Mishra and Koehler explored the concept of teacher applications of tools, activities, concepts, and technology. A key idea that stood out to me was that not all teachers may teach a concept the same way. Along this same idea, Fijor explored the concept of hanging a picture by choosing from a variety of tools provided to complete the task. While most people would choose the conventional hammer and nail, it is possible that the picture could be hung with a different set of tools. It is our task as teachers to choose which technologies may be useful in the classroom, but first we must focus on the concept and what level of knowledge we want our students to achieve. By putting pressure on teachers to integrate technologies, sometimes we loose site of the concept at hand by allowing the technology to drive the direction of the lesson. This creates an imbalance in the TPaCK model by creating a stronger focus on TPK. Part of adjusting this balance between TPK and TPaCK involves understanding how technology trends impact our classroom. By creating a better understanding of the “digital minds” that we are trying to expand, we are able to make better decisions about the worth and roles of technologies in our classrooms.
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| Explore apps categorized by learning activities at EdTechTeacher |
Improving professional development sessions on technology is key for teacher growth and creative applications of technology in the classroom. The common misconception is that knowing how to use technology is the same as knowing how and when to apply it. While developing skills on how to use new technology is a good basis, it does little for influencing teachers on how and when it may be applicable to their classrooms. Fijor suggests “focus tools” as a guide for starting professional development on technology integration. This process would allow teachers to get focused training on a small variety of tools that are versatile and easy to learn. Providing teachers with resources to explore is also an important part of technology integration. EdTechTeacher is a great resource that has a clearly organized database of tools for teachers and for classroom applications.
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| Creative ideas from Edutopia for teachers to explore technology. |
Teacher prep programs also need to contribute to the development of technology skills by future teachers. It is not enough to just expose future teachers to what technologies are available, or even to assign projects that require the incorporation of technology. According to Benjamin Herold in his article Teacher Prep Programs Should Focus on Tech Integration, faculty should be modeling technology integration in their classroom in order for future teachers to fully understand how learning can change when technology is applied. Allowing these future teachers to sit in the seats of their students while going through training can lead to more creativity, better experience, and diverse perspectives on technology applications.
Very little changes in terms of content as we teach generation-to-generation of students, however how we tackle the changing needs and attitudes of these students can have a great impact on their learning experiences. Incorporating technology is no longer a choice if we want to reach 21st century learners and provide them with the best learning experiences, and technology skill development for later success. Edutopia gives Ten Ideas for Teaching Teachers Technology including a list of 5 scenarios(shown above) where teachers can be more interactive and have the opportunity to explore technology on a regular basis.
