I had the opportunity this week to chaperone the History Fair at Utah State. As part of this fair middle schoolers from Northern Utah wrote papers, created websites, put together documentaries, gave presentations, and put together project boards about people and events in history that they thought were turning points. It was fun to see the creativity and ingenuity of the students. What was even more surprising for me were the digital projects. When I was in junior high many years ago I would not have had the technology or know how to create a web site or a documentary. Seeing both of these projects both done and done well reinforced to me the importance of having technology in the classroom as well as helping students develop a digital literacy.
Granted I am not the most technologically literate. Most elementary students could run circles around me with what they know about technology. I cannot deny that technology is present in everything we do from smart phones, tablets, and laptops. Most jobs today revolve around technology. Students therefore need to learn how to use it for more than updating their status or tweeting their friends.
This leads to the big question of how. How do I help students use technology when I barely know how? How does technology fit into the traditional curriculum especially in subjects like English and History?
After doing some searching I found some answers. I found the following article on Student Pulse, an online journal. Incorporating Technology Into the Modern English Classroom In this article, the author discusses "remix" a type of learning where students take their background knowledge and a text and express their new understanding. The article suggests many ways this remix can be done using technology. One teacher had her students create comics while another had his students create movie trailers using the website animoto.com. The benefit of doing projects like this is an increase in interest from students who get to use their knowledge to create something the whole world will see.
There are many different websites as well for social studies teachers.
Center for History and News Media
Virtual Museums/Field Trips
Film and History
Teaching History
There are many ways to make learning more interesting by building on what students already know. I leave you with a student created documentary for your viewing pleasure.
Uncle Sam's Ace Insect Hunter
I agree! It's important to tap into students' interests and most students like "playing" with technology. Like you, I don't feel the most prepared when it comes to incorporating technology in the classroom. I wonder the best way to incorporate technology, while still keeping students focused on the classroom. I feel like we'll have to practice as a class appropriate uses of technology.
ReplyDeleteI am sad that I missed that fair! It sounds amazing! I would love to have seen the different uses of technology! I am definitely like you though, Cami. These students could run many circles around me too! It is difficult to think of ways to use technology in the classroom when we did not have that in our classrooms! The most technology we had was a movie projector and and an overhead projector! I remember a few power points! But today our students expect us to use technology! Their brains are hardwired for it! I guess I better jump on the bandwagon then! Thanks for the resources! Those are definitely on my list!
ReplyDeleteNeat that you got to chaperone the history fair! One of my dear friends is the film teacher at Judge Memorial High School, and her students have produced award-winning films. When I ask her how she did it, she said, "I just don't hold them back." Although she doesn't understand all of the technological components, she could help her students tell the stories and provide feedback. In terms of the technological components, she let students teach each other.
ReplyDeleteAs teachers, we may never be as technologically savvy or aware as some of our students, but we should not let that hold us back! Or hold them back, either.
Thanks for your posting!