"Even If You're On The Right Track,
You'll Get Run Over If You Just Sit There" ~ Will Rogers
Just the other day, a student came to my class and stated that she did not understand the lesson and was not able to complete her assignment. The lesson was on dividing fractions. My response was to teach the class a valuable lesson that day. I had them all get out their school assigned Macbooks, Google “dividing fractions,” and told them to select videos. After I was assured everyone found the correct searching criteria, I asked, “How many videos are there about dividing fractions?” Over 259, 000 videos were available to my students within seconds. So why are they so heavily reliant on me? I believe it is because all students, including myself still have a lot to learn. We all need to become independent and aware of the resources that are available at our fingertips. Technology is the future. It is the accessibility of knowledge that will allow us all to continue to be life-long learners.
Schools and books have long been considered the only source of information. Teachers were seen as the dispensers of knowledge. Today, portable devices such as laptops, mobile phones, new communication applications such as social networking sites, and YouTube are enabling users to access information from anywhere at any time. The role of educators is changing, and how it is delivered to our students is changing. Learning is becoming more personalized and the “one-size-fits-all” methods are becoming more outdated.
It is an exciting time in education. Learners are able to create their own paths of learning by using different types of content such as video, mobile devices, and social media. The current role of technology in our nation’s classrooms usually depends on the teacher and the resources available to them. I am lucky enough to be afforded such technology luxuries and freedoms in the district I am currently in. Garrett Keyser Butler has already started its’ trek to becoming technology leaders in the field of education. I look forward to helping it continue to grow.
When I began my Masters of Art in Educational Technology (MAET) with Michigan State University in May 2011, I never imagined I would be learning in an environment that was completely online. I still remember filling out surveys and suggesting that more detailed instructions on projects and informational videos would have been helpful. Now I look back, I can see how much I have accomplished on my own with the support of open content and people from all around the world. I no longer have to rely on one instructor to give me everything I need. It is that same independence and confidence that I want to instill in my students and fellow teachers.
As a future leader in technology, I want to help current and future teachers by sharing with them what I have learned in the MAET Program. I want to focus on designing learning experiences that reflect the innovation and creativity of the 21st Century Learners. The emergence of open content, multimedia, and learning management systems will place educational material in our student’s hands. It may erase the need for some “brick and mortar” buildings and open a world of educational possibilities that are available 24/7. The future of education for all learners is going to rely heavily on problem solving, creativity, risk-taking, collaboration, and in general, learning how to learn.
I have gained knowledge of several different free and open applications, content and learning management systems as well as collaborative tools that will make learning more active and united. I want to help fully train teachers to be ready to use the technology that has already been afforded to them. In the upper grades, I see possibilities to create blended and virtual classrooms that focus on collaboration and communication using such educational applications as Coursesite, Wiki’s, Podcasts, Google, and other free social media sites. I see students of the future creating websites, virtual tours, streaming videos, and creating web presentation projects, which could conceivably be viewed by millions of other students around the world. The Internet and social media will ultimately raise the bar for student work. It is up to our imaginations as to what the role of technology will have in the future of education.
As I near the end of the MAET program, I start to wonder how I will continue to stay ahead of the ever-changing technology available. I may have earned my Masters in Educational Technology, but I will never claim to have mastered technology. Completing this program has put me leaps and bounds ahead of others in my district, but I will never be able to stop learning. More than ever, we all need to keep up with the ever-changing technologies that are available. It can be overwhelming to take in the daily updates and newest fads in technology. I believe that one has to surround themselves with like-minded people that are also connected to the world of education and technology. I will continue to attend professional meetings held by within my district as well as grow my Personal Learning Network (PLN) and look towards Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learnering (MACUL) for support in my future learning. A future goal that I have set for myself is to try to attend several technology seminars and conferences held in or around my state, so I can continue to stay ahead of the curve. I am looking forward to attending MACUL's 2013 Conference on Blended Technology and Curriculum For Today's Learner this coming spring.
