I would love to say my earliest memories of using technology to learn are from 1st grade and the computer where we learned "Turtle Graphics". Does anyone else remember this? You typed in commands like RT90 and LT90 to get the triangle-shaped cursor to go other directions. Or later, when we played "Oregon Trail" and "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?". But, the reality is that my first usages of technology to learn were the books I read with my mom, and the record player I used to play storybooks that were recorded on small 45s while I followed along in the book. It was the Easy Bake Oven and accompanying recipes, and the battery-run train that played music.
Technology now sounds scary to me. The word "technology" seems to typically conjure up images of people who know how to code, and put together hardware, and other things that seem difficult to me. The reality is that technology is just about innovation, creativity, and new ways of doing things. I love thinking about innovation, creativity, and new ways of doing things, and so you would think I'd be all about the technology. And, I'm realizing I do think it's pretty cool. As I go through this class I'm learning quite a bit about the ways technology has changed education, and as an online learner, I'm once again benefitting from technology in education.
This comes with challenges, as all new things typically do. As an online learner, I am aware of just how self-motivated I need to be in order to be successful in this program. I am an extrovert, and naturally enjoy talking with people about what I am learning. Since online learning CAN be done in isolation, I am aware that I still need to make choices to involve others in my learning. I benefit all the time from an online community of colleagues in my field, and am learning to do that in a class setting as well. As I progress through this program, I am confident that I'll learn new ways to connect to learners both in my classes, and otherwise online.
Technology now sounds scary to me. The word "technology" seems to typically conjure up images of people who know how to code, and put together hardware, and other things that seem difficult to me. The reality is that technology is just about innovation, creativity, and new ways of doing things. I love thinking about innovation, creativity, and new ways of doing things, and so you would think I'd be all about the technology. And, I'm realizing I do think it's pretty cool. As I go through this class I'm learning quite a bit about the ways technology has changed education, and as an online learner, I'm once again benefitting from technology in education.
This comes with challenges, as all new things typically do. As an online learner, I am aware of just how self-motivated I need to be in order to be successful in this program. I am an extrovert, and naturally enjoy talking with people about what I am learning. Since online learning CAN be done in isolation, I am aware that I still need to make choices to involve others in my learning. I benefit all the time from an online community of colleagues in my field, and am learning to do that in a class setting as well. As I progress through this program, I am confident that I'll learn new ways to connect to learners both in my classes, and otherwise online.
What kinds of technology did you remember utilizing in your own learning?
And, how do you encourage your students, or your fellow classmates to create community in an online environment?
Technology is something that is fascinating and terrifying at the same time. It is fascinating due to the endless possibilities. This goes beyond the simple telephone to computer to smartphone. This truly is anything that enhances your current ways of doing things. Some could argue that even taking a shower is use of technology. This is not something that comes to mind when you think of technology. However, it is one of the earlier forms.
ReplyDeleteI also remember going to school and turning on the green color screen for the Apple computer to load up learning games like "Number Munchers" or "Word Munchers" and of course my favorites that you mentioned, "Oregon Trail" and "Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?" Technology is like Oregon Trail, you need to "Forge the River" in order to move forward. You need to try new things. When they fail, do not stop. Keep trying again and again.
When I was in junior high, I was enrolled in an "Industrial Technology" class. essentially it was a shop class. We made locker organizers and dust pans out of metal, and then a solar cooker made out of wood and aluminum foil. If we got done with these projects early, we could use the fancy new Macintosh computer (at the time) to create a template for a note pad that we could create. I was able to use the computer to create my design. After completing it, I did not want to keep the design. Therefore, I decided to delete it and start over. It turned out, that I did not delete this file, but deleted the entire program. Everything was now sitting in the "trash can". I thought I destroyed the computer. Instead it was a simple mistake that was easily fixed. This could have prevented me from moving forward in other technology use.
I mentioned earlier that technology can be terrifying. It is, especially in those first moments of trying to figure something new out. Taking a class in college on how to use Microsoft Office seems silly now because it is used now on a daily basis and don't really remember learning. It's like learning how to speak. You vaguely remember it happening, but now it is second nature to communicate.
As I get older, I try to stay current with technology that the students use (Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Group Me, etc.). One thing I am finding is people my age are not on the same wave length with these technologies as I need to be in order to connect with the students I oversee. Which proves that you generally utilize the technology the best impacts you. Do not use technology for the sake of it being technology, but use it for the intensive purposes, to advance what you are doing.
