Real "World" Applications
There are so many ways that the words “technology in the
classroom” can be interpreted. It all
depends on who you are. There are some
teachers that consider it to be “effective use of technology” if they use a
projector and that the students use word processing applications. My students are far beyond that. They come to me, at 14 years old, with a Google
account and the basic knowledge of how to navigate the internet. In my class, students learn to use Google docs
to collaborate, complete computer based simulations, use digital microscopes to
record video and stills of live and preserved specimens, in addition to basic
word processing and graphing programs. I
sought out a teacher that would help us reach further.
“Kay Esse” teaches health at the same high school that I
teach at. She is currently working on a master’s
degree in technology integration. Perfect! She agrees to allow me into her
Health 1 classes for a week to observe how the students will be using technology.
Her focus for the week was a drug research project. She was using this as part of her research
too. So we were both in this together!
Day one was a day started with fun technology right off the
bat. It was a poll that the kids could
respond to right on their cell phones! Poll everywhere allows free polling and gives the kids’ anonymity when
answering touchy questions, like the question of the day that involved drug and
alcohol abuse. The question was projected on the board and as the students
filed in, they took out there phones and submitted their responses. The percentages were tabulated in real time
and refreshed on the board automatically.
Kids that did not have a phone could quickly participate by using an
email address instead of a text code. By
the time the bell had rung, “Kay” had real class data that she could discuss
with them. This lead to a quick
discussion about how many of them had had to deal with the peer pressure
relating to drugs and alcohol. “Kay”
followed this question and answer period by showing them the You Tube video Lost Generation. The rest of the class was
spent planning public service announcements demonstrating how to say no to
drugs and alcohol. Ms. “Esse” played fun
upbeat party music to help set the stage. The kids in both her sixth and eighth
period classes were excited to participate in the poll and were quickly hooked
on the lesson.
Day two was a low tech day.
The kids presented their PSAs and worked out what the best approach for
them would be. “Kay” and I both
discussed that having the kids record these and play them in the café would
give them both a sense of pride and accomplishment. We both filed that idea away for next
semester.
Day Three….. Drug research projects were the task of the day. The students organized themselves into groups
of three and picked a drug to research and present. Both classes quickly picked a research topic
and some friends to work with. “Kay” instructed
them to create a Google doc where they could file their research and all group members would
have access to it. The kids got right to
work and quickly were sifting through data, facts, and figures. Ms. “Esse” encouraged them to use SweetSearch,
a research search engine for students.
It helps them sift out some of the less credible websites. Research
continued all period and for part of day four.
The final project was to be a presentation about the drug
they had selected to research. They had
collected all the information they needed and now it was time for them to
construct the final project. “Kay” had instructed
them to use Padlet as a medium for presenting their findings. Many of the students I asked had never used
this program and were unfamiliar with its workings. But they all jumped right in and began to
figure out how to change backgrounds, position stickies, and insert text. In no time, the projects were taking shape
and coming along beautifully.
“Kay” and I discussed 21st Century skills and
what we thought that looked like. She
stated that these students will “graduate and be asked by employers to quickly
learn and adapt to new programs and software.”
They will be entering the job market with an entire generation of
digital natives. A basic knowledge of computers
will not give them the edge they are going to need. Ms. “Esse” and I agree that today’s students
must show flexibility and willingness to try and experiment with new apps and
ways to portray ideas that have been completed in a non-digital format for
decades. “Kay” is unsure how much of a
jump this technology will have in this semester’s grades. We were both encouraged by the level of
student engagement and their willingness to explore new programs.
21st century skills include knowledge of many
systems and a level of exposure to many others.
My students, and “Kay’s” students alike, are constantly being asked to
try new things. Complete this poll. Create a comic strip. Go on a webquest. Each and every time they rise to the
challenge and exceed our expectations.
Use of technology just for the sake of using it is fruitless. Technology should help engage the students
and give them a greater sense of inclusion in the class. Experiences should be meaningful and
engaging. Students should be excited and
prepared for the challenges ahead because of the skills and practices they have
learned in our classrooms.
