Future Technology- not so far away

The technologies for the future classroom- or not so far future, will have an enormous impact on students, teachers and schools. Not so far future- because many schools have these technologies already! The first thing that comes in mind when looking at these technologies that could be common place is that it will discourage students from traveling or exploring the world. When you can use a hologram to bring anything from the world into your space or use virtual reality to explore- why take the risk or spend the money to physically go? Although from experience, I know why- but to these younger kids who can have everything in their bedrooms- why ever leave? Another negative I see is that holograms can easily make teachers no longer needed, just like self-check outs: if you have one grade 2 teacher in one place teaching about addition, why would you hire multiple, when you could project their image into many classrooms?
However, just like all technologies, there are the positives. For example, no more lost assignments, damaged text books and easier communication about assignments between student and teacher. This video shows the "tracking" features a sort of negative big brother, when really it is a great technique for assessment for learning for the teacher (and the text book creators) to assess how well they are managing curriculum and relaying it to students.  

Social Media as Technology

It doesn't matter your generation or age, as a teacher it is important to stay relevant with your students in order to engage them. The majority of students in North America have a social media account of some sort OR know what Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, Snap Chat, etc. are. What better way to engage your students, then by giving them assignments and tasks related to something THEY know how to do and do well (and probably better than us teachers!).

Here are some ideas I have:

1. Create a classroom Twitter account on Instagram page. The problem here is that YOU the teacher have to update these accounts (so you better learn how!). Have you students comment and post on what you post, and that can be parts of their assignment. Could this possibly engage students in discussion that otherwise would not in the classroom? Alternatively, there is an education friendly version of this called Edmodo.

2. When you start a new topic, if you are allowing students to inquire or lead-the-way, you can create a Pinterest board and they can all add different "pins" (ideas) to the board. Pinterest allows many users to upload to one board. This will also aid you as the teacher to see what your students are interested in with regards to the topic. This works great if you are at a IB school for example, as the topics can be broad and allow room for student's to come at the curriculum with their own perspective.

3. When doing book studies or anything that involves getting to know characters, setting, and plot, you can get the students to create a Facebook account for a character and keep it updated with what is going on in the character's life.

Including social media as technology in the classroom also allows really important teachable moments as you can guide youth how to properly interact online. For example, you can discuss cyber bullying, informal/formal language and trolling. When teaching, all types of communication are relevant, therefore online communication is important as well.

Here  is a great article about using social media in the classroom.

Balancing Technology & Student Questioning

The questioning, the mess, trial and error, reflection and "the ugliness" is what engages students and gets them interested in something! As Musailam points out, you can't engage a student from just watching a lecture over a phone: they need to experience the learning. Human interaction and student questioning is so much more valuable than simple mindless implementation of technology. Be a cultivator of curiosity!

Math technology in Alberta

I've studied the 3^rd grade math curriculum from the Alberta Education Division in Canada. I’m currently tutoring high school students in math and found that some of the students lack certain skills. I notice that if these skills are not developed before entering into high school the students struggle with upper level math. 

As mentioned in an article by the Edmonton Journal, the math curriculum has not satisfied parents in the way students are learning math (French). When working with high school students, I noticed many using calculators to solve simple multiplication problems such as 9 x 7. This article addresses the same issue about how students are not being prepared enough in mental math strategies. This article was written in 2014, so many of the students I currently have were affected by the curriculum when they were in elementary school.  Students will continue to be affected until changes to the curriculum will be made in the fall of 2018 and 2019 (Alberta).

I wonder if some Alberta schools would benefit by using apps to help students learn their multiplication and division facts. One that I have used before is Mental Math. It is a free app and simple to use. It has a timer and is similar to flashcards. This gives the student a feeling of playing a game and encouraging them to improve their points from the last try.

Download the app 

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/mental-math-cards-challenge/id500595081?mt=8

Alberta, G. O. (2016, June 15). Alberta updating curriculum to better prepare students for future success. Retrieved November 08, 2017, from https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=429254F30CF8B-FC56-7936-ADA544AE037D475C

French, J. F. (2016, June 19). As new school curriculum looms, Alberta parents say math woes unresolved. Retrieved November 08, 2017, from http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/as-new-school-curriculum-looms-alberta-parents-say-math-woes-unresolved

Imagine teaching a student that...

Imagine teaching a student that sacrificed her woman-hood for education. There are so many thoughts I have toward this powerful video, but with what I know about being a teacher in the western world, I can't help but think about the difference there is in appreciation and respect for education there is between women like this and the girls in her school vs. some of the students and their parents who have no care or respect for education. It is ironic to have girls who would give away so much for education and at the same time, kids who would do anything to not go to school. How do we even the playing grounds and make the students here appreciate what they have, and at the same time, give the students there what they so badly desire? 

Organic Systems

Which are you? Removable. movable or a mover? Sir Ken Robinson points out the natural flux and growth of organic systems such as human interactions with regards to the rigid systems we currently have that tend to crush creativity and take more time to categorize data than to inspire children. Do you think our education system needs movers? Does it need a revolution?

Different Language learning tools

There are plenty of language learning programs available. The question is, which would be most effective in a classroom setting and easy for the teacher and students to use? Another variable to consider is the price. Were going to look at three apps and decide.

Rosetta Stone

Duolingo

Babbel