We worry so much as teachers that computers will replace us, but the relationship between students and teachers are interdependent of each other and always will be. Openness, sharing, and collaboration between educators will have everlasting effects on the way students of ages study and learn. It is up to all of us to continue to learn and stay ahead of the ever-emerging technology curve. Technology gives us the accessibility of knowledge and will allow all of us to be life-long learners. I know by taking these courses I have placed myself on the right track, but if I choose to not move on this ever changing and expanding information highway, I will get run over.
~ Mariah Trentacosti, October 2012 ~
Schools and books have long been considered the only source of information. Teachers were seen as the dispensers of knowledge. Today, portable devices such as laptops, mobile phones, new communication applications such as social networking sites, and YouTube are enabling users to access information from anywhere at any time. The role of educators is changing, and how it is delivered to our students is changing. Learning is becoming more personalized and the “one-size-fits-all” methods are becoming more outdated.
It is an exciting time in education. Learners are able to create their own paths of learning by using different types of content such as video, mobile devices, and social media. The current role of technology in our nation’s classrooms usually depends on the teacher and the resources available to them. I am lucky enough to be afforded such technology luxuries and freedoms in the district I am currently in. Garrett Keyser Butler has already started its’ trek to becoming technology leaders in the field of education. I look forward to helping it continue to grow.
When I began my Masters of Art in Educational Technology (MAET) with Michigan State University in May 2011, I never imagined I would be learning in an environment that was completely online. I still remember filling out surveys and suggesting that more detailed instructions on projects and informational videos would have been helpful. Now I look back, I can see how much I have accomplished on my own with the support of open content and people from all around the world. I no longer have to rely on one instructor to give me everything I need. It is that same independence and confidence that I want to instill in my students and fellow teachers.
As a future leader in technology, I want to help current and future teachers by sharing with them what I have learned in the MAET Program. I want to focus on designing learning experiences that reflect the innovation and creativity of the 21st Century Learners. The emergence of open content, multimedia, and learning management systems will place educational material in our student’s hands. It may erase the need for some “brick and mortar” buildings and open a world of educational possibilities that are available 24/7. The future of education for all learners is going to rely heavily on problem solving, creativity, risk-taking, collaboration, and in general, learning how to learn.
I have gained knowledge of several different free and open applications, content and learning management systems as well as collaborative tools that will make learning more active and united. I want to help fully train teachers to be ready to use the technology that has already been afforded to them. In the upper grades, I see possibilities to create blended and virtual classrooms that focus on collaboration and communication using such educational applications as Coursesite, Wiki’s, Podcasts, Google, and other free social media sites. I see students of the future creating websites, virtual tours, streaming videos, and creating web presentation projects, which could conceivably be viewed by millions of other students around the world. The Internet and social media will ultimately raise the bar for student work. It is up to our imaginations as to what the role of technology will have in the future of education.
As I near the end of the MAET program, I start to wonder how I will continue to stay ahead of the ever-changing technology available. I may have earned my Masters in Educational Technology, but I will never claim to have mastered technology. Completing this program has put me leaps and bounds ahead of others in my district, but I will never be able to stop learning. More than ever, we all need to keep up with the ever-changing technologies that are available. It can be overwhelming to take in the daily updates and newest fads in technology. I believe that one has to surround themselves with like-minded people that are also connected to the world of education and technology. I will continue to attend professional meetings held by within my district as well as grow my Personal Learning Network (PLN) and look towards Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learnering (MACUL) for support in my future learning. A future goal that I have set for myself is to try to attend several technology seminars and conferences held in or around my state, so I can continue to stay ahead of the curve. I am looking forward to attending MACUL's 2013 Conference on Blended Technology and Curriculum For Today's Learner this coming spring.
We worry so much as teachers that computers will replace us, but the relationship between students and teachers are interdependent of each other and always will be. Openness, sharing, and collaboration between educators will have everlasting effects on the way students of ages study and learn. It is up to all of us to continue to learn and stay ahead of the ever-emerging technology curve. Technology gives us the accessibility of knowledge and will allow all of us to be life-long learners. I know by taking these courses I have placed myself on the right track, but if I choose to not move on this ever changing and expanding information highway, I will get run over.
~ Mariah Trentacosti, October 2012 ~