We are teachers, developers, parents and fans of technology. We like technology all its forms. Part of the work at school is to ask, what are the benefits of technology in the classroom? And every time I ask this, more and more we realize that they have nothing to do with technology as such.
For example, what are the benefits of scuba gear? When taking a diving course, you learn the basics: how to wear it, how to fix and how to stay safe. But then, suddenly, you jump into the water, this is the point where it ceases to be important diving equipment. Diving is discover all the unexpected things that come in the way, the fish, the castaways ships and treasures, all this is, is not about the great diving air tank you are using. Instead it is about all the places you can go and you can go deep thanks to technology. In this case the equipment is transparent and transformative, and therefore will never see things the same way.
Throughout we have seen that there are 3 types of technology have altered the way as how to teach conceived. Here I present.
Epic technological invention # 1: Ceda Dental
Everyone should use dental appropriate, is there a better way? No, they like it or not, you do it because you know that prevents major problems later. However, that piece of waxed thread is like an umbrella (has not changed much in recent years).
In fact, and I’m thinking, I’m wrong. My dentist showed me a new dental yield using gore-tex, which is absolutely amazing. I completely changed the experience of brushing my teeth. I still use dental appropriate, but what I realized was that by removing friction, could focus on reaching all those hard to reach areas.
In the school, there are many things we as teachers know they should do but not necessarily enjoy things like record classroom observations, write and develop assessments, having parent conferences, and reach those small spaces of difficult knowledge to achieve the brain of a teenager.
The technology helps a lot, we can use Evernote to keep track of things that happen in the classroom and then add in a Filmaker Bebto. We can use Socrative or Google forms for formative assessments. We can use Skype or Google Hang out to connect virtually with parents when necessary. All these tools make it easy to do things we know to do and we have to keep doing, and make these tasks something a little easier.
Epic technological invention # 2: GPS
Once I had a GPS in my car forever change the way you handle. The GPS shows me where I’m going on my route; I can put the destination path, and always will show me how to get there. If I take a wrong route, and decided to take a return, I will always show a friendly blue line to return back to where I wanted to go initially. As a result, I now feel much more free to explore.
A typical curriculum of a course is fairly linear. Usually it shows you more things still do not know what you already know to do. A typical map simply shows all the places where you’ve been, not tells you where you are in the map, does not tell you anything about what you’ve done or where you are heading.
Developers know that a good interface, and therefore, a good course, you should always show these 3 things as a basis:
- Where have you been (prerequisites)
- Where are you (what you are learning)
- Where you will (which skill / knowledge to get going)
Based on this information, people feel the freedom to explore and the consequences of failure are minimal. When you are afraid of making mistakes, or fear of losing you , do not take risks, and following the same path always learn nothing.
At school, we try to give children choices, do not have to follow the same path in the curriculum, there are many courses that are required, but also many others that are electives. ¿ What if each course do that? Suppose that in a course, you have to do certain things and elsewhere you have an option. All you need now is the equivalent of GPS. It makes celebrate what we have done, show us where we are, and constantly highlight the goal of our way.
Epic technological invention # 3: Digital Recording
Many of you will recall that before the DVR come alone, see the popular series “Friends” was quite an event. If you were not home on Thursday at 8pm, bad luck. With the advent of the VCR, you had to know before you wanted to record something, but then when the DVR was tried, could actually pause live television, this was something more than a revelation.
In the house all shows usually start half an hour late, so we could skip the course of trade. We can put a filter automatically record everything that has the title “red box” is like having a RRS videos. The experience of watching television is no longer restricted to physical need to be in the house at a particular time.
In the classroom, the best teaching perhaps occurs at 7:30 a.m.? Because learning only occurs when the teacher is present? There are many virtual platforms that occur as the DVR example, which can change the teacher time.
The idea of these platforms is to record readings videos of rehearsals, or even corrections assessments, and allows students to see them at home. They can pause, back or even advance the learning process. Or we can bring another teacher, iTunes or via podcast, if for the person it will be easier to express information more effectively. After all, time and relevance make the event successful. Learning should happen all the time, should not occur only at a certain time.
To be transformation, technology does not have to be revolutionary. You can transform what we do in small portions. We can give you the freedom to explore, take risks, and learn. Or, as the dental appropriate, can affirm and easy to do everything we already know that we have to do well.
