Realzing the Vision Conference Blog

Again, I am live-blogging this session, so please excuse any typos, etc.

Annette is talking about how she chooses to get “fit” with technology.  Think about what your teaching style and learning style is, because that changes your approach to technology.  How do you get your students in “the zone”?  Where their concentration, interest, and enjoyment is high?

Annette is showing an example of how technology is tied into all different types of projects, such as the Hooked project through Thinkfinity.  Connecting courses – not necessarily directly, but creating a conscious connection throughout the disciplines.  The key, she says, is to get the kids excited about what you’re talking about, and then connect the ideas across the curriculum.

What role, Annette asks, does technology play in your classroom?  Is it a tool that could help students who otherwise would be unsuccessful?  Or is it something that you use to provide the real-world application/experience.  She references the websites Quia and 4teachers.org , as well as several others.  Different ways to use technology to save time.

You can also use technology to differentiate.  Playaway is a device that will read your books to you.  Same with the new Kindle from Amazon.  This is a way to use technology to get to a student who might otherwise be unsuccessful.  Practice application can provide time for higher level applications.  She referenced a program that talks about the Dopplar technology.  Seek fresh ideas – use an existing resource to find quality technology.  She has these listed on her website.

Exercise your mind – practice – use tools – authenticity – make technology part of your lifestyle.  Once you practice with technology and use cool tools that are authentic, you must make technology a part of your lifestyle - an everyday thing.  What can technology do that can fulfill a need that you have?

The key to good practice is not “doing computer” or having “computer time”, but to fit in the technology into what you are already teaching.  As far as using tools, how you use the tools makes all the difference in the world.  Technology does make plagiarism a reality, but you can eliminate it with high level assignments.  Instead of writing a character analysis, create a higher level assignment – you can compare two different character analysis sites and then give your own opinion – or give the analysis of one character from the POV of another character.

What is it really that you want your students to do – from an information literacy POV?  Critical and creative thinking? Great, then combine with technology literacy and content literacy, which will produce information literacy – which is, in reality, the goal. 

Then, Authenticity makes a difference – how can you use technology to make what they are doing more relevant, more real-world, more authentic.

Finally, it has to be a part of your lifestyle.  Is it a part of yours?  Are you a true lifelong learner?

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