EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY IN THE 21ST CENTURY CLASSROOM

So What? Who Cares? Education Technology in the 21st Century Classroom Brittney A. Entrikin EDUC 511 July 15, 2013 Mr. Doyle Potter

EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY IN THE 21ST CENTURY CLASSROOM So What? Who cares? Education Technology in the 21st Century Classroom There are many ways to describe an effective teacher. One characteristic of an effective teacher is someone who shows that they really care about their students. When teachers do not take a personal interest in their students it shows that they dont care about the human beings they are. When teachers do not care about their students, the students pick up on it and it could be detrimental to their success that year. Ineffective teachers do not care about their jobs and

they dont care about their students. Studies show that even one year with an ineffective teachers can greatly hinder a students success in school for the rest of their life (Their Fair Share, 2008). When students know that they are cared for, they are more likely to be willing to learn because they have that support in the classroom from their teacher. Another characteristic of an effective teacher is a teacher who actively engages their students throughout the day. Getting up in front of a classroom and lecturing the whole day is no longer an appropriate way of educating like it was many years ago. Incorporating materials that appeal to all types of learners has been proven to be effective when teaching children because they have something tangible to work with. Audio, visual, and kinesthetic materials greatly enhance productivity and learning in the classroom. The effective teacher is always looking for new ways to keep his/her students engaged. One person that has inspired me throughout my live was my junior high basketball coach. I still keep in touch with her and, until recently, I coached with her for a few years. My coach inspired me because she was always so encouraging and extremely motivating. I have learned through her that these are key traits to have when working with students. There were a few times I wanted to quit basketball in high school and a few times where I have strayed from my Christian beliefs, but she never once judged me and she always had something uplifting to say to

EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY IN THE 21ST CENTURY CLASSROOM me. She is more than my basketball coach; she is my mentor and has become a great friend to

me. I strongly believe that she had a big influence on the person I am today. As a teacher myself, I want to try and strive to become an educator that my students will remember and trust not just because of the things they learned academically, but because of the lessons and conversations I have with them. Student success is measured based on the student. I do not measure success based solely on grades because every student learns differently. I measure success based on the progress the student has made in school and through his or her academics. Some students really struggle in school and I have seen that enough times to know that to be true. They may try very hard, but their grades do not show it. I would rather look at that students overall progress they have made towards their academic goals, rather than the end grade. The end grade does not always measure success as well as the progress has. My faith impacts how I work with my students by how I treat them in the classroom. having grown up in a Christian home, I have learned that everyone deserves some level of respect. I have also been raised to treat others with kindness at all times because we never know what is going on behind closed doors. I can take these things that I have learned and bring them in the classroom. There are always those students who test our patience and that can get under our skin, but those are the students who need our grace. These are the students that need the most patience. I have learned through my student teaching that some students have gone through more in their short lives than I have in my whole life. For that reason, I need to show love, just as Christ extended his love for me on the cross. I feel that my faith puts me at an advantage because it gives me the ability to see students the way Christ sees them: as his children. A way to extend our love to our students just as Christ did, is to get to know our students. During my student

EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY IN THE 21ST CENTURY CLASSROOM teaching I had one student who really challenged me and really got under my skin. I got to the point where I would pray and ask God to help me find a way to reach out to him. This changed once I got to know him on a more personal level. I realized how hard of a life that this student has had and this changed my whole perception of him. I started seeing this student as a child of God and because of that, I had more respect for him. I felt like God had answered my prayers in dealing with this student by showing me that I need to be not only a teacher, but a friend to him. This experience has shown me that I can incorporate my faith into my teaching by praying for my students everyday. In this day and age, technology has become a way of life for people. Many schools have

incorporated technology in the classroom in the hopes that it will enhance learning. I am a strong believer that technology can enhance teaching and learning. I have worked with document cameras, iPads, and SmartBoards and all of these things really assist students in their learning. Using technology in the classroom is more efficient for the teacher as opposed to writing everything on the board, which can use up valuable teaching time. I also think technology appeals to students, especially nowadays, because technology can easily reach out to all types of learners in a more simple way. Today, technology is an integral part of teaching. Every classroom that I have been in in the last five years has had some sort of technology as a way to assist teaching. Because technology is so wide spread in classrooms, I think it is important to be familiar with it and have some sort of knowledge as to how it all works to enhance learning. My learning goal for this degree is to learn as much as I can about all the different ways to incorporate technology into my classroom. I am familiar with most of the new technology that is out there, but I am open to learning and collaborating with fellow students to learn more about how I can

EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY IN THE 21ST CENTURY CLASSROOM

enhance the learning of my students in my classroom. I would like to learn more about how I can incorporate the iPad in the classroom. I am familiar with a few apps on the iPad that can assist teaching and are good for classroom management, but I would like to learn more about what else is out there for teachers like me. I would like to be more knowledgeable about what is out there so I can better control and teach my class. During my last student teaching placement, the teachers at the school were all given iPads for the classroom. I was able to see some ways on how to incorporate them into the class, but since the teachers were all new to it, I did not learn a whole lot. I feel like this degree will give me a better understanding of that and will help me become more comfortable with technology in general. To me, this degree will better prepare me for using technology in my classroom. on a personal level, I think having a Masters Degree is a great accomplishment and I am proud of myself for making it this far in my education. Before attending Azusa Pacific University, I never once thought about working towards a Masters Degree because I figured it would take too long. The fact that I get to study a subject that I have been so fascinated about is also meaningful because it does not feel like it is much work at all because I am enjoying myself. I have grown up with the belief that being educated is a great priviledge and accomplishment. I know that the things I will learn in this program will be useful in my classroom.

EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY IN THE 21ST CENTURY CLASSROOM References Their Fair Share. (February 2008). Retrieved 15 July 2013.