Our learners have changed and therefore their learning environment must change too!
LETS TALK... Teaching in the Digital Age- The challenges and how to overcome them... Raquel Geremia Having been born in the 90's I initially believed I would have all the appropriate tools and skills to effectively teach in the digital age, boy was I wrong! The challenges as an educator are real! As the Digital Age and landscape is constantly evolving and changing, so is the way we are expected to teach our students. It's hard to keep up BUT crucial to do so in order to effectively teach our students the vital skills which will prepare them for the future... "It’s through these online learning communities, teachers can ‘form and negotiate the connections they need to sustain long-term learning for themselves and for their students".- Alec Couros (2010) For me personally the challenges in teaching in the digital age is being able to keep with the emerging technologies and how to make use of them effectively in the classroom. Studies have shown that many teachers (myself included) feel that they are "ill-equipped" to use the various forms of technology which are on the market now, in spite of the learning development opportunities. Therefore it is our responsibility as educators to ensure we are confident with implementing these technologies into our classrooms by seeking the correct resources and advice. I also feel that as an educator I am responsible for ensuring the material which students are accessing in the classroom and at home is safe and the learner is not at risk. Cyber-Safety is something I find challenging and continually needing to be addressed when students have a presence online. Some of these issues include; cyberbullying, offensive or illegal content and protecting personal information. This is something I am keen to introduce at the very start of each year with my own classroom! I will address these issues with students and allow them to explore how safety online is extremely serious and not to be taken lightly! I will leave you with a quote to inspire you all on your teaching journey in the digital age. “We need technology in every classroom and in every student and teacher’s hand, because it is the pen and paper of our time, and it is the lens through which we experience much of our world.” – David Warlick |
"To optimise its potential, it's vital that educators understand and make the most of current and emerging technologies" -Allen-Crawford Thomas |
Find out more by clicking on the links below!
Advice on emerging technologies- 21 Things for Teachers How to make technology a successful partner in teaching eSafety Support Keeping Children CyberSafe |
It is important to recognise that Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) has enabled teachers to bring global information and events into the classroom by delivering broad texts to the fingertips of learners (Leu, 2001).
As a teacher in the digital age, I use ICT to engage! ICT is a great tool to engage students learning and can be used across all curriculum subjects. Throughout my various placements at schools I have utilised the interactive whiteboard as an ICT teaching tool in mathematics whereby students would often watch a video (rather than look at a textbook) to learn key principles of a particular mathematic subject. I’ve found students to be a lot more responsive when using this method, their attitudes are positive and they are eager to learn! |