Blog Post 1: Changing with the Tide

Growing up, I thought that I was bounds ahead of the previous generation in technology, and I was. I didn't know, however, that the influence of technology would be exponential in generations after me. I currently find my eighteen month old son able to unlock my iPhone, play on my iPad, subsequently Facetime grandmas, and find a way to lock me out of my own devices. This is just proves that as much as we think we are ahead of technology, however, the generations that follow us will always supersede our technological capabilities.

Education is a constantly evolving process that changes what seems to be instantaneously. An undeniable change is the change in technology. Even in a more rural area of Missouri, an hour from St. Louis, our school has taken the giant leap to a one to one technology school. The most remarkable part is, it seems, that each progressive year and grade level the students are more capable of learning, using, and applying technology. Even as a young teacher with only four years of experience, I feel that I am playing a losing battle of catch me if you can with the students.


To quote the great Phil Robertson, from Duck Dynasty, they have, “Facebook, my page, his page, your page.” Social media provides an outlet for discussions, forums for debate, an opportunity for research, ability to share current issues, and a means of self expression. Kid's develop their personalities in conjunction with the witty memes they identify with on their profiles. We ask if technology is killing traditional social skills, and the answer is “yes”. However, by accepting that their world is changing, we can adapt ours, as teachers, to integrate education in ways they can relate. For those school districts, schools, teachers, parents, students, or stakeholders that question whether technology is the way of the future, the resounding answer is “ABSOLUTELY”.


Here is where the adventure begins for me. I personally believe that it is an extremely easy task to incorporate technology into every day lessons. I can have my students Air Drop work, Air Play on the Apple TV, do bell work assignments on Apps, use Google Docs to create quizzes or share research paperlessly, as well as post assignments online. Options available to incorporate technology are constantly updating and changing. However, one of the most powerful technologies to apply in the classroom is a social media platform. Within a few minutes of creating a personal Twitter account after school one day, I had multiple students contact to ask about my Twitter account. How amazing is this device that can entice more creativity, questioning, and self-expression in ten minutes than six hours of school could ever try to?


Students thrive off of the application of social media platforms in the school setting. This is the future for our students. Applying this great communication device, using it to enhance education, and finding a way to incorporate it into our daily lessons will benefit our student's achievement now and in the future. I specifically am looking to relate social media to interventions, and it will be no easy task.


My case in point? Our students know how to do more than we do when it comes to technology- and always will. Using technology in our classrooms is one of the main ways we must keep current and relevant with our students. The teachers from generations before ours that choose not to accept technology integration in the classroom will meet Darwin's theories at their finest. Those who do not adapt, will not survive in the Snapchat- eat- Twitter era we are living in. The most mind boggling thought for me is that in eight years students evolved this much technologically. What will the next eight years look like?