My passion and my why

 

I am passionate about fostering an authentic learning environment for both teachers and students. I want teachers to feel comfortable enough to implement technology in the classroom to create such a learning environment that the students walk away with a new skill they learned and can utilize for the rest of their education. Educators can feel quite overwhelmed to learn new technology, therefore I will make it my mission to give them items from my toolbox to create such an environment. 

Another passion I have is for teachers to create and implement a safe digital learning environment for their students. Educators need to have awareness on what their students come across and must create and maintain a safe digital learning environment in the classroom. Such an awareness is necessary to know the type of content that is safe versus what isn’t safe. 

 

Emerging issues in digital learning: Is it global? Is it national? Is it state? Is it local?

 

As an educator for the last ten years, I’ve witnessed many issues related to digital learning. I believe a lot of it is at levels, state, regional, national, and global. I’ve seen parents not being supportive of the ever-revolving change in technology, colleagues not accepting the change or not wanting to learn the new technology, and many districts having little to none technology due to cost. 

 

Recently, our campus held parent-teacher conferences after the first six weeks, which is where we discussed their child’s progress and data. One phone call and meeting stuck out to me in particular and I will never forget it. As I was discussing with this parent about their child’s progress and data, the mom stopped me and asked “Mrs. Z, are you all still doing tests on the computer and the STAAR test?” I replied with “Yes ma’am, it is to get them prepped and used for the test online.” She then explained to me in a very defensive voice how the child spent the first couple of years of their life glued to a tablet and that she told his teachers last year about not wanting the child to take the test online and that she doesn’t want him on any other computer programs learning. I then had to explain to her how we don’t learn all day on the computer nor do we have them on the computer all day, and how my teaching partner and I have certain strategies we teach our students to do as they are online testing. Research has shown that stakeholders attitudes and beliefs towards technology, like beliefs, availability, appropriateness, regulations, and the effects of technology are an integral part of understanding and measuring the digital divide.Thus, the attitudes parents have heavily influence the child and factor in on how much growth in our evolving technology landscape. (Xin, et. al, p. 3). The proof and explanation is very well shown in aiding me to realize how much or little support from parents about their child using technology in the classroom. 

 

Technology is emerging every day with new ideas constantly being put out there. Within the last few years I’ve noticed colleagues not embracing the change of emerging technology. A lot of educators have negative thoughts or reactions around this, which is why when it comes to learning a new device or program, they have this fixed mindset. “Many teachers have certain beliefs and self-efficacy with technology, thus it is a barrier when it comes to technology implementation in the classroom. Teacher attitudes and beliefs are considered a barrier, in other words, as Kelly (2015) says, and impacts the teacher's ability to utilize technology as part of instruction”.. I’ve noticed the age group being the older generation of teachers, while teachers like me and younger embrace the emerging growth of technology. Those of us who support the growth of technology and the emergence of ideas, I believe we need a growth mindset to support us and others. 

While technology is always emerging, there are schools that are heavily fitted with the newest technology items, then there are school districts who have little to none. A great example of this is within my school district. I’ve noticed a lot of districts who have the promethean boards for ALL teachers, but in my school district we are slowly receiving them, little by little, year by year. The reason? Well it is the cost. Promethean boards cost within the $1,300-$3,500 range, then you need to factor the accessories for proper utilization. 

 

Education: What is wrong? What is right?

 

The last ten years in education I’ve seen developments, and under developments; I’ve also seen politicians dip their feet into education to fix it, while they don’t listen to us educators then I’ve seen some listen to us and actually try and do something, but never can do so due to politics. I believe politicians aren’t fully aware of how much comes out of our pockets, nor do they realize how under-funded a lot of school districts are in many areas across the country and world. As for the one issue that is wrong with education? I honestly can’t decide because in all honesty there is still so much to improve on and not enough is being done to improve education. However, the lack of support from all directions is a big concern from every corner of education: administrators, parents/guardians, special education, politicians, and substitutes. The only support we have in education is each other…teachers. We are the ones who show a sense of solidarity with one another and listen to each other.

 

Another problem is good teachers leaving the profession due to the underpayment or lack of support. I know I am one of those teachers who would like to move on in my profession due to being stagnate, and I would consider myself a strong teacher in Reading/Language Arts, but the amount of paperwork, documentation, the under pay, and lack of support is the reminder of why I am choosing to move on in my career. While I do love the teaching part and seeing the changes I’ve made within my students both past and present, I remind myself I can still teach, but in another aspect, which is through the instructional technology side. 

 

Core Beliefs and Impact in Digital Education

 

My core belief system about digital learning is that everyone is able to learn a piece of technology and every teacher is able to utilize technology. We all have it in us to learn something new with practice. Like Dweck (2006) said about a growth mindset, “We might not know it…yet.”. 

 

Right now I currently teach Reading/Language Arts to 4th grade, and I have for the last six or 7 years. I always tell the parents and students their child is bright and capable of learning and is able to comprehend the work. One great example is teaching writing, which can be difficult sometimes, but once I implement different ways to teach the writing with graphic organizers and utilize the interactive notebook for notes, my students finally understand it when the time and day comes. That day or time takes a while, but the growth is amazing to witness in a student. Whether I stick with my current organization, but in a different position in a year or two, or decide to take a giant leap and go to a new organization, I hope the impact I make is just the same as I did for my students. I know there are adults out there and teachers who may not feel comfortable utilizing technology in the classroom, but once I show them what I have in my toolbox, I know they will definitely go far with what they’ve learned. 

 

Accomplishments and Innovative Practices

 

As a classroom teacher, I currently implement technology in many ways, however, I want to go beyond and be on the side of helping teachers implement technology in the classroom. My innovation project is currently researching implementing an e-portfolio in the classroom for K-12 Reading/Language Arts teachers to where student writing samples can be stored. It is similar to a physical copy of a file folder, which gets passed on from teacher to teacher, grade level to grade level. This is a great means of documentation for the teacher as a way to keep track of the student and their writing during those K-12 years, but more importantly they can view any discrepancies that were missed in the early elementary years. I feel like this is very vital as we keep moving forward in education since technology is ever-evolving. 

 

Since I want to move towards supporting teachers in the classroom with technology integration, I realize I won’t be working with students 100%, but with teachers. I’m a firm believer that I can still make an impact on the students through the teachers by implementing or introducing important ways in which makes their classroom experience more efficient and interactive. Technology is here to stay and we need to move with it, and the only way in which to do so is through integration and implementation. I firmly believe that type of impact can make a world of a difference for everyone in education. 

References

Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. random house.

 

Kelly, D. P. (2015). Overcoming barriers to classroom technology integration. Educational Technology, 55(2), 40–43. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44430356

 

Xin, Z., Bebell, D., & Cleveland, G. (2024). Examining the relationship between broadband access, Parent technology beliefs, and student academic outcomes. Education Sciences, 14(10), NA. http://dx.doi.org.libproxy.lamar.edu/10.3390/educsci14101057