About teaching, teachers and technology.

Technology will never replace teachers. However, teachers who know how to use technology effectively to help their students to connect and to collaborate together online will replace those who don’t.

Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach

21st century education. What is it and how to deal with it?

Time flies. Our world changes too fast. Technology completely transformed our regular life. Most of our time we spend with technology sometimes even without noticing it. Students are not an exception. It is hard to imagine modern teenagers without technology. They use it everywhere:  listening to music, texting, playing games, reading books, taking pictures, sharing their ideas with the whole world. It is important to understand that modern teens are familiar with technology since their childhood. It is impossible to change, because they grow up with technology. Technology, technology, technology... Students use all their free time on it. After school they surround themselves by inventions of 21st century. Stop! And what about schools? What about education? How often do teachers use technology? And do they really need to use it? 

I am an exchange student from Russia. At the moment I am in the USA. American high school is a part of my experience. Honestly speaking, I never before thought about this problem. However, one of the first things that just literally changed my mind was using technology during education process. Nevertheless, it is not the most important things. I noticed how using technology in the classroom has changed educational process. It has changed teachers, students and relationships between them. Before I had a doubt about using technology but now, when I see how it works, I can understand how important it is.

Why is it so important? (for students)

I guess, every student is familiar with the situation when all you want to do during the lessons is to sleep. I am not talking about a lack of tight healthy sleep nowadays. I am talking about boring lessons. Yes, boring lessons. Why schools limit your using of technology? Why they do not want to integrate new and interesting things in educational process? Why they do not want to change? Ha, and they still ask us why we hate schools! Imagine, how cool would it be to use super-light e-books instead of these heavy gigantic textbooks. How wonderful would it be really enjoy lessons. Honestly speaking, as a student I like studying at home by my own more than at school. I can use Youtube and Wikipedia and many different educational tools. However, it is really difficult to study without a teacher. School is a place for studying so why we can not study the way we like and enjoy? I am sure, that students will want to participate if only teachers will create a comfortable for learning atmosphere. So, why not?

Why is it important? (for teachers)

The problem is that teachers can not realize that lessons are boring. They did not see technology in use when they were students. They just use experience of their ancestors to teach. I am talking about old methods of teaching and old methods of learning. I do not want to say that "old school" is something bad and useless. Just this time is different. Student are different. These changes happens too fast for teachers who are not really familiar with "miracles of 21st century". They even can not imagine how fun and easy it is. Think, how technology can help teachers? Teacher's life will become simpler and enjoyable. They can make students love their lessons (it is the thing all the teachers are dreaming of, isn't it?). What about students with bad attitude and low attention? They will participate because it is interesting. It is very important to never loose the interest. They will do their homework because they will do the things they like. But what about the quality of education? Technology in classrooms will help to improve necessary for 21st century skills. Skills that everybody needs in modern life.

Nevertheless, some teachers still try to avoid technology saying that it is useless and harmful waste of time. Why teachers are so afraid of technology? It might be strange but it is not teachers fault. So, who we need to blame?

Digital illiteracy, what it is and how to deal with it?

To understand what "digital illiteracy" means we need to understand what "digital literacy" is. Actually, we can discuss this topic for years. In brief, this is an ability to interact with any kind of technology (if you are interested in more information you can click here). 

Here is the problem. In my city (in Russia) schools spend a lot of money on computers, SMARTboards, projectors and all that stuff. However, our lessons are still very-very-very boring. Yes, our teachers do not use chalkboards anymore. They use super-expensive and super-modern SMARTboards! That is the difference. The only difference, though. We just use SMARTboard instead of chalkboard. We just write with interactive colored pens. That is all. Of course, first time it was cool to try something new. However, almost nothing has changed. So, why to buy such expensive tools if we even do not use it properly? Teachers always say to our class: "Do not come so close to the SMARTboard. You can break anything!" Honestly speaking, we are very upset because teachers do not allow us to play with the new interactive boards :'( Stop! Interactive! Hmm, let me think. But who interact with it? SMARTboard in our class is just a part of cool and fancy interior. Why?

Here is another example. Teachers are surrounded by technology in their life, too. However, they do not notice that. Sometimes out teachers are required to make report, presentations, projects using technology. By the way, that is an example of integration technology in our life and using 21st century skills. Teachers in my school often ask students how to solve some problems with computers, how to find some information, even how to find a "+" sign or how to add a new page and that stuff. I will repeat. Teachers... ask students. Ask students. That is where the shoe pinches!

My campaign or How students can help teachers?

Now, when we know the truth we can start to blame teachers that they do not know anything about technology.

My response is STOP IT! 

Just think, who taught teachers to interact with tech?

Nobody. Nobody taught them how to type, to print, to create, to text, to... do many things!

However, the main question is not who taught but who can teach?

Who can help teachers at school time and be next to them?

Who is the most tech experienced?

Who are born tech teachers?

YOUTH

My friend said: "To teach a technology native students, you need to come up with technology native teachers".

That is why I decided to create a TECH EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR TEACHERS, to show them all the possible advantages of the technology. The purpose of my campaign, as you already understand, is to make a small step for better future IN MY HOME COMMUNITY. However, do not forget that small changes always cause big changes. Do not forget that everything is in your hands. Do not forget that together we are much stronger than we can imagine. We can make our world easier. We can make our world better. We can make people happier.

TIME TO CHANGE...

TEACH A TEACHER!