Our world has certainly changed and continues to do so at an alarming rate. However, resisting change is rarely the best option. We must embrace change and learn how to use it to our advantage and benefit. And while traditional curriculums have certainly been successful in the past they have often lacked the imagination and creativity that new technologies offer. When implemented properly, instructional technology can provide a new approach to learning that supports a greater number of students than ever before. Students with special needs who have never had full access to the material now have iPads, laptops and other technological innovations that allow them to experience learning in a way they never have before.
For my future classroom I hope to integrate technology smoothly and when appropriate. Technology does not need to be complicated or expensive, even the simplest of adaptations can make learning more approachable for students. An example of an inexpensive and user-friendly technology is Voki. Voki is a webtool that allows students to create talking avatars. Students can dress up their avatars in different ways, record their own voice, or type in text for the Voki to speak. This is a wonderful accommodation for nonverbal students or students with a debilitating fear of public speaking. My own sister had a horrendous time in school when growing up. She often was sick in the bathroom before class because she was so afraid of having to speak out loud. She was incredibly creative and intelligent but had no way to make that known because her phobia was too strong. Had my sister had an option like Voki, perhaps she would have been able to fully participate in classroom activities. If technology can help just one student feel comfortable and confident within the classroom, then it should be an essential component within the school. Voki also works well for allowing creativity in an otherwise rigid assignment. For example, if students are asked to research a famous philosopher they can create a Galileo avatar and have it briefly describe how Galileo's historical achievements have impacted our world today. Students so often lack interest in academic subjects because we as teachers do not make it relevant or interesting to their lives. We must teach these subjects in way that speaks to the youth of our world in order for it to hold meaning.
Technology is too pervasive to be ignored. We are doing ourselves and our students a disservice should we choose to ignore its new role within education. Children are our future and they will have much more contact with technology than we will. Therefore we must equip them with the skills needed to draw meaning from information no matter what form in comes in; written or word-processed. Learning how to integrate technology within the classroom may seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. It can be a learning experience for the student and teacher alike. It open up avenues to education that before now were not available. Technology provides support to struggling students. It can encourage creativity and imagination within assignments, and offer students a way to learn about the world around them that is relevant to their lives. Technology should not be feared by educators. Besides, we usually fear what we do know know so the quickest way to remedy our fear of technology is to embrace it. We should learn about it and try out its endless possibilities.
I for one am very excited to see how my students respond to technology in my classroom. Children are enormously imaginative and I know they will think of ways to use it that had never occurred to me before. I hope to learn as much from them about technology as they learn from me.
