With the advancement of technology, it is important to train students how to read and be engaged with online writing (McLaughlin, 2015). While Konnikova (2014) notes the difference in material retention between reading something that's printed or something online, Korbey (2014) offers some ideas of how to merge this retention gap. Even if students are reading the same material on both mediums, the internet just adds a whole new level of distractions with bright, vibrant pictures and ads constantly dancing on the sides of pages. To stay more engaged, students can take marginal notes on the document and use high lighting tools to draw attention to important passages (Korbey, 2014).
As a teacher, we should know how to seamlessly integrate technology into a lesson (McLaughlin, 2015). For example, if we are planning to include a YouTube video in a PowerPoint presentation, we should load the YouTube video beforehand and leave it's tab open so we can quickly switch to and from the PowerPoint and the video link. So often have I seen that a student present a PowerPoint to a class and lose the attention of their audience by taking a minute or two to load a YouTube video mid-presentation.
Another think to keep in mind when using technology in the classroom is always be prepared. Sometimes the internet could be fickle, so a back-up lesson or paper worksheet should be prepared. An additional way to stay prepared is by storing material on multiple devices, such as a CD and a USB (McLaughlin, 2015).
Teachers are expected to use technology wisely and effectively in their classrooms. The Maryland Teacher Technology Standards includes six standards and outcomes that include additional guidelines of how teachers should use technology in their class. I will discuss certain ways that each outcome could be addressed, including sample activities that can be incorporated into lesson plans.
I. Technology Systems: Develop foundations in the understanding and uses of technology systems.
The first standard addresses how familiar students are with a computer and how responsible they are when using one. This is something that students practice from a young age; they are taught how to use certain applications and how to type. To address this standard in a high school classroom, teachers can show students how to use certain applications similar to the way one would teach a student how to use a microscope. For example, if students are asked to create a PowerPoint presentation, teachers can point out a few tricks and tools on Microsoft PowerPoint that students may not have known before.
II. Digital Citizenship: Demonstrate an understanding of the history of technology and its impact on society, and practice ethical, legal, and responsible use of technology to ensure safety.
The second standard that needs to be addressed involves showing students how to responsibly use technology. Similar to lessons about plagiarism, students must be taught what is and is not acceptable to do. For example, as easy as it is to just copy and paste from an online document into a word document, students should understand that this is not fair to the author and that it is punishable by law. To help students understand this topic, students may create a project and try to get it patented. The process of trying to copyright their material will help students understand the significance of copyright laws.
III. Technology for Learning and Collaboration: Use a variety of technologies for learning and collaboration.
Teachers must ensure that students know how to use technology for the advancement of their knowledge. Certain ways that my previous teachers have helped me meet this standard is by helping me come up with key words when researching certain topics. For example, if I would like to know more about high school reading literacy of ESL students, I could look up this topic in a variety of ways. High school can be interchangeable with secondary school and secondary education, and ESL students can be swapped for ELL students. Using OR or AND in search engines can increase the amount of relevant articles that are found.
IV. Technology for Communication and Expression: Use technology to communicate information and express ideas using various media formats.
Under this standard, students are expected to know how to use technology to present their knowledge, including through creating web pages, excel sheets, and PowerPoint presentations. An idea of how to incorporate this into the classroom is giving students a project of creating a wiki. A wiki is a web page that allows multiple people to add and edit information (McLaughlin, 2015).
V. Technology for Information Use and Management: Use technology to locate, evaluate, gather, and organize information and data.
Students should be able to use technology for research and development of knowledge. Teachers can create an internet inquiry assignment to address this standard. In an internet inquiry, students decide on a topic they would like to know more about (McLaughlin, 2015). After creating a list of questions they would like to know the answer to, students search the web for sources and articles that are valid and reliable (McLaughlin, 2015). This project will help students practice their researching skills and learn from the feedback of the teacher.
VI. Technology for Problem Solving and Decision Making: Demonstrate the ability to use technology and develop strategies to solve problems and make informed decisions.
The sixth and last standard addresses student's abilities to synthesize and communicate the information they have acquired via technology. It is not enough for students to just gather information for a collection of knowledge, students must be able to use their knowledge to critically think and solve problems. To address this standard, teachers may assign a problem-focused internet project. An internet project allows a couple students to plan out an project that incorporates the internet (McLaughlin, 2015). Teachers may assign students a case-study to focus on and ask them to incorporate previous knowledge and research to formulate a solution.
For more information about the Maryland Technology Literacy Standards for Students and a more detailed description of expectations, visit the link: https://blackboard.stevenson.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-1380211-dt-content-rid-7431408_1/courses/17U7W1_ED_625_OL1/techstandards_students.pdf
References
Korbey, H. (2014, September 9). Can Students 'Go Deep' With Digital Reading? KQED. Retrieved on June 6, 2017 from https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/09/09/can-students-go-deep-with-digital-reading/
Konnikova, M. (2014, July 16). Being a Better Online Reader. The New Yorker. Retrieved on 6/9/17 from http://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/being-a-better-online-reader
McLaughlin, M. (2015). Content area reading: Teaching and learning for college and career readiness (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
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