Focused Issue: Technology

The following quote is from a teacher, reflecting on one of her students’ behaviors:
“Reuben burst into the classroom on Monday morning, waving his school library book in the air and asking, 'Can I please do a book review?' Reuben, a typical six and a half year old boy, is not usually very excited about reading, or writing, or in fact anything remotely resembling hard work, so what had got him so excited?” –Sue Halsey, Embracing Emergent Technologies and Envisioning New Ways of Using Them for Literacy Learning in the Primary Classroom (ERIC Digest).

The student was eager to partake in a book review because his teacher, Sue Halsey, chose to incorporate technology into her classroom. She developed a class website in which she, her students, their families, and community members could contribute. One of the aspects of the website allowed students to use podcast technology to share reviews of books they have read (Halsey, 2007, p. 102). Technological advances are ever growing, and because children use these advances a great deal outside of school, it is eminent that these new technologies will make their way into our classrooms. Ideally, every classroom should incorporate technology to the best of their abilities in response to children’s interest and excitement about these technologies. After all, what better way to reach our students, than to use what they love…

There is a wide range of possibilities when it comes to using technology in schools, and it will forever be expanding and improving. Promethean Boards are a popular tool being used today. They are essentially interactive chalkboards. Teachers gain access to thousands of pre-made flipcharts which can be used on the boards. The flipcharts are of varied lessons, activities, and grade levels (www.prometheanplanet.com). Teachers also have the capability to use their creativity to construct their own flipcharts. Once the flipcharts are opened on the Promethean Board, students have the ability to use a special pen tool to interact with the board. Students can also interact with the board through personal handheld devices which are synced to the board, which has great opportunities for students with disabilities. Another technological advance of growing popularity is the use of electronic books. These ‘E-Books’ have a great potential to open reading up to people who were not accessible to books before, such as people with blindness, dyslexia, and physical disabilities. It would give them the opportunity to enjoy and benefit from reading, when perhaps they couldn’t before.

Sue Halsey says, “Envisionments take place when teachers, children, and others imagine new possibilities for literacy and learning, transform existing technologies to construct this vision, and then share their work with others.” This is exactly what is, and should be, happening in our schools and communities. With any drastically new idea, teachers can be nervous and hesitant, and naturally so. However, educators need to embrace new technologies into their philosophies…for the benefit of their students.