This philosophy is as valid today as it was back when Lao Tzu, father of Taoism, said it, “especially in the fast-paced and technologically wired world we live and work in today” (Haworth, 2007). It is a philosophy that I have applied when teaching my students as well. I believe that if we teach students to be independent through the development of academic and life skills, we are helping to create self-sufficient citizens of society, who will have the confidence to be able to critically think and problem solve for themselves, rather than rely on another individual. Integrating technology into the daily academic and life-skill lessons in the classroom is a way that I believe to nurture students along to become the independent individuals we want them to be.
Teaching Philosophy
Prior to enrolling in the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) program in Curriculum and Instruction, Education, Technology Leadership, I thought I knew so much about technology, was I wrong. It seems I believed that just because I used a computer I knew so much, I knew about as much as a speck of dust atop a dandelion seed. Except for a semester of web page design during my undergraduate studies, I was not exposed to any other technology classes until my Masters Degree studies. When I decided to obtain my Masters degree, I thought I really like computers, so it seemed natural to want to educate myself on educational technology and be able to integrate what I learn in my daily lessons with my students. How I evolved from clueless computer novice to a competent technology professional, is described in detail in my Reflections and the artifacts I have completed through the program at UNLV.
Throughout my years of considerable life-experience gained in the workforce, I understand the challenges students will have to face. As a teacher, my goal is to prepare my students for these challenges. In the role of teacher, I believe in two philosophical approaches, i.e. progressivism and perennialism (Sadker and Sadker, 2005). The progressivist approach focuses on the study of academics posed around the need and experiences of the students, i.e. to teach students to become problem solvers so that they are prepared to live in an ever-changing society, whereas the perennialism approach focuses on the Great Books as curricula for the arts and sciences. As a teacher, I will model and guide through reasoning and deep understanding by using intrinsic motivation so that students may appreciate learning. As a teacher, I must be strong and consistent; enforcing what is expected from every student.
Assessments will be focused on outcomes of learning targets. “While an assessment can serve multiple purposes, it is not possible for one assessment to meet all purposes…” (Clarke & Dede, 2010). The process of assessment is likely to be most effective when guided by a set of principles such as Bloom’s Taxonomy (Bloom, 1956 in Sadker and Sadker, 2005) to ensure that our students understand the learning target and purpose of an assignment. An emphasis on grades is important but less than the focus of learning. Students need to be assessed on individuality not only by criterion reference and norm-reference testing but by performance assessment as well. The focus is on the students’ abilities of today and their potential of learning for tomorrow. That is why I believe that multiple types of assessments that can be used by teachers to determine if students have a complete understanding of a concept and to guide teachers’ instruction are necessary.
Teaching with Technology Philosophy
I have developed an exciting classroom atmosphere that reflects the “cutting edge” of technology. Since we are preparing students to live in a changing world, they need to know how to effectively utilize technology in the future. Teaching technology to students and teaching with technology can become a difficult task for teachers to incorporate in the everyday lessons in the classroom. Throwing on a video, or sending students on a Web Quest, or have them search the internet for information to conduct a research project is not appropriate unless there is meaning behind it. The educational lessons that include technology should have an integrated purpose that supports the standards being taught.
It doesn’t really matter the quantity of technology that students are exposed to but the quality. It is the quality of the types of technology related projects that students will remember not just doing the average, it’s the impression of the “oh wow, I can really do that” or “wow, that was really fun”. I believe students would have more fun and a more memorable educational experience from doing a Web Quest project rather than a simple calculation project on a calculator. Utilizing technology to enhance the creativity of projects and to have students use critical thinking skills promote the foundation of enhanced learning through technology. I guide students in the direction of what applications to use for projects and research and not assume students understand or even know how to use certain technologies. This is where technological education begins at the elementary level so when students get to middle and high school they can expand their knowledge of technology. Essentially elementary school is where the foundations of technology are built.
Why Teach with Technology?
“Working with multimedia on a daily basis in school creates higher levels of student engagement—and engaged students spend more time on task, work more independently, enjoy learning more, and take part in a greater variety of learning activities at school and at home” (Warschauer, 2005/2006, p. 35).
The success of a student’s education increases when technology is implemented in the classroom. The student is more inclined to become actively engaged in the lessons and retains more of what is learned. In taking a constructivist approach when teaching technology students will develop their own personal experiences toward learning. Students, with the use of technology, are able to mold and change the way they learn in a different way that students have ever learned before. Although I teach at the elementary level, where technology is not implemented as much as it should, it is fascinating to me to watch the students learn at a remarkable rate when technology is implemented with the use of computers, Elmo document camera, intervention software, and video/audio components.
“…technologies and organizational innovations…” help teachers create “…exciting opportunities to make learning intrinsically motivating, that make teaching professionally rewarding, and that transform our schools from being economic and political liabilities to sources of solutions and strength” (Christensen, p. 230).
As teachers, it is often difficult to always engage and challenge every student providing the struggles we need to contend with such as the material we are instructed to teach, the student's willingness to fulfill their task of participation, or, our other obligations and professional commitments. Investigating the best way for students to learn at an individual rate will only produce better students and better citizens of society. Students will be able to learn at their own pace, and concentrate on ideas and concepts that they are interested in and enjoy. Students who enjoy learning on an intrinsic level will excel in all subject areas of learning.
Students develop skills of problem solving, reasoning, and critical thinking when technology is implemented into daily lessons. Researchers contend that technology “can bring exciting curricula based on real-world problems into the classroom, and provide scaffolds and tools to enhance learning” (Kozma, 2003, p.2). Teachers guide and model for their students problem solving, reasoning, and critical thinking skills in hopes that students will be able to transfer these skills into other areas of learning. According to Bransford, et al., 1999, students need not simply memorize different processes and algorithms, they need to utilize the skills learned and transfer these skills into a degree of understanding. With the use of technology, whether it is a Smart Board lesson or hands on experience using computer software programs, students will be able to develop the skills they need to succeed.
References:
Bransford, J.D., Brown, A.L., and Cocking, R.R., Editors; Committee on Developments in the Science of Learning, National Research Council: Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. (1999). How People Learn: Brain, Mind, and School. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Christensen, C.M. (2008). Disrupting Class. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Haworth, Martin. "Lao Tzu "Give A Man A Fish, Feed Him for A Day. Teach A Man to Fish, Feed Him for A Lifetime."" The Free Library 17 October 2007. 22 May 2010
Kozma, R.B. (2003). Technology and Classroom Practices: An International Study. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 36(1), 2-14.
Sadker, M.P. and Sadker, D.M. (2005). Teachers, Schools, and Society. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies.
Warschauer, M. (2005/2006). Going One to One. Educational Leadership, p.34-39.
