I have never been drawn to technology. In fact, I'm much more likely to seek, out very old tools and technology, such as learning to spin and dye my own wool. That being said, I can still recognize that technology is inevitably becoming a part of our lives and I will gladly integrate any tool that that will make my life easier as a teacher or improve the experience of the students in my classroom. Reluctant as I am, there are certainly teachers in schools even less inclined towards technology that myself. I believe that my reluctance towards technology puts me in a better position to understand the more technology-averse teachers in the school and as the teacher-librarian, I would be in a great position to try and reach out to support their development of ICT skills.
One of the most scarce resources for teachers is time. When in their busy schedule of writing lesson plans, marking and (hopefully) living their own lives could they devote to learning new skills? We need to provide them with learning opportunities that fit into their busy schedules. Lunch and learns are one option, as are creating workshops for professional development days. In theory, everybody needs to take a lunch and they all need to participate in pro-D days. If food can be provided, even better. Everyone loves a free lunch. We could even provide teasers before the workshop by wandering into some classrooms a day or two before the lunch and learn and showing the teachers exactly what the technology is that they will be learning or exploring during the lunch and learn. It's easier to get excited about something they have seen before.
The downside of all these workshops and lunch and learns is that we can only show so much technology in a short period of time. But what if, instead of running workshops on every new form of technology, we gave them opportunities to learn with their students? As a high school teacher, I often find that students are better with technology than I am, so why not use this to the advantage of the class? Instead of the teacher learning to use the new technology, and then hopefully passing that on to the students, we could run a single workshop on how to incorporate the learning of new technology as a collaborative effort with the teacher-librarian. And an extra selling point to the teacher? We can help do the teaching, giving the class teacher a break and more of that precious time.
Another issue many teachers may find is access to the technology they want to learn. Making sure the library has adequate tools for the students is one way to solve the access issue, but another way is to encourage teachers to use tools they can use on devices they and their students already have. I have found many students love review quizzes using platforms like Kahoot! We can point them towards online resources and tutorials. Augmented reality is always a crowd pleaser in the classroom. Similar to how libraries now have rotating book displays, we could include a highlighted technology for students and teachers. One or two computers could be set aside with the tech-of-the-month readily available for any curious visitors, and it could be promoted to staff through emails with tutorials, invites and links to resources. It's much easier to highlight one or two options than it is to promote "tech" as a general option.
We can keep a database available to all staff where teachers can find and share some of the amazing resources they discover for their teaching, including lesson plans that work for them using the technology available at that school. Perhaps a Dropbox folder or a master list of resources and links, along with notes and comments from the teachers who use them. This can also be were we keep all resourses highlighted during past tech-of-the-month displays. These tools are important, as no matter how much time teachers have and access to appropriate tools, they are worth little if teachers don't have good ideas how to apply them in the classroom.
Most importantly, we need to meet the teachers where they are. If someone has been pushing back against technology for most of their career, they are not likely to want to jump right into using 3D printers or programming with arduinos. For the super reluctant, we can show them tools like Little Bits or Ozobots that come with ready-made challenges for students, so there is little for the teacher to know before bringing it into a classroom. As a next step, there are a few simple ways to integrate technology into any lesson plan we could show them. For the more seasoned, we could offer them ideas on how to use augmented reality, using scratch coding in the classroom, or perhaps think really big and get students to create their own virtual tour of their school, community, or other area.
We don't just need to show teachers what tools are available and how they work. We need to make sure they know how these tools can make their teaching easier and more relevant. As long as we are able fit learning into their busy schedule, make it accessible to both teachers and students, and don't overload reluctant teachers. I'm sure we can get everyone incorporating at least some technology into their class. It's my experience that when you give high school students a computer, they are far more engaged than when they have a worksheet, and teachers can use that to their advantage.
