Technology for Instruction & Learning

TECHNOLOGY FOR INSTRUCTION Smart Board Tablet PC / onenote / journal

Elluminate / podcast
Moodle

Teachertube
youtube edu

TECHNOLOGY FOR LEARNING (web 2.0) YouTube (khanacademy.org)

Wikipedia / wiki's Google Docs Zoho

TECHNOLOGY FOR LEARNING (web 2.0) Blogspot (blogs)

Wordpress (ePortfolio) My ePortfolio

Buzzle Twitter Facebook

Walking with God in the Digital Classroom

Responses to Digital learning: 1. Pull the plug! (Postman) Or: 2. Merge onto the information highway! Focus on mastering 21st century skills! (Jacobs)

Who am I? What is my purpose in this life?

--> (Matthew 5:14)

... [A]ct justly, love mercy and walk humbly with [my] God. (Micah 6:8)

Solvitur Ambulando!

What has gone wrong?

--> Genesis 11. The Story of Babylon's Tower Building Project.

The Tower of Babel 1. whole world - one language2. Creative skills, tools, and basic ingredients: bricks, tar, 3. Mission: build a tower, build a reputation: "We are one! This world is all there is: We are the masters of our fate - the captains of our soul" (Invictus)
4. The tenets of the culture of technology and God's Peaceable Kingdom are at fundamental odds with each other - and yet it is here where we are called to be a witness to Him - our Soul Keeper.

How should we engage in digital learning in this secular world and spread the light of an altogether different kingdom?

All modes of communication are centered on Christ: 1. oral, 2. written, 3. visual, or 4. digital. LOGOS, God Incarnate .

1. What breaks the heart of God? Any digital tool to help bring about shalom is a useful tool: 'our' students must learn to use them effectively.

2. What interferes with our relationship with God?

Christian schools are to teach spiritual disciplines along with 21st century skills!

Spiritual Disciplines: Skills through which 'shalom' is brought about:

Inward Disciplines: 1. Meditation 2. Prayer 3. Fasting 4. Study Outward Disciplines: 5. Simplicity 6. Solitude 7. Submission 8. Service

Corporate Disciplines: 9. Confession 10. Guidance 12. Celebration

Identity in Christ is crucial.

1. Are we walking in step with the Captain of our Soul? 2. Are fruits of the Spirit evidence is our lives? 3. Are we that 'living Curriculum', those 'living letters' that 'speak for themselves'? 4. Are we resolutely walking towards the City of God?

21st century BC & 21st century AD:

Solvitur Ambulando.

Questions for Discussion

"The real problem is not adding technology to the current organization of the classroom, but changing the culture of learning and teaching" (Jacobs, p.189).

What are your fears as teachers using technology in the classroom?

What do you hope would happen if you adopted some of these 21st century strategies?

Challenges in the Digital Classroom

1. Breakdown of community 2. Student abuse o cyberbullying o cheating o distraction o privacy issues o texting / sexting issues o Fruits of the Spirit? Immediate gratification, hedonism, consumerism, idolatry? 3. Teacher training

4. Formal vs Informal Writing

Challenge # 1: Community
Do the new technologies cause a breakdown of community? Christian schools differ from other schools in a very practical way in that they foster an atmosphere of Christian community and seek to develop students who are citizens of not just their cities and countries, but citizens and participants in God's Kingdom. Do these technologies help in this endeavour, or do they hinder?

When educational historians study the early 21st century classroom, they will say that it was a time of great change and that change was driven by the technological skills that tech-savvy students brought to the classroom if veteran educators look at themselves as digital immigrants and understand that young people today are digital natives, they will be equipped to launch the process of change in the classroom (Jacobs, p.209).

Challenge # 1: Community
Facebook, class wikis, skype, caringbridge, blogposts, etc. are examples of community developing technologies. The new "Web 2.0" is all about tools for collaborative learning (the Jacobs text is full of great examples of how these types of technological tools are useful for the learning environment and make collaboration easier and more effective.) In other words, it could be said that this technology enables community, rather than destroys it. New technologies are forcing us to redefine what community means.

Challenge # 1: Community
Schools may need to adopt the practice of educating parents and students about wise choices regarding the use of technology: may be as simple as telling parents to become friends with their children on Facebook and encouraging student accountability with text messages.

Parents and teachers need to model and set the basic guidelines for when and how often a child may use technology (i.e. cell phones during class? How about cell phones at the dinner table? Computers/laptops, Ipods in a childs bedroom?)

Challenge # 2: "Student Abuse"

"It should be no surpise that when students are not taught the social responsibility of using powerful tools, there will be abuse and distraction" (Jacobs, p.188).

There are no easy answers or solutions Cyberbullying is not going to go away, just as "oldfashioned" bullying has not gone away. Some schools have opted for a ban on social networking sites in schools. It could be argued, however, that cyberbullying is easier to catch because of the digital "evidence." Cheating: "tools such as Blogger, Wikispaces, EduBlog, and
Google docs all offer free platforms with various levels of security for the teacher to facilitate discussions that stay on task and prevent student abuse of the tool" (Jacobs, p.203).

Challenge # 3: "Teacher Training"

"Lifelong learners?" Teacher attitudes to new technologies? Teachers want to learn to use the new educational technologies, but often feel that they don't have the time or the support that they need to implement these changes effectively.

What might happen if schools committed to equipping their teachers with the necessary training and support to implement these new types of teaching technologies? What are some ways that YOUR schools are providing you with these opportunities?

Challenge # 4: Formal vs. Informal

"Teachers say text messages r ruining kids' riting skills" Do U agree? PTL LOL

Hopes for the Digital Classroom

Student Engagement Relevant and Meaningful Equipping students with 21st century skills Responsible balanced and Christ-like use of technology

"we have powerful, easy to use tools that give students opportunities to contribute... that better prepare them to become more productive in our global economy" (Jacobs, p.188). We would add that these tools may provide students with new ways to serve others locally, and globally; to be not just productive in the global economy, but to make the world a better place for Jesus' sake.

References
Jacobs, Heidi Hayes. Curriculum 21 - Essential Education for a Changing World
Using Social Network tools as a resource for on-going Professional Development: http://www.convergemag.com/workforce/5-Reasons-Why-Educators-ShouldNetwork.html Blog about various issues in Education with a good sampling of articles about using technology in the educational setting (Pros and Cons are mentioned) http://edutechintegration.blogspot.com/p/intriguing-articles.html On-line article on the recent and troubling phenomenon of "sexting:" http://news.cnet.com/8301-19518_3-10453101-238.html?part=rss News report about a principal who wants parents of his middle-school students to ban the use of social networking sites like Facebook: http://wcbstv.com/technology/facebook.social.networking.2.1662565.html

Stahl, W.A. God and the Chip. Religion and the Culture of Technology. 1999: CCSR, vol.24. Waterloo, ON, W. Laurier University. Foster,R. Celebration of Discipline. The Path to Spiritual Growth. 1989: Hodder &Stoughton, London, GB. Postman, N. Technopoly, the Surrendr of Culture to Technology. 1993: Random House, Toronto, CA. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills

www.21stcenturyskill.org