My Educational Technology Philosophy
The ever-changing nature of education and technology make it
necessary to grow as an educator and as a learner. Educators tend to become stuck in their ways,
not wanting to make change or incorporate new ideas and technologies. In order to circumvent this attitude,
educators should update their philosophy and make it a priority.
The goal of education is to create independent, creative,
critical thinkers who strive to be lifelong learners. The learner’s role in education is to seek
knowledge and explore the new. Learners
must also be motivated and find their educational passion. The role of the
teacher is to provide experiences in which learners can become involved in
their own learning and create understanding.
Teachers must also create an educational foundation for learners to
build upon.
As a librarian, my main objective is to instill a love of
literature and reading in the learners I serve.
I believe that reading is the foundation for the majority of learning,
and students who do not learn to love reading struggle throughout their
educational careers. However, students who love to read struggle less and
become independent high-order thinkers.
They seek knowledge independently.
I greatly value the time I have with my students, literature, teachers
and the curriculum. Every second
learners have in the library is precious and should be filled with great
literature and meaningful, real-world activities that address the curriculum
standards. Exposing teachers and
students to wonderful literary opportunities opens doors to lifelong literacy.
As a librarian, my time with students is extremely
limited. However, the time I have with
them can be used for many purposes. When
timed appropriately, many new lessons and technologies can be incorporated into
the library visits. I will expose
students and teachers to wonderful literature that is focused on the curriculum
at the time. I create lessons that allow
students to delve into the literature while creating their learning
experience. I incorporate technology so
that students can learn new technological resources, see a model of the
resources and use the technology on their own.
I create school-wide activities and lessons to supplement the brief
periods I have with the students. Teachers can continue my work through Book of
the Month and other activities. I
provide teachers the necessary books, materials and technologies so that
students will have an extension of their library time in the classroom.
I expect my students to be open minded and willing to
learn. I expect them to come to library
knowing that they will work to the best of their ability. My students will pay attention to the story,
interact with and respond to the literature and complete tasks with appropriate
effort. Teachers are expected to be flexible and open to exploring new ways of
teaching. Teachers should incorporate
new technologies once they are exposed to them.
Teachers tend to become rigid and reluctant to try new experiences,
especially concerning technology. I
expect the best out of myself as well. I
will be flexible and dynamic, learning new ways to teach and new resources to
convey knowledge. I will be open to new
ideas and take time to explore new technologies. I will take time to learn how to fully
incorporate new technologies into lessons and daily library activities so that
students will have new resources at their disposal. I will not become lethargic or static towards
technology or new ideas. I will continue
to learn so that I can model new ideas and technologies as a lifelong learner
for my students. I will be the best version of myself that I can be in order to
keep kids motivated and not turn them away from learning because of a poor
attitude or harsh comments.
I will uphold these tenets.
This philosophy will be adapted as I grow as an educator. I will not
become stagnant or stubborn and continue to grow, adapt and improve for the
students and teachers that I serve. These
ideals and values will propel me into my future and keep me focused on the
students.
Blogging
Blogging offers so many opportunities for educators. Teachers can use blogs to create interactive
sounding boards for students. A blog can
be created to discuss novels, assignments and lessons. Students can work in groups on a blog. Students need only log into the blog and begin
working on their portion of the assignment for their group. Teachers can post lessons for students on a
blog. If a student is absent or did not
fully understand a lesson, they might refer to the blog in order to learn
unclear content. Teachers can also share
ideas and trade activities and lessons through blogs. The potential for blogs is only limited by
the teachers’ imagination. Currently, I
do not believe that blogs (or any form of technology) are being used to their
full potential.
November’s Question: If It’s on the Internet, Is It True?
Too often, teachers show students a brief overview of how to
use technology. They might teach
students how to create a power point presentation or find a few research
articles, but rarely teachers do not teach students how to fully understand the
technology they are using. How often
does a student find a research article and cite it as found at www.google.com. The child may not have been taught or may not
have fully understood how to find and cite an article. Kids might learn how to create a power point
or a short video, but they might not be able to imagine what the application
could beyond the current assignment.
Too often, kids believe that because something is in
writing, it must be true. The internet
has become the same for kids. It’s
online. Someone posted it. It must be true! Kids must be taught the whole story. They need to be interested in who posted the
information? They should be taught to ask what type of site the information featured
on. If students are taught about
evaluating sites and searching beyond the first hit, there will be fewer
problems that stem from misunderstanding.
The student in November’s article would have
benefited from going beyond the article.
Teachers must not only begin showing students the technology and
applications available, they must take the time to teach the students all
aspects of the technology including choosing the right application for the
right purpose and evaluating your sources.
My Expectations for the Class
I expect to learn how to incorporate more Web2.0
applications (technology, if you will) into the daily workings of my
library. I realize that the face of the
library is changing. Librarians are even
encouraged to call themselves Library Media Specialists rather than
librarians. The face of the library is
changing, and I expect to find ways to grow and adapt with the library I am
in. Technology is key and is shaping the
future of the library. I intend to keep
up with the times and help my students become the 21st century
learners that they can be.
