A final reflection on using technology in the classroom.

1. Reflection EDUC 6710I-3: Understanding the Impact of Technology on Education, Work, and Society February 20, 2011 Margaret M. Ridgeway Engaging Students in Learning:The Changing Role of Teachers

2. Yesterday’s Classroom 1

3. What They Think “Studies show that by their senior year, barely one-fourth of today’s students agree that school is meaningful or their courses are interesting – and less than half believe what they learn in school will have any bearing on their success in life.” (Nussbaum-Beach, 2008)

4. The Choices 3 2

5. The Difference How to BORE your students: Have them read only their textbook Lecture them for an hour Give them a worksheet Have them write their vocabulary 10 times, then write a sentence Give them a test Do it again the next day You will succeed How to ENGAGE your students: Find out what they are interested in and use it Let them make decisions about their learning Provide them with collaborative endeavors that challenge them Use 21st Century tools that allow their creativity to shine through You will succeed

6. A New Day Dawns in Education 4

7. What the Changes Mean Connectivity – create projects globally without worrying about the time and place (Richardson, 2010). Collaboration – provides opportunities for a variety of viewpoints (Laureate International, Inc., 2008). Teachers become guides for students into the world of knowledge rather than simply a source of information (Richardson, 2010). Teachers must be knowledgeable about technology so that it can be used most effectively (Keengwe, Onchwari & Wachira, 2008). The goal – 21st Century skills: expert thinking and complex communication (Levy & Murnane, 2006).

8. Let Them Reach for the Stars “Technology enables users to explore topics in more depth and in more interactive ways. Technology also makes accessible the study of topics that were previously impractical.” (Bull & Bull, 2003) 5

9. REFERENCES: Bull, G. & Bull, G. (2003), The digital disconnect, Learning & Leading with Technology, 31(4). Retrieved from EBSCO host. Keengwe, J, Onchwari, G, & Wachira, P. (2008). The use of computer tools to support meaningful learning. AACE Journal, 16(1). Retrieved from EBSCO host. Laureate Education, Inc., (Executive Producer) (2008). Program 11, Skills for the 21st Century [Video]. Understanding the Impact of Technology on Education, Work, and Society, Los Angeles: Laureate Education, Inc. Levy, F., & Murnane, R. J. (2006). Why the changing American economy calls for twenty-first century learning: Answers to educators' questions. New Directions for Youth Development, 2006(110), 53-62. Retrieved from EBSCO host. Nussbaum-Beach, S. (2008). No limits. Technology & Learning, 28(7), 14–18. Retrieved from http://www.techlearning.com/article/8466 Richardson, Will. (2010). Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

10. Photography Credits: All photos retrieved from flickr.com under license as shown: School Children in Keene, New Hampshire. Keene Public Library and the Historical Society of Cheshire County, believed to be in the public domain. Leland Melvin meets with Elementary School Students. From NASA HQ photostream, under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial license. Portrait of a Bored Boarder. From lightmanx5 / ~JOSh-X, under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial license. Apollo 12 View of Solar Eclipse. NASA, believed to be in the public domain. Space shuttle liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center: Merritt Island, Florida. NASA, believed to be in the public domain.