This document discusses several topics related to digital education in the 21st century classroom. It addresses the need to prepare teachers for integrating technology, how teachers can adopt, adapt, or create digital content, and the importance of professional development for educators. It also covers navigating digital tools as edutechnologists and using technology to diminish the digital divide between students. The overall message is that embracing new technologies, training teachers, and gaining community support are essential for student success in today's digital classrooms.
2. Contents Preparing Teachers For the Digital Age Trotter, A. (1999, September 23). Preparing Teachers For the Digital Age. Retrieved August 4, 2010, from Technology Counts: http://oak.cats.ohio.edu/~waltje/classes/media2008/preparing.pdf Navigate the Digital Rapids Lindsay, J., & Davis, V. (2010, March/April). Navigate the Digital Rapids. Retrieved August 5, 2010, from Learning & Leading with Technology: http://iste.org Bridging the Digital Divide: A Building Block for Teachers Smith, C., & Pearson, T. (2001, May). Bridging the Digital Divide: A Building Block for Teachers. Retrieved August 5, 2010, from Learning & Leading with Technology: http://www.people.virginia.edu/~har4y/edlg345/elementary/files/digital_divid.pdf
3. Preparing Teachers For the Digital Age Even with the best software ever made and access to the Web you won’t see much difference in student learning unless its teachers know how to use the digital content in their classroom. It’s all got to do with the teacher. In a 1998 survey only one id five teachers felt “very well prepared” to integrate education technology in the grade they taught. Professional development is the essential ingredient to making the most of digital content in the classroom. If the teacher is able to choose their own software rather than having it chosen by someone else they will have a much higher opinion of their quality and less likely to rely on the internet. Teachers bring digital content into the classroom in three possible ways: adopting, adapting, or creating it. Adopting: booting up the software and following the instructions, this method saves the teacher preparation time. Adapting: teachers who are capable adapt materials to their specific needs and goals. Creating: all curricular enactment in the classroom in reality involves some degree of customization, that’s what good teachers do.
4. Digital Age: Continued More teachers than ever seem to be creating their own digital materials like PowerPoint presentations with text and graphics-as presentation and authoring tools. When teachers felt a conflict between the technical issues and the content they reacted in one of three ways. Backed off and pushed the technology to the sidelines to concentrate on content. Simplified, paring away all the technology but a few capabilities they were comfortable with. Plunged even further into technology, in hope that they and their students would learn the technology while mastering the content. Trotter, A. (1999, September 23). Preparing Teachers For the Digital Age. Retrieved August 4, 2010, from Technology Counts: http://oak.cats.ohio.edu/~waltje/classes/media2008/preparing.pdf
7. NAVIGATE: Continued Digiteachers use digital tools like colors on a painter’s palette, mixing them in a variety of ways to create pictures of learning. Good administrators empower these digiteachers in their drive to customize and connect with students’ unique learning styles and interests. Connecting students to other classrooms requires teachers to have an understanding of technology, especially the collaborative Web 2.0 tools, such as wikis, Nings, and blogging platforms. Lindsay, J., & Davis, V. (2010, March/April). Navigate the Digital Rapids. Retrieved August 5, 2010, from Learning & Leading with Technology: http://iste.org
8. AH HA…..AH HA…..AH HA…..!! Flat classrooms are interactive digital citizenships. Sometimes participants slip into a social network mode of communicating. The toughest waters often come at the beginning of this digital citizenship journey. Educating students makes the Internet a safer place.
10. Bridging the Digital Divide: Continued By providing rich technology experiences for all students, teachers can diminish the digital divide. Being able to effectively use technology for instructional purposes does influence the digital divide. All educators should constantly work to improve their skill in using technology to enrich instruction. Teachers must be provided with prolonged training and an ample support structure. Smith, C., & Pearson, T. (2001, May). Bridging the Digital Divide: A Building Block for Teachers. Retrieved August 5, 2010, from Learning & Leading with Technology: http://www.people.virginia.edu/~har4y/edlg345/elementary/files/digital_divid.pdf
11. AH HA…..AH HA…..AH HA…..!! Personnel, equipment, and funding are also huge factors in closing the digital divide. Conduct fundraisers, count box tops, labels, and proofs of purchase, this is a small price to pay for the gains in the educational experience for students. Begin with the things you can control. Open labs in the afternoon or evening for parents and students to work as a team, involving the parent shows students all adults must work toward the goal of being lifelong learners.
12. CONCLUSION Digital age of the 21st century classroom is becoming new and exciting to the students as well as the educators. Digital divides can be closed with some help from the whole community. Our students are worth all the time and energy it will take to bridge this divide. The presence of digital flat classrooms will help promote cooperative learning and teamwork. Keeping our teachers informed and trained in new technology will be a key element to the success of our students. Let’s embrace this digital age with open arms and open minds.
