Thursday, June 16, 2011

Technology Motivates Students

“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but the one who cannot learn, unlearn, and re-learn.” Author unknown

I am sure you knew it would be coming…and now is the time. I have to discuss the impact technology has on student motivation. As an Instructional Technology Specialist, I have had the privilege to collaborate and view some awesome technology projects and practices. On the other side of the coin, I have also seen some disparaging practices when it comes to technology. In other words, I have seen a lot of paper, pens , and lectures. It may be scary, but we cannot afford to continue to teach like we were taught or even teach the way we have for the last 20 years. As John Dewey put it, “if we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow.” Tomorrow looks different and information is constantly changing. Our students must learn a new and different skill set than many of us had to in school. The only way that will happen is when we, as teachers, begin to explore, execute, and engage our students through the effective integration of technology. And, that means more than just using PowerPoint to review some historical facts. What if they explored the question: What historical events should not be repeated? What if they investigated the time period on the internet, interviewed a family member who lived during the time, and shared their “new” knowledge on a blog or a wiki for others to see? In doing this, we challenge them to think critically, we involve the family/community, and we share with a larger learning community. You see, integrating technology is no longer a novelty it’s a necessity.

No comments:

Post a Comment