TF+TL+Standard+III+Reflection

When technology grows at an exponential rate, a shift happens within the populous, creating the digital natives versus the digital immigrants. All those born towards the end of Generation X to the present were born into a world where it was common practice to see a computer in the living room. As Prensky (2001) alludes to, these children have been inundated with technology from the moment they have been able to walk or before. Prensky continues, “They have spent their entire lives surrounded by and using computers, videogames, digital music players, video cams, cell phones, and all the other toys and tools of the digital age.” These tools have evolved, but the classroom has not, at least not to the same degree. There is major disconnect between many educators and the students they teach that goes beyond a simple generation gap and kids are quickly losing interest. In order to reverse this trend, not only do the teachers need to get on board to working in more media resources and technological approaches to instruction and curriculum, but a change to the pedagogical shift to a more learner centered framework (Williamson & Redish, 2009). The third ISTE Technology Facilitation and Leadership Standard addresses the needs of the learner and of the instructor, focusing on the importance of incorporation into the classroom to create the best prepared students possible. The learner-centered principles that Pierce and Kalkman (2003) discussed apply directly to this standard. By shifting the paradigm, teachers can change the face of education and more importantly what children get out of their education. Years of traditional teacher-centered modes of teaching have engrained a mindset towards what an education looks like. Learner-centered environments shift the scope to how best to allow a child to learn. Early childhood education has embraced this concept, but secondary and higher education do not always employ these methods. I was very fortunate to have been involved in a very learner-centered course throughout my secondary education. The Gifted and Talented program in my district allowed for our class to produce our own curriculum and we had to align it to the standards for the course. This allowed me to see first-hand how a class is structured. It also allowed me the unique opportunity to help design a class around my interests. I recognize that in my own classroom, I do not employ this technique often enough and should use the learner-centered principles more as a leader in educational technology. By applying the principles of technology integration into the curriculum and instruction, my field-based activities included creating a series of videos to teach the staff how to design their classroom and teacher web pages. I incorporated different methods other than the traditional paper based training medium. In creating these videos, I tried to keep in mind the ever-evolving needs of today’s students. The approach to the training tools was to find a happy medium that made it accessible to all levels of technology prowess among the staff. This standard was also employed in the Teaching with Technology course where we had to design a lesson plan using the CAST Lesson Building system with a group. This allowed me to see how technology could be implemented in a variety of fashions, from the ground up in a lesson including the communication between group members. By using technology to guide the process and be incorporated at every step of the way, students will be better prepared for the future they face.

Pierce, J. W., & Kalkman, D.L. (2003). Applying learner-centered principles in teacher education. //Theory Into Practice, 42(2)//, 127-132.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants: Part 1. //On the Horizon, 9(5)//, 1-6.

Williamson, J. & Redish, T. (2009). //ISTE’s technology facilitation and leadership standards: What every K-12 leader should know and be able to do//. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.