Educational technology facilitators demonstrate an in-depth understanding of technology operations and concepts. Educational technology facilitators:
A. Demonstrate knowledge, skills, and understanding of concepts related to technology (as described in the ISTE National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers). Candidates:
1. assist teachers in the ongoing development of knowledge, skills, and understanding of technology systems, resources, and services that are aligned with district and state technology plans.
2. provide assistance to teachers in identifying technology systems, resources, and services to meet specific learning needs.
B. Demonstrate continual growth in technology knowledge and skills to stay abreast of current and emerging technologies. Candidates:
1. Model appropriate strategies essential to continued growth and development of the understanding of technology operations and concepts.
Reflection
The SLMS can equip classroom teachers to ‘speak’ the right language. According to Marc Prensky, Digital Natives Digital Immigrants, “Today’s students – K through college – represent the first generations to grow up with…technology. They have spent their entire lives surrounded by and using computers, videogames, digital music players, video cams, cell phones, and all the other toys and tools of the digital age. This increases the chasm between the teacher and the student." Prensky states, “[The chasm] is very serious, because the single biggest problem facing education today is that our Digital Immigrant instructors, who speak an outdated language (that of the pre-digital age), are struggling to teach a population that speaks an entirely new language." Through the use of technology and professional development, teachers can begin to incorporate technology into their lessons. The classroom teacher is never alone; the SLMS is the unseen partner offering support through a difficult transition. The SLMS can offer suggestions and applications that fit the personality of the instructor as well as the subject matter. With a SLMS on site, there is always a safe place to go to ask questions, work on skills and gain confidence. Without the SLMS on site many teachers will never risk failure, which guarantees little success in this day and age. Students love technology. What better way to encourage participation in the classroom and excite students about learning than to incorporate technology into their learning. Teachers who don’t utilize technology are losing their students.
I have written a paper for a class called Using Integrated Software Across the Curriculum. This speaks specifically to my beliefs about the benefits of bringing technology into the classroom.
I have also included a link to my blog. According to the American Library Association (ALA) Standard 1, SLMS should “contribute to the exchange of ideas within an intellectual network” and “collaborate with others to broaden and deepen understanding.” This simple tool is a means to communicate with colleagues. As a classroom tool, it could be used to post book reviews, which is much more interesting than a book report!
Prensky, M. (October 2001). On the Horizon (MCB University Press, Vol. 9 No. 5.) Retrieved on Jan. 20, 2010 from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf
ALA/AASL, (March 2003). ALA/AASL Standards. Retrieved October 2, 2010, from ALA web site: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/AASL Learning_Standards_2007.pdf
Artifacts:
Why use Technology? paper
Blog
