"One learns from books and example only that certain things can be done. Actual learning requires that you do those things." --Frank Herbert
In order to develop my own ICT skills, pedagogy, and professional development in my classroom I will need to commit to ‘putting new ideas into action’ in my teaching. This means continually seeking out people who are more knowledgeable to teach and support me as I take ICT risks. I need to overcome the fear of not ‘knowing it all’ as a teacher, and explore with my students and peers. Being prepared to fail will be necessary. This will be great modeling for my students.
I am so fortunate to be surrounded by knowledgeable people. My school district has skilled and accessible staff to support us in schools. I have friends (including a former student) that I have grown to depend on in my critical technological 'moments of need,' and my amazing school colleagues that learn along with me. There are online networks of educators reaching out through blogs and workshops in my school district and throughout Canada.
What’s next? I need to teach my students the skills that I am learning by going beyond the intimate relationship I have with my laptop, and extending this insight to my students. In saying this, I realize that some of my grade three students may exceed me in my digital skills. Reaching out to former students in higher grades to assist my younger students in tech support can and will be a valuable resource.
In "The School Tech Squad: A Learning Commons Technology Boost", Karen Ramsey states, "Students have knowledge, access and curiosity about technology that exceeds that of many of our teachers." (2010). Formalizing the role of a student Tech Squad in my school is a positive step in building a community of learners.
I have just subscribed to some online networks that will continue to inform me of what is happening in the ICT world. The EdCan Network has an EdTech and Design section that features an article about Podcasting in the Classroom as well as Top Tech Skills for Educators.
In "Top Tech Skills of Educators" by Nathan Snider and Trevor Quan, they state, "While digital skills and new technology tools are important- and teachers need to receive both training and support to effectively work with these technologies..." (2021).
Rather than relying on professional development workshops provided by my school district, I need to actively seek out my own training to familiarize myself with new and existing technologies.
Some of the technologies that I plan to work into my classroom (and eventually my library) are: Spheros, Makey Makey, and Scratch.
My school has some Spheros that have been donated to our school. They have only been used by one teacher so far. I have committed to using them with my students but still have yet to open the boxes. Learn More about Sphero here STEM Kits & Robotics for Kids | Inspire STEM Education with Sphero
I have inquired about borrowing Makey Makey from another school in our district. My students can work with the sets then advocate for purchasing some if my students feel we would benefit from having our own set. Learn more about Makey Makey here
Another network I have subscribed to is, Coding for Kids | Kids Code Jeunesse (KCJ). The site has links to join free teacher training workshops, teacher blogs and an amazing resource section. In the next few months I would like to delve into some of these resources more deeply and share this information with my colleagues.
In "Leading from the Library", authors Miller and Bass say, "It’s about advocating for fostering creativity and curiosity in your school. It’s about the love of reading and understanding what it means to be literate in the digital age. It’s about the role you play in the greater school system and being a valuable piece of the educational experiences of your students." (2019). I can become a champion of digital literacy in my school, but I will need to start somewhere. It’s time to take some action and start using the amazing programs (and people) I have access to.
I’ll let you know how it goes.
“The expert in anything was once a beginner.” -- Anonymous
References
EdCan Network | Amplifying what works in Canadian Education
Miller, S., & Bass, W. L. (2019). Leading from the library: Help your school community thrive in the Digital age. Amazon. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from https://www.amazon.com/Leading-Library-Community-Digital-Librarians/dp/1564847098
Ramsey, K. (2010). The School Tech Squad: A Learning Commons Technology Boost. Teacher Librarian, 38(1).
Resources for educators | KCJ (kidscodejeunesse.org)
Snider, N., & Quan, T. (2021, May 27). Top Tech Skills of Educators. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from https://www.edcan.ca/
I sympathize with the challenge of exploring digital tools with students, without "knowing it all" in advance! It's part of the reason I'm hoping to explore some new digital tools with students in my reading clubs before attempting to use these tools in classes where teachers will expect me to know what I'm doing :). Thanks for the link to the podcasting article. Podcasting is something I've been interested in trying out with students for a while, and the article gives good pointers about how to get started. You have mentioned several interesting technologies such as Spheros, Makey Makey and Scratch. I'm curious how you are planning to integrate these technologies into student learning. I've worked with Spheros and done some coding activites, but it's always been more for fun and "hey let's do a STEM activity"; I'd love to hear ways to integrate these technologies for deeper learning.
ReplyDeleteThis is a thorough and post that documents your thinking, strategies and resources for continuing to develop your ICT skills. You have shared many excellent ideas to help you continue to develop your ICT skills. I appreciate your thoughts on connecting and learning from and with others.
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