"A recent report suggested that the nation's teachers are woefully incompetent in the use of technology in the classroom." That's the statement I made in 2000. It is a relief to report that things have changed dramatically over the past 8 years. Why? Because a whole generation of new, younger teachers has replaced teachers who retired or moved on. The digital dinosaurs are largely extinct.
Having been in faculty rooms at one time or another, I am well aware of the resistance to change. But the Internet has changed the way we find information, the way we absorb information, and the way we regurgitate information. The convergence of technology has sped up the process. Cellphones do so much more than just phone calls!
So, how do you integrate technology into your classroom in the new milenium? Here's how:
Buy a laptop!
A laptop allows you great flexibility and portability. Just make sure it has wireless capability built in. What brand should you get? It doesn't much matter. Get the best deal you can. You'll spend between $600-$1000, more if you buy a tablet PC. Don't be afraid of getting last year's model. Systems are so fast that you really won't notice the difference. Besides, you'll save money. Visit your local BestBuy store and try out the laptops. Become familiar with the features and pricing. Then go online and buy confidently.
Learn from your colleagues.
Your fellow teachers know what works. Most medium to large size schools have IT professionals on staff who will be glad to help you. Some even dedicate a staff member to teaching teachers about how to use technology in their lessons. Go to Integrating Technology Into Teaching for ideas. No need to reinvent the wheel! See what your colleagues are doing. Think you are too old to learn how to use technology? Never Say Never! How To Become Tech-Savvy offers you lots of encouragement. Great universities such as Carnegie Mellon offer another excellent source of ideas and techniques.
Subscribe to a mailing list like EDTECH where 3,500 subscribers just like you ask questions and learn about using technology in the classroom. You can find this and dozens of other mailing lists on my Mailing Lists page.
Use an RSS feed aggregator such as Bloglines to sift through the virtual blizzard of information and ideas which you need to keep current.
Communicate with email and blogs.
Email facilitates communication with all three members of the academic triangle: the teacher, the student and the parent. The beauty of email is that you can dash off a really short note which will be read. Can you say that about a handwritten letter/note sent home with Darwina? I don't think so. Blogs are a wonderful way to keep an electronic journal which encourages comment and dialog with your students. Anything which helps a student express his thoughts has to be a good thing.
Post your assignments on a Web portal.
Parents will thank you for this information. They love to be able to review their children's assignments and grades online. The more you can involve parents, the more successful your outcomes will be.
Incorporate a digital projector into your lessons.
Digital projectors are THE most exciting classroom tool ever. A picture truly is worth a thousand words. Project your laptop or desktop image on the screen for students to see you solve that math problem or examine a frog's retina. Powerful technology!
Remember: you are a teacher! You are in the business of igniting the fires of curiosity. Take your own medicine as you probe, inquire and learn about these exciting technologies! The pace of change is breathtaking! High speed Internet access, which was only a blip on the radar 5 years ago, is as common as a laptop. Electronic commerce, as epitomized by eBay, Yahoo and Amazon.com, has dramatically altered the way we shop. Communications has shrunk the distances and brought the four corners of the globe much closer together. Wireless access points are everywhere.
Unprepared Teachers?
Wireless technologies have already revolutionized classroom teaching. Online applications are common place. Email is the preferred mode of communication at many schools. So why do I keep reading that teachers are poorly trained or inadequately prepared to integrate new technologies into the classroom? It is vital that we implement this integration process, for these new technologies are the tools used in the global workplace. We will jeopardize our country's economic future if we produce students who are not in the vanguard of technological advance.
It's The Teacher's Responsibility
It all starts with us. We teachers need to embrace new technologies. We need to do so as though our lives depend on it! For in fact they do! Learn everything you can about computers and the Internet. A site like 4Teacher.org will give you plenty of ideas.
Revolutionize Your Thinking
Brainstorm with your colleagues, administrators and parents. Be inspired by gurus such as Wesley Fryer. No need to reinvent the wheel! Others have blazed the trail. Learn what works from them. The more you understand the deep seated nature of this revolution which is technology, the more you will want to be a part of it. Every subject area can be enhanced and revitalized through the use of technology.
Conclusion
Remember: the Internet had its birth in the research and academic communities. It was created to allow the free and rapid flow of information to benefit higher learning. Let's recapture that focus in our work, and enrich our teaching in the process!
