Journal #7

In the June/July issue of L&L, Paul Wurster condenses the results from ISTE's 30th anniversary poll on "What is Your Favorite Ed Tech Tool?". While technology is much like a high rise building, where the top floors cannot exist without the support laid by the floors below, and ultimately the foundation of the building, there are still many "older" technology tools along with their "newer" comrades which made the top of the list. The categories for tools were broken down into the following:

-Internet Tools-e-mail, browsers
-General Productivity-word processing, spreadsheets
-Interactive Whiteboards/Projectors
-Web 2.0 tools
-Portable Digital Devices
While many educators had trouble choosing just one category, especially since we often use these tools in tandem or layered, a third choose internet tools because without them, there would be very little access to tech afforded information and knowledge acquisition. Another big chunk of votes fell into the general productivity tools twenty percent said they could not collaborate or reach as many of their peers or save lesson plans and other curriculum without these "old fashioned"(20 years old) tools. Interactive whiteboard/projectors were very popular because educators feel that they are "transformative" and "revolutionary" within the classroom setting as a method of subject matter acquisition. This is especially true for second language learners who can visualize the lesson and not have to struggle with language barriers as much.Web 2.0 tools got the thumbs up as a collaborative tool for both students and educators, as well as bringing more accessible technological tools into the classroom. Finally, portable digital devices received eight percent of the votes and was credited for allowing technology to become a less isolated in terms of sitting in a room and working at a computer that is chained down-now your computer time can be outside under a tree with your laptop or your technology can be used at a concert or on the freeway etc. It is hard to believe that in just the last twenty or thirty years we have been afforded such expansion of human capabilities. I hope that we are finally getting to the point as educators and as a society-both globally and locally, that our perspectives, limits and mores regarding such infinite potential will keep us in a positive use of these amazing tech tools.

Q?It seems like technology is taking over the classroom, what about the teacher's teaching?
A. We are a modern society, and as such, we need to keep ourselves and our students up-to-date with the tools and modalities of learning that are available to us. If it seems as though tech tools are taking over the classroom, that is a positive because it means that our students are current with the global society as well as being afforded the opportunity to learn and acquire knowledge in new ways. Teachers are certainly not falling by the way side, instead they are facilitating the students in the most wonderful way. By creating and providing new projects that incorporate the use of technology, they are allowing their students to approach learning in a very creative, authentic and memorable way. This leads to greater understanding and therefore, ownership of the material being presented. Without teacher's "teaching" i.e constructing these types of opportunities, students would not know where to begin their acquisition becuase there are too many options available. Thus, teachers will still be teaching, yet the style of presentation is getting a make-over!

Q?As a teacher, what should I focus on in terms of ed tech tools?
A. Obviously you will need very basic tools such as general productivity tools(word processing etc) and access to internet tools(-e-mail and browsers)because these would help you collect, share and document your work for both students and teachers. From there you can build your tools based on your subject matter and grade standards content. For example, if you were an art teacher and wanted to do demonstrations, you might want a projector such as the "Elmo" because you are able to project detailed work while you are creating it to a screen that is accessible to a large class size. This brings your students a better understanding of how to approach their own project assignment. Furthermore you could take the same project a step farther incorporating their projects in a "how-to" digital story project that would be a web 2.0 application. It just really depends on your needs as an educator in your specific field. The most important aspect of any technology, whether used by the teacher or the student is what benefit will it have for the individual student and/or the class as a whole? Will it provide an authentic source or audience? Will it create ownership of knowledge? Will it be an opportunity to stengthen the classroom community? These are some of the criteria by which you can assess the vaule of the technology tools.