I know some teachers look back on days gone by and they are nostalgic for the days before technology had crept into every corner of their classroom. Technology is everywhere--it can be the new smartboard the school has put in the classroom, or the ever present cell phones students keep typing away on while the lecture is being presented. Teachers know they are supposed to be incorporating technology into their lesson plans, but they're not sure how to do it. What's wrong with doing things the way they were always done?
The answer is doing things the way they were always done sets our students up for failure when they enter the workforce. Technology is a way of life and the global workforce expects it's workers to be savvy or they'll find someone else who can do it, even if it means having it done in another country (and for cheaper a lot of the time!). Sadly, the United States is far from leading the pack when it comes to math and the hard sciences. In order for our students and our country to compete in the global marketplace, teachers have got to prepare students for a technical world. In all reality, teachers need to get technically savvy to not only prepare students but to KEEP UP with students. Students, today, have been brought up in the world of computers, email, blogs, and texting! In order to REACH our students, we need to speak their language.
Here are some links to valuable resource information:
http://www.4teachers.org/ (Teach with Technology)
http://www.microsoft.com/education/lessonplans.mspx (Microsoft Lesson Plans for teachers)
http://www.startechprogram.org/technology/usingtech.html (Great resource with links to other websites, articles and e-zines to assist you in integrating technology in your classroom)
No comments:
Post a Comment