How I Will Turn the Lights Back On

For my education class called Technology Across the Content Areas we are to identify two indicators in the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) on which we need improvement, and then describe how we will achieve these goals, monitor our progress, and extend our learning. Both the indicators I chose fall under the standard “Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity.” My first goal would be to learn more about promoting student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes. My second goal would be to model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments.

In order to achieve these goals, many actions must be taken. For example, I will do an internet search to find information on techniques involving technology which promote reflection. I will also collaborate online with colleagues to find out what collaborative techniques they have used or might suggest for the project on which I am currently working. Speaking with colleagues in my district helps tremendously with regard to new concepts that I would like to implement. With regard to my second goal, I would begin slowly by modeling collaborative knowledge with my students. During this process I would make sure I listen to suggestions made by students and acknowledge to them that I may not be an expert at this process, yet. Then I would feel more comfortable modeling these collaborative techniques with colleagues in a face to face environment or virtual environment. This process will be helpful because colleagues are typically helpful and offer valid suggestions.

Monitoring my progress is an integral part of strengthening my confidence in the acquisition of these two indicators. In order to monitor my progress, I will begin a learning log. The purpose of this log will be for me to record the different technological tools I use in the classroom and how they are implemented. In the first part of the learning log, I will list each technique used. Beside it, I will record the date used and give the specific content standards covered by the lesson. Challenges encountered will be recorded along with variables to avoid next time. This log will serve to remind me of where I began and the progress made. The second part of the log will list each form of technology (blog, wiki, podcast, etc.). Beside each technique I will fill in the date it was implemented. This list will be progressive and will be used to hold me accountable.

So how can these goals be extended into my classroom in order to benefit my students? First, after researching ways blogs can be used for student reflection, I would begin to implement these. My goal would be to set aside one to two days per week for students to reflect on their learning and respond to classmates’ blogs in the computer lab. In order to monitor their progress, I would also respond to their blogs to model the correct etiquette and format for them. For the collaborative indicator, I am planning a unit where my students will partner with a school in Denver, Colorado. Together they will build wikis on an assigned topic, create blog posts and respond to each other’s blogs. My students will learn how to collaborate online while watching as I model online collaboration with my colleague who is also with Walden.

Prensky (2008) made such an impact when he said that students come to school with the mindset that they must “turn out the lights.” It is my opinion that we must move past this attitude and show them that technology is a tool that provides a solid foundation in education. The only way for us to authentically demonstrate this to them is through our actions.

References

Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach (Laureate Education custom edition). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Prensky, M. (2008, March). Turning on the lights. Educational Leadership, 65(6), 40–45.