References:
Arduino (n.d.). 21 Education Projects. Retrieved from https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/projects/tags/education
Bornstein, Jeremy (2017). 15 Ways to Create a Successful Lunch & Learn. Retrieved from https://www.2020onsite.com/blog/15-ways-to-create-a-successful-lunch-learn
Common Sense Education (n.d.). Lesson Plans for Scratch. Retrieved from https://www.commonsense.org/education/website/scratch/flows
Crews, Jeff (2018). Five Ways Teachers Can Use - and Create - Augmented Reality Experiences. Retrieved from https://www.edsurge.com/news/2018-01-22-five-ways-teachers-can-use-and-create-augmented-reality-experiences
Education Technology Specialists (2017). Ozobot Bit - Litte Red Riding Hood Video. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd686C5-Ds0
KidArduino (2013). Arduino Starter Project for Kids. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6fKs3Zbnb0
Kyritsis, Eleni (n.d.). Using Google Tour Creator in the Classroom. Retrieved from https://elenikyritsis.com/2018/07/22/using-google-tour-creator-in-the-classroom/
New Gen Apps (2018). 6 Amazing Ways to Use Augmented Reality in the Classroom. Retrieved from https://www.newgenapps.com/blog/6-amazing-ways-to-use-augmented-reality-in-the-classroom
Peterson, Tommy (2015). 3D Printing in the Classroom Adds a New Dimension to Education. Retrieved from https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2015/01/3d-printers-add-new-dimension-classrooms
Powtoon (2018). 13 Simple Ways to Integrate Technology Into Any Lesson Plan. Retrieved from https://www.powtoon.com/blog/13-simple-ways-integrate-technology-lesson-plan/
Reed, Michelle (2014). How to Use Kahoot! in the Classroom. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ3Er1-tCMc
Teacher Vision (2018). Top 10 Educational Technology Resources. Retrieved from https://www.teachervision.com/educational-technology/top-10-educational-technology-resources
WildRose Builds (2018). Satisfying 3D Print Timelapse Compilation 3 (Prusa I3 Mk3 octopi). Retrievd from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dss1yUHH-QY
3D printers are incredibly satisfying to watch. Video by WildRose Builds.
One of the most scarce resources for teachers is time. When in their busy schedule of writing lesson plans, marking and (hopefully) living their own lives could they devote to learning new skills? We need to provide them with learning opportunities that fit into their busy schedules. Lunch and learns are one option, as are creating workshops for professional development days. In theory, everybody needs to take a lunch and they all need to participate in pro-D days. If food can be provided, even better. Everyone loves a free lunch. We could even provide teasers before the workshop by wandering into some classrooms a day or two before the lunch and learn and showing the teachers exactly what the technology is that they will be learning or exploring during the lunch and learn. It's easier to get excited about something they have seen before.
 |
| You bring the lunch, we'll bring the tech. Photo by Crew on Unsplash, care of 20/20. |
The downside of all these workshops and lunch and learns is that we can only show so much technology in a short period of time. But what if, instead of running workshops on every new form of technology, we gave them opportunities to learn with their students? As a high school teacher, I often find that students are better with technology than I am, so why not use this to the advantage of the class? Instead of the teacher learning to use the new technology, and then hopefully passing that on to the students, we could run a single workshop on how to incorporate the learning of new technology as a collaborative effort with the teacher-librarian. And an extra selling point to the teacher? We can help do the teaching, giving the class teacher a break and more of that precious time.
 |
| Examples of low budget technology for classrooms, including Google cardboard and Kahoot! Image care of American Libraries. |
Another issue many teachers may find is access to the technology they want to learn. Making sure the library has adequate tools for the students is one way to solve the access issue, but another way is to encourage teachers to use tools they can use on devices they and their students already have. I have found many students love review quizzes using platforms like Kahoot! We can point them towards online resources and tutorials. Augmented reality is always a crowd pleaser in the classroom. Similar to how libraries now have rotating book displays, we could include a highlighted technology for students and teachers. One or two computers could be set aside with the tech-of-the-month readily available for any curious visitors, and it could be promoted to staff through emails with tutorials, invites and links to resources. It's much easier to highlight one or two options than it is to promote "tech" as a general option.
Quick guide to using Kahoot! in the classroom. Video created by Michelle Reed
We can keep a database available to all staff where teachers can find and share some of the amazing resources they discover for their teaching, including lesson plans that work for them using the technology available at that school. Perhaps a Dropbox folder or a master list of resources and links, along with notes and comments from the teachers who use them. This can also be were we keep all resourses highlighted during past tech-of-the-month displays. These tools are important, as no matter how much time teachers have and access to appropriate tools, they are worth little if teachers don't have good ideas how to apply them in the classroom.
