Am I a 20th Century Teacher or a 21st Century Teacher? - Posted by Kerrie

What type of teacher am I?  Am I a 20^th Century teacher or a teacher for the 21^st Century.  Unfortunately, at the moment, I would have to say that I am more aligned with the 20^th Century teacher.  I am a teacher of a Year 6 class in a Catholic School.  To date, I have not effectively incorporated any of the Web 2.0 technologies into the classroom.  This is not because I have not wanted to incorporate these technologies; it just seems that there are a lot of outside influences that seem to block full capabilities.  For example, last term the children were asked to create a Visual Learning Tool about a particular topic.  They were told that their learning tool had to have the purpose of teaching the viewer.  I told them that I was going to try to get them on to Youtube and this created a great deal of interest.  The students worked in groups to create a visual learning tool that incorporated pictures, text and music and I was really proud of what they achieved.  Then our IT Technician got back to me and said we could not put them on Youtube because they were not old enough to post on the site.  This was very disappointing for all involved.

Recently there have been a plethora of articles written about Web 2.0 technologies and whether they would be beneficial in educational settings.  Many of these articles suggest that incorporation of Web 2.0 technologies could enhance learning opportunities for students if used effectively in learning environments.  However, they also acknowledge that schools and other educational settings as a whole seem hesitant to embrace these technologies (edWeb et al 2010; Stuchbery  2010; Lockyer & Patterson, 2008; Jenkins et al 2006; National School Boards Association, 2007).

So what does all of this mean to me?  I have to work as part of a team, I have to follow all of the rules and as Jenkins et al (2006) so eloquently put it I must ensure that every student:

“has access to the skills and experiences needed to become a full participant, can articulate their understanding of how media shapes perceptions, and has been socialised into the emerging ethical standards that should shape their practices as media makers and participants in online communities.”

Can I achieve all of these things?  Of course I can.  How can I achieve it that is the challenge!  I have established three goals that I am going to work on so that students in my class can benefit from the incorporation of Web 2.0 technologies in my classroom.

·         Keep up to date with current technologies.

·         Incorporate at least one Web 2.0 technology in the classroom by the end of 2010.

·         Promote Web 2.0 technologies that can be used in the classroom with other teachers.

Goal One – I will keep up to date with current technologies.  I have already begun to work on this goal in earnest.  When available I attend training days offered by my employer.  Last week I attended a training day “ICLT for the Middle Years”.  The day focused around technology that can be used effectively in the classroom and how it can be done.  I was familiar with some of the content but I was also exposed to a lot of programs that I had never seen before. 

I was blown away by the capabilities of some of these technologies and I hope to use some of them in my classroom.  A full list of these technologies can be found in the resource section of this blog.

Attending these training days not only helps me in my professional development to remain up to date with available technology, it also gives me the opportunity to network with other teachers who want to embrace technology in their classroom.

Goal Two – Incorporate at least one Web 2.0 technology in the classroom before the end of 2010. Presently my class is completing a unit about inventions.  One of their assessment tasks is to create a timeline showing the changes in an item such as a telephone, typewriter or bicycle.  I will teach the children how to use the Timetoast application to create a timeline that can be published on the web. 

Goal Three – Promotion of Web 2.0 technologies that can be used in the classroom.  I will tell my fellow staff members about tools that I am using in the classroom and teach them how these applications can be used.  I will also approach my Principal to find out if I can conduct staff training on technologies that I believe are beneficial for use in the classroom.

I have come to the realisation that there are so many opportunities out there for Web 2.0 technologies to be used in the classroom.  Research suggests that educational setting should try to incorporate these technologies so that students can become effective participants in the 21^st Century.  I must begin to use these technologies and align myself with become a teacher for the 21^st Century.  The following Youtube clip promotes benefits and the need for incorporation of Web 2.0 technologies in the lives of 21^st Century learners.  Enjoy!

Reference List

edWeb.net, IESD Inc, MCH Inc, MMS Education (2010)  School Principals and Social Networking in Education: Practices, Policies and Realities in 2010 – Final Report. http://www.edweb.net/fimages/op/PrincipalsandSocialNetworkingReport.pdf  Accessed 08/10/10.

              

Jenkins, H, Clinton, K., Purushotma, R., Robison, A.J., Weigel, M. (2006)  Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture:  Media Education for the 21^st Century.  The John D. And Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Chigaco:  Illinois.

Lockyer, L. & Patterson, J. (2008) Integrating Social Networking Technologies in Education:  A Case Study of a Formal Learning Environment.  Faculty of Education Paper.  University of Woolongong.  http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1074&context=edupapers  Accessed 04/10/10.

National School Board Association (2007) Creating and Connecting:  Research and Guidelines on Online Social – and Educational – Networking.  http://www.nsba.org/site/docs/41400/41340.pdf   Accessed 04/10/10.

Stuchbery, M (2010) Learning to Teach Social Media.  http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/35652.html  Accessed 08/10/10