The 21st century teacher: how technology enhances learning in todays classrooms.

What does it mean to teach in the 21^st Century? With so much technology available to students today, and information readily available at their fingertips, is the job of Teacher becoming obsolete?

With the internet and all that it implies, students can find information on anything, anywhere and anytime; blogs, Facebook, cell phones, Twitter, Wikipedia, YouTube, iPods, and Google; they have access to virtually limitless information. Teachers are no longer the main source of knowledge and students are not ‘empty vessels’ waiting to be filled. The teachers’ role now is to be the filter, to teach students how to handle the vast array of resources, to look at information and technology both critically and creatively and to prepare them for what is to come, in a sense we must teach them to see both the forest AND the trees.

Students today know how to use Google, but think about this, has anyone shown them how to validate, collaborate, corroborate, synthesize and problem solve with information they find there?  That, in short, is the job of a teacher in a technology based classroom today.  Authors Cher Ping Lim, Meow Sien Pek, and Ching Sing Chai tell us that the main benefits of using technology in the classroom is the development of higher order thinking skills and collaborative learning.  To add to this idea, technology in the classroom enhances learning by providing differentiated instruction, higher order thinking and learning, for the most part uses no papers or allergens and teaches to the multiple intelligences; everything that an education student is being taught to consider and implement in their teaching practice today.

In the article, Classroom Management Issues in ICT, the authors state that, “Currently, all lessons are conducted in the physical classroom—with the advancement of technology, students no longer need to be in the classroom physically; they may be learning in a virtual classroom.” With this reality looming before us, it is that much more important that we teach critical thinking to our students now, while we have them in front of us; waiting until they are away from us in a virtual world, may be too late.

 Authors Rupert Wegerif and Lyn Dawes examine the notion of thinking and learning with ICT by examining ‘The Classroom of the Future’ by Bridget Cooper.  “Miss Cooper’s focus on technology was tempered by recognition of the importance of the emotional experience in learning. Children, she insisted, need to feel secure and valued if they are to be able to take risks and be creative.” This blogger would add that along with the security to take risks, it is important for teachers to instil a passion and awareness in students of the significance of what they are learning and how they are learning it.  ICT moves students work and ideas outside of the classroom, the filing cabinet the shoebox under the bed, into the real world. In his lecture on ICT across the curriculum, John Finch from the Government of Manitoba department of Education told a story that illustrates the example perfectly; as a teacher Finch had a very bright student, who was also a very lazy student.  It was in the early days of the Internet, or the world wide web, and Finch suggested to the boy that he write a short piece on his favourite band Green Day, and publish it on the Internet. The boy complied, but with a very shoddy piece of writing, full of poorly researched information and riddled with spelling mistakes. Sometime later Finch received an email from none other than Green Day’s manager. The band had been searching the web for articles written about them and found the boys piece. They wanted to correct a few facts he had gotten wrong, but most importantly, and what struck a chord so loudly was, Green Day wanted to know why a boy in grade 5 could not spell the following words, and they provided a list. The boy immediately told Finch he MUST re write and re submit the piece, which he did of course, writing a far superior piece the second time. In this case, technology provided a global audience for a student, who until then could not see the point in creating superior work that would never be shared beyond his classroom and teacher.

John Finch recognized the internet as new innovation that was worth keeping up with; our job is to teach students how to evaluate what technologies are useful to them, analyze how to best use those technologies, understand all implications both positive and negative, apply the knowledge and finally,  create. The question in the 21^st century classroom is, what does creation really mean today? In the world of technology it means: blogging, podcasting, animating, planning, recording, designing and programming for starters. In order to access these modes of creation students need skills, they must understand words such as, subscribe, edit, twitter, tweet, reflect, comment, tag, search, locate, network, post, link, bookmark and upload. Once teachers have shared the tools for creation and skills that accompany them they must next make students understand that in a high speed world where everything they need to know is a button click away that they must proceed with responsibility and integrity. Students need to be cognisant of the meaning of words such as plagiarism, copyright, pirating, slander and confidentiality; in short after acquiring the knowledge and skills required to create with technology, they must acquire the attitude of professionalism.  Once again we see the role of the teacher in the 21^st century, not only is the teacher not obsolete, but in fact more vital and more dynamic than ever before!

Teachers who fear technology in the classroom question how they will manage laptops, cell phones and iPods at school. The answer is simply the same way you manage students who are using paper, pencils and textbooks. Good classroom management, learning objectives that are specific but flexible and clear guidelines and expectations are key to seamlessly integrating technology into the classroom. According to Howard Pitler et al, in the article ‘Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works’  “Research shows that when students are allowed to set some of their own learning goals, their motivation is higher and their behaviour is better, than when they pursue only teacher-set goals”. Not only that, but teachers must also come to understand that these new technological tools may provide temptation, but ultimately they are not the source of negative behaviour. Lessons that are relevant and engaging start with the teacher, secondary to that are the tools the teachers choose to create stimulating lessons. Teachers in the 21^st century can provide meaningful and powerful engagement on a level not available to teachers before 1990. It is our job to use whatever tools necessary to make great learning occur. Teachers need to research, collaborate, take risks and not be afraid to teach 21^st century skills.

In the 21^st century no matter what content, skills or subjects we teach, the question a teacher must ask is what does it mean NOW to teach? Are we using all of the tools provided, without fear, to our and our students’ best advantage? Are we teaching our students to see the trees, and then create the forest?