Learning Outcome 11: Demonstrate sufficient technology skills and the ability to integrate technology into the classroom teaching/learning
The time has long since past when technology can be overlooked in a classroom. It has become so ingrained in our society that it is next to impossible to do something without coming face to face with technology. For students, technology comes second nature to them. They expect it to be a part of their learning experience- and they should. Technology allows teachers to have students interact with works in ways that were not possible before.
When I began the Harlem Renaissance poetry unit in my high school placement, I struggled to think of a way to get students to hear the poetry in a way that was engaging and different. I found that when students were asked to read aloud, only a few of the same students would volunteer and there would often be no inflection in their voice. Poetry is meant to be experienced in many ways- through the vocal cords of an exhausted eleventh grader during ninth period is not the best way. I was able to find YouTube clips of the actual poets performing their poems. When students were able to read along and listen to how the poet intended the poem to be read, they were able to begin to understand the meaning of the poem. I was also able to play various recordings of the same poem that were performed by several different people. This led to a discussion on inflection and how speech can be powerful.
One of the ways I was able to use technology in a beneficial way was during a short unit on Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Students had read pieces by both men, and they had been told how they represented themselves to the public. To help reinforce these ideas, I pulled up videos of both men speaking to large crowds and in interviews. Students were then asked to use what they had learned before and analyze the video clips. How did each man dress themselves?How did they talk in front of a crowd; an interview? How were they similar, and what were their differences. By analyzing these video clips and then going back into the written text, students were able to flesh out more of the information presented. They were also able to build deeper connections with the images, the words and their own thoughts and reactions. When asked to reflect on their own language visual presence and persona students were able to understand how in the public realm these three things are often linked, and they can make a remarkable difference. A similar reaction happened when students were asked to question gender roles of the early 1900's for women and men along side gender rolls of men and women today. They were asked to respond to the various images with their beliefs and opinions. The most interesting reaction happened with the last slide. Students really began to confront their ideas of masculinity and child rearing practices in their culture and the world culture.
These lessons are ones that can be done without technology, but they truly come to life when it is there. Students are able to interact with the material in ways that may not have been possible before. Students are also able to create more avenues for learning on the spot with technology. They may possess knowledge that will help create the next step in assessment. When given the chance students want to use this technology to learn more.