Some technology, like social media, can get a bad rap due to misuse. It is important when you utilize these forms to demonstrate the most professional way possible. This will help students see the positives of it.
We have come along so far in my first 40 years of my life. It will be interesting to see what the next 40 will bring. I know I am not ready for a self-driving car, but it seems that is a direction we are headed. Like this, and any other technology, you move forward and at least try. If you don't like it, find other ways to advance your goals.
Thanks, Scott. I think you're right that we utilize the technologies that best impact us and help each of us get done what we need to. The RAs and ACs like to use GroupMe. I like to use the voxer app on my phone to do roughly the same thing, but voxer allows me to talk while I drive!
DeleteWhen I was younger, the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of technology, is the orange keyboard covers that we used in 5th grade tech class to make sure we weren't looking at the keys as we typed. Everyone cheated and looked under them when they were stuck, but it's so vibrant in my mind. However, I realize after reading your thoughts that our computer classes weren't my only brushes with technology. My lite brite, hit clips, my Walkman filled with burnt CD's my mom had made on the computer, password journal, and many other toys that I was using as a kid were a sign of the ever-growing use of technology that has culminated into where we are today.
ReplyDeleteOne way that I have worked to use technology to help cultivate community with my students is by using a Google Site as a home base for all of their forms, worksheet, and calendars. This has been extremely beneficial, as they are much more apt to do their admin work when it's all in one place that they can reach from any of their devices. I also find that groupme has been a fantastic way for everyone to keep in touch and get to know each other.
I believe that creating a community for our students is going to look different every year, and it should. We get a different group of students every year, they're constantly changing, the world around us is constantly changing, and with that comes new technology. I think it's important to meet the students where they are and use it to help them to grow and develop. And there's never again going to be a time where we can do that without utilizing at least some of the technology that surrounds us and them every day.
Oh, the burnt CDs...!!!! I forgot about them. They were the BEST! My brother made me one when I graduated from college of all the songs that were popular the year I graduated, mixed with all our favorite songs from growing up. So it was Chumbawumba followed by Bye Bye Miss American Pie.
DeleteI like your thoughts on the Google Site. I can absolutely see how having everything in one place, where everyone can access the information and make changes in real time, can be helpful.
The first technology I remember using in the classroom setting is what we called AlphaSmarts. They were tiny digital typewriters that a teacher could reserve a cart full of them for the classroom. We could type our stories or papers on them, and then hook the little typewriter up to the teachers computer where it would pull all of our text into Microsoft Word and the teacher could save it or print it. Its amazing how much technology has decreased in cost. In just the course of a few years the school I went to went from having one cart of these typewriters to several carts of laptops that could do anything a computer can do. It really opened up the ability to research and learn in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI always took online courses in college, and quickly learned how to use that technology. It's interesting that you wrote about being an extrovert and wanting that interaction, because as an introvert I took a few online classes every semester to avoid unnecessary interactions with peers. Many of the instructors in my undergraduate career tried to make the online classroom interactive, but forcing conversations on discussion boards was not a successful strategy. It was not until my last semester of grad school when I became a full time distance learner that I saw how interactive an online course could be. The class still met at the same time every week and we utilized cameras and microphones to have conversations. The professor was able to break the class into small groups for discussion where we could only hear and see each other and the professor could come in and out of our groups just like in a classroom, and we were able to use the digital space to meet "face to face" for group projects. The ability to see and speak real time instead of using email or message boards made this class much more interactive and engaging. This ability and connection made it so some of these people who I've still never met in person are some of the closest colleagues I have in the field and we constantly discuss matters and run different ideas past each other.
I don't remember much technology in my learning until high school. I do remember taking reading comprehension tests on computers in 5th grade (remember the reading program with the free pizzas...that one!). I'm from a super small town, so even when we did have internet, it was dial up (cue all those noises it used to make). So yeah, it was slow. I even remember using books (what?!?!?) for my senior year final research paper in English class.
ReplyDeleteI did take a typewriting class in high school. It was taught by the football coach. Enough said. I'm not sure how many improvements my old high school has made, but hopefully some!
In my professional career, I use technology all the time! I like using share sites, like Google Drive because it's updated in real time and is a great place to store and organize things.
To build community, I think it's important that our students get to know each other first (perhaps without technology). I'm an overthinker, so if I don't know someone well and I read a post or a text from them, I'm going to overthink what they mean. What was their tone? Are they being sarcastic? Serious? Angry? Because of this, I like to do plenty of team builders with my staff early on so they can learn the personalities of each other. It makes interacting online (like in GroupMe) much more fun when you know everyone better. All that to say, I encourage them to create a community online once we have a community established in person (if circumstances allow for it).
