Changes in Education by Adriana Rizzo
With the invention and availability of paper and pencils, we moved away from slate and chalk. It is natural when something bigger and better comes along, to move and adapt to begin using new items. Paper and pencils are two of the first adaptations in education for composition. In today’s world, there are many new technologies being invented. Many of these technologies can be implemented into education and increase the learning capabilities of students all across the country. These new innovations are now even beginning to show up in state standards.
If you are an educator, it is crucial for you to be aware of the groundbreaking technologies associated with the new world of education. Every subject one can teach contains components of composition. Every student is different, and this upcoming generation of learners differs from previous generations. To teach these students, it is necessary to be knowledgeable on all differing forms of technology, and how to apply that technology to any given situation, in any given subject. For any Education major, it is imperative to attend this event and educate yourself. Not every student is the same, and it is the teacher’s job to learn to adapt to every single student to help further their education.
This may seem impossible, but there are technologies that can help to make this easier. Do you know where to find this information? Luckily for future educators, SUNY Potsdam is hosting a Making the Future Fair. At this fair one of the presentations, “Teaching Writing in the 21st Century,” will focus on educating about the different uses of technology in education and how educators need to learn to adapt to different situations, focusing on the aspect of English composition. The presenters are Kwamé Alston-Clark, Dennelle Gerard, Almara Smith, Megan Seth and Brittany Wylie, Brenton Johnson and Jamie Weber—a group of seniors and graduate students with English-related degrees.
The minds of today are exceedingly different than the minds of a decade ago. Teachers need to be aware of the fact that technology is changing the brains of children; they must recognize these changes and adapt to them. When you repeat actions, such as always using technological devices, your brain actually rewires itself! For example, “If you lie constantly, your brain will adapt. It will become a liar's brain, complete with extra white matter in the prefrontal cortex to support the hard brainwork of deception” (Neulieb, 15). Many may view these technological advances as useful tools. The new generation of learners no longer views technology as a tool. They have grown up with technology and learned through it, all without questioning (Rosen, 13). It comes almost as naturally to them as playing hopscotch may come to many of us. This new generation is called the iGeneration. “Today’s generation of children have grown up in a fast-paced, technology-changing world that has profoundly altered the way their brains learn, think, read, socialize, and interpret information”(Parkay, 240). Teachers need to acknowledge these changes and apply them in the classroom. Here is a study done by the Pew Research Center and the statistical findings about how teachers are using technology at home and at work: http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2013/Teachers-and-technology/Summary-of-Findings.aspx. In the research, it was found that, “digital technologies have helped…[teachers]…in teaching their middle school and high school students in many ways” (Purcell, Heaps, Buchanan, Friedrich). Teachers do not need to spend the entire class times devoted to said changes. They can incorporate some aspects into their lesson plans, such as utilizing, video clips and audio files. Higher education has realized how important technology is becoming for this upcoming generation, and they are now starting to implement it into the curriculum.
Standards in education change almost every year. With the new influx in technology, it has become more critical than ever for state standards to incorporate technologies into schools’ curriculum. Williams elaborates on this notion:
“Changes require that teachers are familiar with ICT…[, information and communications technology,]…tools and materials in the subjects they teach. They must also be able to incorporate these resources into classroom activities that accomplish important learning goals”. ("Technology in Education.")
The New York State Standards have their own section focusing in on the application of technology beginning in elementary school. The subject key ideas range from computer technology to the impact of technology (Career and Technical Education). Some examples of these technologies will be broached at the presentation, for instance, blogging, e-portfolios, podcasts and more. Not every student is the same, so future educators must be prepared, regardless of subject, to educate each student, applying technology to make the process easier.
English composition is incorporated into a range of courses from a lab write-up in science class to a document-based question in history class. Every teacher must be equipped with the knowledge of how to help each specific student, as well as how to address the class as a whole. This may seem like a daunting, impossible task, yet with the use of some of the aforementioned technologies, it is an attainable goal. Students from the iGeneration not only differ from previous students, they also differ from each other. The NCTE emphasizes this:
“Student writers enter the classroom with diverse needs and skills, including multiple languages, grammars, cultures, and extracurricular literacy practices; therefore, various approaches and assessments are necessary in order to decrease the gaps between more-advantaged and less-advantaged writers”. ("Writing Now", 1)Take blogging, for example: struggling students will be able to break down the revision process and get prompt feedback from teachers and other peers. Examples of e-Portfolios as ways for students to be able to go at their own pace and view how their work has progressed throughout the year will also be provided. This will demonstrate how “modern digital technologies are transforming our ability to design educational environments that are flexible enough to address those individual differences practically and effectively” (Rose and Dalton 75). Whether there is an ESL student who is having a hard time grasping composition, or a student with Asperger’s who struggles with organization, after reading the essays that will be discussed at the panel, you can determine that there are technologies that can be beneficial to them.
Not every student, classroom or generation is the same. A teacher is expected to be able to follow his or her state’s standards, and educate each student on the entire curriculum. If everyone was exactly the same, this would be simple, but that is not the case. The new iGeneration is full of tech-savvy, multitasking, diverse students, and educators must consider this in order to meet students’ needs. It is one’s duty to be able to take a group of students, integrate technology into the classroom, and tailor it appropriately. During Making the Future, the presentation “Teaching Writing in the 21st Century” will give a very informative outlook on the differing usage of technology in composition for this new generation of students. No matter the subject or grade level that is being taught, it is imperative to attend this event and become educated. A teacher does not want to be perturbed when a student knows more about the educational technology that is being used than they do.
Works Cited
Career and Technical Education. Technology Education. New York State Education Department, 17 Mar. 2011. Web. 5 Mar. 2013.
Neulieb, Christine. "Changing Our Minds." Commonweal 137.22 (2010): 15-18. Academic Search Complete. Web. 27 Feb. 2013.
Parkay, Forrest W. Becoming a Teacher. 9th. Upper Saddle River: Pearson, 2013. 240. Print.
Purcell, Kristen, Alan Heaps, Judy Buchanan, and Linda Friedrich. How Teachers Are Using Technology at Home and in Their Classrooms. Pew Internet, 28 Feb. 2013. Web. 13 Mar. 2013.
Rose, David, and Bridget Dalton. "Learning To Read In The Digital Age." Mind, Brain, And Education 3.2 (2009): 74-83. PsycINFO. Web. 27 Feb. 2013.
Rosen, Larry D. "Teaching The Igeneration." Educational Leadership 68.5 (2011): 10-15. Academic Search Complete. Web. 27 Feb. 2013.
Williams, Susan M., et al. "Technology in Education." Encyclopedia of Education. Ed. James W. Guthrie. 2nd ed. Vol. 7. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2002. 2509-2526. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 27 Feb. 2013.
"Writing Now." National Council of Teachers of English. (2008): n. page 1. Web. 28 Feb. 2013.
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