Tech for Teachers X's and O's

In the several weeks, I have had to learn about 21st century learners.  I have come to realize that in essence we as teachers are becoming 21st century learners as well.  In taking this class, we are the learners and we have all learned strageties to becoming better teachers and learners.  For example, with the class we have learned how stragetize and plan activities that encourage 21st century skills.  Such as, creativity and leadership.  As well as, communication and problem solving. As a teacher, personally, I have learned that I will need to be mindful and careful in executing these strageties that encourage the use of these skills. Learning the use of and Interactive Whiteboard will greatly enchance my teaching abilities and my opportunities to become a teacher.  I have enjoyed all the lessons I have learned from the class and I look forward to using the various programs in my classroom. 21st century learners, welcome a 21st century teacher.

Interactive Whiteboards

As we have read in the two articles we were to read called, Teaching with Interactive Whiteboards and 2 Steps to Create Great Lessons with a SMART Board, we find that these interactive boards can lead great success in the classroom for students.  As one article stated, it help increase student learning curves by almost 16 percent.  This type of increase can only be contributed the increased student involvment in the classroom activities.  Thus leading to greater learning.  For many teachers, the use of whiteboards can be tricky if not well prepared or studied.  However, with the increased use of Whiteboards there are more and more places to access lessons.  In fact, many of the lesson are already pre-made and can be slightly adjusted to meet you curriculum or circumstances.  Unfortunately, as both articles have eluded to if not properly used can be detrimental to the student and the classroom.  So as teachers, we must be aware that the use of technology can be wonderful and exciting, but we must also proceed with caution.  As a future teacher, the idea of allowing students to use the boards in an interactive way seems almost like a dream.  Cause from my own personal experience as a student I found that some of the most boring times as a student were due to teachers who insisted that the only way to learn was from the lecture stand point.  Once again, the future is upon us, we can either choose to embrace it or die and move to the wayside by our old and antiquated ways.

Digital Natives

After reading the article, Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, my first thoughts about the use of technology in teaching was like whoa!. How can we, the digital immigrants, succeed in a world of digital natives that are so far advanced than those that need to teach various skills.  Then as I thought longer about it I realized that we can if we are open to it.  The main differences among the two groups are that immigrants learn the new language in the way they were taught.  Whereas natives learn it in a more direct and adaptive way.  So as teachers, we must accept the differences and learn to become more adaptive ourselves in order to properly teach these digital natives.  When I was in school the beginning of the computer age began with things like green screened apple computers.  Which for us was best used to play the game Oregan Trail.  Which today is still a personal favorite.  If we are to succeed at teaching the ever growing digital native, we as teachers need to be prepared to seek out new and digitally acceptable teaching methods and find ways to intergrate the tools that these natives are accustom to using.  This may require more work on our parts as teachers, but really when have we not had to spend our time working to be a success at our profession.

21st century skills

1.The five common themes that I got from the videos are you need to be creative, have the ability to analyze technology, problem solve issues, develop ways to learn and teach using technology, and grow in you experiences with technology.
2. 21st cenury skills are skills that we learning using 21st century technology and applying these various skills in the world we live in today.
3. Everyone in the world is using 21st century skills to improve performance and work. 
4. The role of technology is to be used as a tool or focal point. 
5. My three questions I have to 21st century skills are:
What are the best ways to use 21st century skills in the classroom without making a bad impression on adminsitration?
What are the 21st century skills that can be taught without the availibility of technology?
Which of the available technologies are the most useful in the classroom environment?