What teachers and students need to do to incorporate technology into school education
by
Shanna Schwarzer , vice principal at Jefferson City High School in Missouri, USA, believes that students should treat the classroom as a 'workplace' and approach their 'learning' as a professional 'job.' She often uses the word 'professional' when talking to students about their performance and behavior. Jefferson High School values student autonomy and incorporates a lot of technology, including devices and software, into its classes. A Google blog post by Schwarzer discusses 'important things for teachers and students to incorporate technology into the classroom.'
How teachers and students can develop learning skills for school – and beyond
https://blog.google/topics/education/how-teachers-and-students-can-develop-learning-skills-school-and-beyond/
◆1: Establish a student-run help desk
Just as a company needs a help desk to handle customer and employee inquiries, so too does the classroom. At Jefferson City High School, students are taught a class called 'Help Desk,' where they learn how to repair devices used at school and how to fix problems with the Wi-Fi network. At the same time, students also learn how to respond to students and teachers who visit the help desk, developing business-ready communication skills.
Below is a look at the help desk class.
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◆2: Hold a monthly event for teachers called the 'Technology Summit'
Jefferson City High School holds monthly technology summits for teachers to ensure that no teacher falls behind on technology. The summits consist of 45-minute sessions on specific topics, such as 'How to organize files in Google Drive' and ' The SAMR (Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, Redefinition) model.' Teachers also gather at roundtables to discuss learning challenges and technology.
Great discussions being had today on the SAMR model. One more session to go! #techsummits1617 pic.twitter.com/ddjP1LO4kr
— Sarah Jorgenson (@sarahjorgs) November 2, 2016
◆3: Even if you fail, just try
While not all students will be able to use technology at the same pace, the use of technology in the classroom is based on a 'just give it a try' mentality. For example, some students initially resisted using Google Classroom and wanted to turn in their homework on paper because it was 'easier.' However, if a teacher listens to this and delays the use of Google Classroom, students will miss out on the opportunity to use Google Classroom to get feedback from their teachers and share ideas with their classmates.
Another major issue facing teachers was assessment via Google Classroom. It was difficult for teachers to assess students electronically using Google Classroom, and initially, teachers at Jefferson City High School did not use it for assessment. So, we went back to educating teachers and explained how assessment via Google Classroom is meaningful and how it can eliminate paperwork from teachers' tasks. Now, more and more teachers are assessing their students via Google Classroom.
Both students and teachers learn from mistakes and apply them to the next time. When there is a problem, it is important to discuss it openly.
◆4: Teachers decide how to incorporate technology into their lessons
by Dan Zen
How teachers use technology varies depending on the subject matter and the teacher's personal preferences. For example, some teachers use Google Classroom to post articles online to supplement their lessons, while others use it as a tool for students to submit homework. However, the number of teachers who find Google Classroom 'easy to use' has increased over time, and as of December 2016, some teachers were using it to share ideas with their colleagues.
Turning students into lifelong learners isn't an overnight problem, and it's important for teachers to remember they play an important role in their students' lives and prepare them for jobs that will involve using technology on a daily basis.
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