November 9, 2014

Post #2 Web 2.0 Technology Blog New Literacies and the Big Shifts

Clearly, educators play a vital role ensuring that students are prepared to be productive in the 21^st Century. In a blog post, discuss the challenges educators will have in making sure their students have the literacies they will need to reach this goal. How will educators have to re-think about content and curriculum in order to promote literacy?

One of the biggest challenges educators face is keeping current with the changing technology. We have to remain lifelong learners, and continue to embrace the new technologies ourselves. Students still need to be taught the foundations and the core subjects. However they need to be taught with 21^st century tools and in a 21^st century context, in a way that is useful and meaningful. The technology cannot be taught in isolation, rather concurrently with the core subjects. In order for teachers to do this confidently and successfully, teachers have to have a comfort level with the technology themselves. Continuous professional development, provided by the school district, with resources available to the teachers is a must. The school districts must provide the training and the resources for the teachers, especially those who aren’t confident in their use of technology. Too many districts go about implementing the technology backwards, by putting it in the students’ hands first and expecting the teachers to use it (when they have no idea what to do with it). Teachers have to be given the chance to “play” with the hardware first, get to know it, understand how it works, and then they’ll use it with the students. They also have to maintain the on-site teacher in-service programs where the staff members who know how to use the technology train everyone.  Giving educators the support they need will ensure that the programs will succeed.

Sorry ... when I re-read this I see I got on my soapbox a bit ... can you tell what kinds of issues we're facing??? LOL