Reading this has really made me think! I feel lucky that technology for me wasn't something I was "learning," necessarily, but a tool that was helping me to learn and understand and retain these lessons. Like you, I also remember Where in the World is Carmen San Diego, and Yukon Trail (as a Canadian, we did not play Oregon Trail- haha), and considered these things just another vehicle in my access to knowledge. In fact, I would venture to say that technology actually helped people like my brother who hated "school" but could easily be tricked into learning through non-traditional methods. As a millennial who was raised with technology, I love the thought that this may have helped learning to be more inclusive to students who learn differently.
ReplyDeleteCreating community however, is definitely a difficulty of online-heavy learning. Having taken online classes, the online message board is NOT a substitute for a classroom discussion. You are not reading people's posts at the same regularity or with the same fervor that you would get in an in-person setting. I didn't mind learning in K-12, but I truly fell in LOVE with it in college. But if it were not for the dynamic discussions, quirky professors, and lively debates that I was participating in in the first-person, my college experience would have been significantly different, and frankly, my current career could be something entirely different as well.
I think that it is really important we take a close look at how we encourage personal interaction in a increasingly-virtual world as we move forward. I'm hoping that maybe the increasing prevalence of video chatting and streaming education might help to bridge the current gap and lag time that things like the online message board are currently occupying... but only time will tell!
Technology rocks! I'm still an analog person- I have a paper planner and love to write lists- and I agree that it can seem scary when you think about all we rely on technology for, but I think that it is an incredible tool that connects so many different people.
ReplyDeleteSpecifically in education, technology allows for students to collaborate across cities and even countries. It allows for students who need accommodation to pursue programs and learning.
My first memories of technology were with my dad. He is a computer science guy and we built a computer for my kindergarten science fair. It was basic, obviously, as I was five, but we sectioned out pieces like the monitor, memory, keyboard, etc. Growing up in the 90's, technology has always been at the forefront of my daily routine. Computer class was a part of my elementary school- we learned how to type and use different basic programs like Paint and Word. I did use Encarta on a disc for the encyclopedia and AOL discs for internet, but it has always been accessible for me at some level. Even now, technology is a part of my every day life- not just because it's the standard method of communication or activity. My husband works in technology so I'm always being told what new things are happening in various tech fields whether its medical or ecommerce. It's all super interesting.
All that being said, it's easy for students (and for us) to rely on technology to feel connected and I think that's something everyone has to work on. There is value in relationships outside of Instagram and, while online courses are incredible (my Masters degree was an online program), in class learning is so important. Social growth and communication increases in person and I think it's important that there is some aspect of face to face communication in every course. Looking back, my Masters had some classes that occurred via video chat which allowed us to communicate with each other on a level that was more personal than responses to discussion questions. With an increase in this type of technology, I think face to face learning while still using technology is going to continue to rise in practice.
Although I don't seem to have realized until now, I apparently used very little technology in my classrooms growing up. I remember a reading software in 2nd grade, though the only part of that process I recall is having to come up with a password for the first time and being mighty proud of myself for using "sword," since it had to be five letters and I was a fantasy nerd. Otherwise, I remember playing Oregon Trail (like everyone else here) in a type of "free time" computer lab in middle school. Unfortunately, I don't think I learned any life lessons even from that stellar game other than how much I despise RNG in games; I seemingly plan for every outcome and then my stupid child gets bit by a snake and dies a week from the end!!! Okay, maybe I should have internalized something about life being beyond our control, but it never stuck. One of my coaches also offered a typing class in high school, but I refused to take it (and still can't type properly).
ReplyDeleteDespite my total lack of formalized teaching with technology, or perhaps because of it, I mainly see technology as a means by which I can teach myself. I can navigate the vagaries of the Windows OS, fix my oven, haltingly read Koine Greek, and rewire parts of my house all because some random person I'll never actually meet decided to upload a video or tutorial online. The implications of that immediate, nearly unlimited learning potential are mind boggling to me, yet I've never figured out how to harness that in my own teaching. Like Amy, I'm an extrovert who not only relishes the interaction and conversations in class, but who also sees such interpersonal teamwork and debate as foundational to my teaching style. I've done some online scavenger hunts and utilized technology in projects before, but not to the extent that I could, or probably should. However, since I'm already revising one of my core classes for next year, you've challenged me to think more deeply about how technology can help with that process!