The Information Technology Revolution in the 21st Century

1. The Information Technology Revolution in the 21st Century Collin CollegeEDUC 1301 Chapter 7

2. Digital Revolution • Technology redefines communication, knowledge, and work • Teacher is no longer the sole expert • Teachers need to prepare students for jobs that don’t currently exist—which will use technology that hasn’t been invented—for as yet unknown purposes! • Schools often lag behind in technology, but this is an integral part of students’ lives and must be part of their classroom life!

3. Digital native or immigrant? • Digital native: Has grown up using “digital language” of computers, video games, Internet • Many teachers are “digital immigrants” • Like ELLs, they’re smart and capable but lack knowledge and skills

4. From Scarce to Overwhelming • Information used to be hard to get • Now, we can probably find more information in a day than an 18th-century scholar could in a lifetime! • Work with students to use the Internet to: • Choose websites in advance • Avoid information overload • Think critically to assess validity of sources • Stay on track to solve problems

5. Make the Most of Technology • Watch the TeachSource Video Case, “Teaching Technology Skills” • Advice for Teachers • Differentiated Instruction • Challenges

6. Interactive Technology Supports Learning • Facilitates tackling of real-world problems • WebQuest • Expands use of simulations, modeling • Simulated dissection of frog • http://frog.edschool.virginia.edu/ • Creates local, global learning communities • Class website involves parents, community • Students from different countries collaborate via e-mail, shared websites, Internet phone services, online chat, videoconferencing, blogs and twitter.

7. Online Resources: Wikis, Blogs • Makes writing and reading more fun • Allow visitors to add or edit content • Wikis: Usually websites (focus on resource) • Wikipedia • Blogs: Diaries (focus on blogger) • Expands learning community geographically, demographically • Students could receive comments from other students, teachers, field experts… anyone!

8. Technology Fluency for Teachers • Teachers should be able to: • Design appropriate learning experiences using technology • Effectively use technology in assessment • Improve productivity • Engage in professional dev., personal learning • Model and teach legal and ethical use of tech • Affirm diversity, promote equitable access to tech • Promote safe and healthy use of tech resources • National Educational Technology Standards • http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers.aspx

9. The Digital Divide • Gap between those who have ready technological access and expertise, and those who do not. • Students with Internet at home have educational advantages. • Major disparities: • Geographic: • Suburban kids: Much more computer time than urban & rural • Socioeconomic: • Poor students 2x as likely to only have Net access at school • Poor rural kids may not have Net access in public libraries

10. Closing the Digital Divide • The $150 laptop project • Provide “single most useful learning tool” for poor children who live in remote areas – wireless laptops • Access to Internet & learning communities • Positive force for social development • Will it work if school lacks expertise and students have little prior exposure to tech? • More info: One Laptop Per Child Project • http://laptop.org/en/

11. Assistive Technology • Devices that promote independence for people with disabilities by facilitating tasks they can’t otherwise do easily • Speech recognition software • Braille printers • Interactive whiteboards (to provide notes to those who can’t write) • Technology can reduce or eliminate barriers to learning experienced by disabled students

12. Door stops or teaching tools? • Presence of computers in schools doesn’t mean they’re used well • Poorest schools actually have best ratio of computers/students, but that doesn’t make up for reduced home access • Teachers and students can work together online!

13. Resources for Teachers • eMints: Prof dev focused on technology • http://emints.org/ • Useful websites by subject area • Introduction to educational blogging • Childnet International • http://www.childnet-int.org/safety/teachers.aspx • NetSafeKidshttp://www.nap.edu/netsafekids/

14. Transforming the traditional classroom • Although we look forward to new ways of teaching our students, many challenges face us as we imagine how the traditional classroom will be transformed to reflect the high-tech world around us. Teacher’s Domain http://www.teachersdomain.org/

15. Conclusion • Teachers will face many challenges as traditional classrooms are made high-tech • Teacher’s role changes from information provider to guide and interpreter • Technology can promote discovery learning through real-world projects, collaborative investigations, simulations • Teachers can help reduce the digital divide