BEYOND BRICK AND MORTAR
Education is no longer an experience that takes place only
within a building made of brick and mortar. In fact, it hasn't been for
some time, but only recently has education seen the perfect storm of
technology and access to technology to respond to what seems to be a
recent development. All around are technology tools that allow teachers
and student to stretch the boundaries of traditional classrooms and to
seek new ideas from around the world. These tools can provide research
for divergent opinions, offer opportunities for long-term conversations,
compare/contrast varying cultural practices and perspectives, and share
results beyond the classroom. An excellent article by Shelly
Sanchez Terrell (2012) offers some ideas; she has also
produced an excellent downloadable book entitled Effective
Mobile Learning: 50+ Quick Tips &
Resources.
Here are several more:
Logistical Help
e-Pals
Classroom Connect
Organizations Connecting to International Internet Projects
Friendship Through Education
Global SchoolNet
Telecollaborate
Free Tools
Skype
Google Docs
Solution Tree
NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS
Every field has a set of standards to which it adheres; some
have subsets of standards. In education, we have the TESOL Guidelines,
the ACTFL Standards, the NCATE―all for different purposes―and we have
technology standards. The organization that oversees the technology
standards is the International Society for
Technology in Education (ISTE). The National
Education Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) is a
subset of standards housed within ISTE.
The NETS-T are as follows
1. Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity.
2. Design and develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments.
3. Model digital-age working and learning.
4. Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility.
5. Engage in professional growth and leadership.
Even for some experienced teachers, these standards seem
difficult to master and to integrate into their everyday classroom. This
is where learning from the students comes in. If an activity is
designed with these standards in mind, many students already know how to
access the information/materials and can help the teacher learn the
technology.
PROMOTING THINKING VIA E-TOOLS
As good teachers, we always want our students to think, but to
think well. We want our students to know “how to.” Too often we
inadvertently assume that our students know how to create, form new
concepts, and analyze. This is often not the case, however, and the
results produced are superficial. We need to teach our students causal
analysis, sequential analysis, temporal analysis, comparing and
contrasting, distinguishing, differentiating, and how to challenge
assumptions―“strategic thinking” (Bellanca, 2010, p. 50). E-tools can
assist with strategic thinking by allowing the teacher to consider the
NETS-T and which e-tools are most suitable for designing activities in
which students can interpret evidence, identify pros and cons,
analyze/evaluate points of view, draw conclusions, justify results,
explain reasons, and follow evidence and reason. These activities are
called enriched learning projects.
ENRICHED LEARNING PROJECTS
Neither the grade nor the final product is the most important
goal of an enriched learning project. Rather, what is desired are the
concepts that students form and the skills they develop during the
experience. Combining traditional methods and e-methods, students absorb
information, evaluate it, then create with it, all along using
strategic thinking. These projects, when designed properly, allow
students to take full advantage of their technological skills and allow
the teacher to relinquish some of the responsibility of teaching in
exchange for learning some of the new technology from his or her
students. Bellanca (2010) includes an excellent chart illustrating the
correlation between e-tools and traditional media (p.53).
SUMMARY
Learning and teaching as two sides of the same coin lead to
enrichment for both students and teachers. What better way of instilling
lifelong learning in our students than to show them the concept in
action―teachers becoming students and allowing students to become the
teachers?
REFERENCES
ePals, Inc. (2010). ePals global community.
Retrieved from http://www.epals.com/
Global SchoolNet. (2011). GlobalSchoolNet.org. Retrieved from
http://www.globalschoolnet.org/
Google, Inc. (2012). Docs. Retrieved from https://accounts.google.com/ServiceLogin?service=writely&passive=1209600&continue=http://docs.google.com/%23&followup=http://docs.google.com/<mpl=homepage
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. (2011). Classroom
connect. Retrieved from
http://corporate.classroom.com/
iEARN-USA. (2011). Friendship through
education. Retrieved from http://friendshipthrougheducation.org/
ISTE. (2012). International society for technology in
education. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/welcome.aspx
Sanchez Terrell, S. (2011). Effective mobile learning:
50+ quick tips & resources. Retrieved from http://www.scribd.com/shelly_terrell/d/67369598-Effective-Mobile-Learning-50-Tips-Resources-Ebook
Sanchez Terrell, S. (2012). 10 collaborative tools and
tasks to motivate language learners. Retrieved from http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/04/18/10-collaborative-tools-and-tasks-to-motivate-language-learners/
Solution Tree. (2012). Mastering the classroom starts
with … instruction. Retrieved from http://go.solution-tree.com/instruction/
Skype. (2012). Skype. Retrieved from http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/home
Telecollaborate! (2005). Telecollaborate!
Retrieved from http://nschubert.home.mchsi.com/
Alan D. Lytle, the teaching director of the
intensive English language program at the University of Arkansas at
Little Rock, USA, has a background in second and foreign language
education (ESL/EFL, German, and French) as well as 24 years of ESL
teaching experience at all levels, in academic-preparation programs,
conversation programs, English for specific purposes programs, and
topic-specific programs. |