Little Red Riding Hood, told with Ozobots. Video by Education Technology Specialists (EdTechs).
Most importantly, we need to meet the teachers where they are. If someone has been pushing back against technology for most of their career, they are not likely to want to jump right into using 3D printers or programming with arduinos. For the super reluctant, we can show them tools like Little Bits or Ozobots that come with ready-made challenges for students, so there is little for the teacher to know before bringing it into a classroom. As a next step, there are a few simple ways to integrate technology into any lesson plan we could show them. For the more seasoned, we could offer them ideas on how to use augmented reality, using scratch coding in the classroom, or perhaps think really big and get students to create their own virtual tour of their school, community, or other area.
A seven-year old's first Arduino project. Video by KidArduino.
We don't just need to show teachers what tools are available and how they work. We need to make sure they know how these tools can make their teaching easier and more relevant. As long as we are able fit learning into their busy schedule, make it accessible to both teachers and students, and don't overload reluctant teachers. I'm sure we can get everyone incorporating at least some technology into their class. It's my experience that when you give high school students a computer, they are far more engaged than when they have a worksheet, and teachers can use that to their advantage.
References:
Arduino (n.d.). 21 Education Projects. Retrieved from https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/projects/tags/education
Bornstein, Jeremy (2017). 15 Ways to Create a Successful Lunch & Learn. Retrieved from https://www.2020onsite.com/blog/15-ways-to-create-a-successful-lunch-learn
Common Sense Education (n.d.). Lesson Plans for Scratch. Retrieved from https://www.commonsense.org/education/website/scratch/flows
Crews, Jeff (2018). Five Ways Teachers Can Use - and Create - Augmented Reality Experiences. Retrieved from https://www.edsurge.com/news/2018-01-22-five-ways-teachers-can-use-and-create-augmented-reality-experiences
Education Technology Specialists (2017). Ozobot Bit - Litte Red Riding Hood Video. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd686C5-Ds0
KidArduino (2013). Arduino Starter Project for Kids. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6fKs3Zbnb0
Kyritsis, Eleni (n.d.). Using Google Tour Creator in the Classroom. Retrieved from https://elenikyritsis.com/2018/07/22/using-google-tour-creator-in-the-classroom/
New Gen Apps (2018). 6 Amazing Ways to Use Augmented Reality in the Classroom. Retrieved from https://www.newgenapps.com/blog/6-amazing-ways-to-use-augmented-reality-in-the-classroom
Peterson, Tommy (2015). 3D Printing in the Classroom Adds a New Dimension to Education. Retrieved from https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2015/01/3d-printers-add-new-dimension-classrooms
Powtoon (2018). 13 Simple Ways to Integrate Technology Into Any Lesson Plan. Retrieved from https://www.powtoon.com/blog/13-simple-ways-integrate-technology-lesson-plan/
Reed, Michelle (2014). How to Use Kahoot! in the Classroom. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ3Er1-tCMc
Teacher Vision (2018). Top 10 Educational Technology Resources. Retrieved from https://www.teachervision.com/educational-technology/top-10-educational-technology-resources
WildRose Builds (2018). Satisfying 3D Print Timelapse Compilation 3 (Prusa I3 Mk3 octopi). Retrievd from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dss1yUHH-QY
WOW! There is so much information in this post! Thanks for sharing some technologies, I had never heard of some so this is great! I loved the 3D printer video, very cool to see stuff being made and some of it was geeky stuff which was amazing. For someone who does no seek out technology, you have found a lot of useful stuff. I think your position of being slightly reluctant can really be a benefit. You will see technology for the merit it can bring to the classroom instead of just the shiny new fad that may or may not be good. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I love watching that video too. I also love pictures of 3D printing projects gone wrong...
DeleteWhat a strong post. I think your ability to relate to teachers who are reluctant to explore ways to embed technology into their practice is a strong asset. I agree that time is very precious in education. Your solution to co-teach is very powerful. This is an excellent way to support teaching and learning for both staff and students. It is practical, meaningful and effective. You have linked a wide variety of tools and resources here for your reader. You are also doing an excellent job of sharing your ideas with a wider audience and building your PLN using Twitter!
ReplyDeleteThank you Darcy! Your feedback and encouragement mean a lot to me.
Delete