My kids are far more savvy than I am on social media. I have some 40 plus years of computer experience and that give me some fundamental skills on basic MS Office products including some Powerpoint features, business tools on Excel, and some basic networking and command prompts. I also find that even the kids are migrating swiftly between tools and platforms. On top of everything is the IT policy at our institution. So I dabble in as many current tech things as possible in order for me to remain current in the field and impart that knowledge to my students.
In order to stay abreast of emerging technologies, I've subscribed to a few technology RSS feeds. I also pay attention to announcements about new technology that are disseminated via social media resources. Furthermore, I am a member of a couple of professional technology groups that offer resources on emerging technologies and send me information using listservs.
Jim,
I am always amazed at how quickly my children adapt to a new technology. As a mother of a 20 year-old and two children in elementary school, I have seen the increase in technology infused into the classroom over the years and now have a six year-old in keyboarding class! I remember when I was in high school learning on a conventional typewriter- how quickly times have changed! Proper online research techniques and learning the full functions of the Microsoft Office Suite are essential in todays learning environment. What I find very convenient is Google Docs ability to read Microsoft files. If you find yourself on a computer without MS Office but you have an internet connection, you can access Google Docs to open, read, and modify files.
Wishing you continued success in the classroom.
Theresa Schmitt
By reading articles on new tech and listening to my students and picking their minds for new tech.
Recently I have taken several course pertain to Google technologies that have proved me with the ability to create and implement technologies relevant to the class I am teaching. I also refer to the students for updated information as I have form them to be more in tune with today's technological changes.
I am fortunate in that I work in Health Informatics. However much of my work is done in a professional environment, so I do not use some technologies that are second nature to the students such as Twitter and Instagram. Therefore I must carve out some time to learn more about these technologies (mostly self taught).
I have found that continuing education is a huge part of most professions. Teachers should take classes and seminars throughout their careers to keep up with current educational advancements. Staying abreast of emerging technology and trends can impact the way in which students respond to any instructor. Understanding these trends and how they impact your teaching can be instrumental in identifying and recognizing future opportunity. In short, staying on top of emerging technology trends empowers you and your students to work smarter and grow faster.
I am really learning a lot of strategies that I can incorporate into my classroom in the upcoming quarter. So far I have taken a great deal of notes. One item that I am very interested in added is the use of a WIKI and the Collaborative Classroom using Collaborize. Staying abreast of new technologies is difficult but very important. I am finding that students are getting very bored with the typical use of PowerPoint.
I am fortunate enough that the techies at my workplace do the research on up and coming new technologies for the classroom and student retention. A few years ago we received a bunch of credit card sized keypads with numbers 0-9 and we were able to add into powerpoints and other lecture materials a hands on quiz, questionnaires and other forms of questioning for the students to use the cards to answer the questions. The instructors assigned the cards with ids on them to the students and we are able to track their progress. The company has now added a mobile for the same use so the students can download the app, use their phone and the instructor and the individual student can now track the results and progress.
My institution has adopted Chrome cast, where you can project anything which is opened on Google chrome. This is very convenient, as you are not just relying on power points for visual aid.
As an educator teaching a healthcare computer class, it is very important to stay currnet on emerging technology. I let my student know that technology is advancing with new things everyday and that it is a learning experience for not only the students, but for me as well. Therefore, I do not hesitate to ask them questions and have them explain the latest technology to me. When I learn new emergiing technology I then use it in my next class. In each class I learn something new and then use it to relate to future students.
Keeping up with technology and new advancements coming down the line is a non-stop chore. Trying to get a hold of the newest devices, and trying to use them in a classroom setting is not always doable. Many colleges and schools can't afford to upgrade to the newest devices every few years let alone every few months. The best you can do is to learn about them and pass on the knowledge.
I use powerpoint presentations with pictures and videos imbedded in the slides to make the material more interesting for the students. I also use the media that the book has, which allows the students to perform certain tasks that they will be doing when they are out working in the field, like mounting x-rays. They can either do it at home and print out the work or in the classroom. This allows me to monitor the progress of the students on certain task.
Since I am a technology teacher, it seems easier for me to keep up with current technologies. I do so by reading about and researching the internet of new technologies that could help benefit the classroom learning environment.I would like to implement more of that technology as a teaching method, but I am worried about teaching and training the students on the new technologies. There is so much class material to go over and it could take a while to get students acclimated to the new proposed technologies. I am still an advocate for utilizing it in the classroom and I will continue to do my best to implement technology more in the classroom.
This is a very difficult thing to do. There aren't exactly magazines floating around with the latest, greatest teaching software's and ideas. I am fortunate enough to come from a formal teaching background. I taught High School for a while before coming to the private college scene. I am also fortunate to have several family members who are in K-12 education. They are extremely invaluable to keeping up with the newest technologies. I keep up with emerging technologies through word of mouth. I hear about something new, I check it out, and see if it will work for me. regardless of how I like a program, I make sure that I share it with my colleagues. They can decide for themselves if a technology is useful. When I find in a software that is useful to me, I take the time to share it with others. This accomplishes 2 things. 1. other staff become familiar with the latest technology and 2. I become more familiar with how to use the program. It is a win-win.
Our company brings in speakers each year to keep us in the know. Max Knowledge is a major source for us as well. We also are required to complete 32 hours on CE's each year, which affords the opportunity to research innovation.
I teach graphic design and the software is always being updated. I keep in touch with the techie at school who follow industry developments that might be relevant. I also have a subscription to Lynda.com. Over the last year they have really broaden their topics to include thing such as media usage and the latest technologies.
I really haven't stayed current with recent technology. This course has started to open a new world for me.
