what tools could enhance a lesson. This is a process that I fully intend to focus on in order to improve my TPACK.
The amount of information we received this week was a lot, but compared to the amount of reading in "World Music" or the amazing amount of work you have to do for a 10 question quiz in Music analysis, I found it to be quite enjoyable work!
ReplyDeleteAs you said, when it comes to integrating technology, there are obstacles EVERYWHERE!!! For my school, there is a huge gap (in my opinion) in technology between the classroom teachers and the enhancement (Art, PE, Music) teachers. They have Smartboards, document cameras, projectors, Ipads, laptops for the students and all-in-one desktops. I have 3 dinosaur desktops and a projector with a document camera. I feel like the classroom teachers get everything without asking and I have to scavenge for scraps. There’s even a gap from school to school, it’s crazy!
When a new technology comes up, I wish I felt overloaded like you. Instead, I sit through training that not only could I teach but for technology I know I won't get to use. Off my soapbox now! I agree that TPACK was perhaps one of the more noteworthy pieces of information that was presented and I would add that the websites suggested by the article by Bauer was also great to add to my own PLN. Great blog post!! Thanks for all the great ideas to think about ~Saralyn
Sarah, I think you should feel empowered by your experience in that giant computer lab with the mac desktops! I, too, am nervous about the task of learning about technology that can be used in our music classroom. Prior to this year, I have had little technology to use - especially with my students. I genuinely hope that this course pays attention to all of the elements of TPACK - and that we will be more comfortable using technology with our students (should the technology become available!).
ReplyDeleteSaralyn - I feel your pain about the technology PD's. I had to sit through a 'training' of Smart Notebook by a woman who ... well, let's just say she was clearly not a digital native! During the training, I showed her 3 tricks/shortcuts that I had discovered in the two months I had had my Smartboard!