Technology in the Classroom

In my classroom, cellphones are welcome. When I tell other teachers this, they sometimes look at me like I'm a little crazy. To me, this mindset makes perfect sense. I feel that we should use all forms of tech available to us to educate our students. We all learn differently and our children certainly learn much differently than we did in school. Their world is changing faster than most of us comprehend. Information is at the touch of a fingertip at any moment of the day. We can't keep trying to force our students back. 

Technology is more than just using the Internet. Tablets, smart-phones, texting, music, video, and social networking usage show that mobile technology is an integral part of students lives. We need to embrace this aspect of their lives and use it to our advantage.Teaching students to use tech appropriately and effectively should be a major goal in the classroom. We need to create an environment where students are a part of the learning process, not just a witness to it.

Learning the best way to use their devices in class is important to teach students. it isn't all about games and texting. These are great tools to enhance what they learn in a face to face environment. On the downside, they need to be shown that there is legitimate information out there but twice as many places to get the wrong information. Students must be taught how to disseminate all this information to figure what is relevant to their needs. They also need to be shown what types of thing are appropriate for a classroom environment.

Digital Citizenship, in my opinion, is essential for students to learn. They have to learn dangers and drawbacks of their online presence. This isn't a topic that just applies to school, it applies to their everyday lives. Most students do not think about the ramifications of their online actions. They post whatever pictures they want, they say whatever they want, and they talk about whoever they want. These type of posts can come back to haunt you years down the road, long after you have forgotten they even exist. Every school should be required to teach Digital Citizenship course. More attention need to be paid to this topic than just a day or two in class. The things they post now could affect their lives for years to come.