Technology Students Survey

I recently had the opportunity to survey my students on their access to technology both in and outside of school. I was only going to survey one or two of my classes, but when I saw how different the data was after the first two, I decided to survey all my students.

About five years ago, I did a similar survey with many of the same students when I was their elementary teacher. I was curious to see what had changed. Much has changed in that small amount of time. A link is provided to my brief podcast on YouTube.com about my findings. You may also watch the video via this blog.

Technology changes our world almost daily, yet our schools struggle to keep up. It is difficult to say just exactly what it will take to get our students using 21st century tools in the classroom. I guess if I had that answer, I wouldn't be a middle school music teacher. I just hope I can do my small part to provide my students access to these tools.


Survey Podcast listed on YouTube.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbaHpipYFH4


Watch Survey Podcast here:

21st Century Skills.org - My thoughts

In 2003 I took a class presented by Intel on technology in the classroom. The skills we learned were building web sites, creating power points, creative uses for publisher programs and how to use these programs to teach students. At one point I was queen bee of the class because I found and downloaded a simple audio clip from the internet to accompany a presentation I created in power point. Today, it seems archaic. A simple search on YouTube produces far more complicated and creative videos that kids create in their spare time than we, at the time, ever thought possible outside of Hollywood. And yet, just a few years later, it's all commonplace.

That is the world our students "play" in. Our students are master web builders, movie makers and online travelers. Why is it that they can play with and master such technology but at school they still go to the library to research possible job opportunities from outdated books? As strange as it may sound, Education is slow to learn.

The web site http://www.21stcenturyskills.org is dedicated to seeing the students of today learn the skills they need to succeed tomorrow. Of course, that has been the job of public education from the beginning. But today’s education system is falling behind. This web site is packed full of information on what 21st century skills students need to enter the workforce in the future. I liked the many links to other school districts and industries that are working to improve learning for our students, but found it difficult to gain any real information.

I felt much of the information was just scratching the surface. The site suggests concepts and then links to another site that also speaks in concepts, which then links to another site and so on. I’m a give-me-the-facts person. Give me an idea on “how” to apply “Principle 4: The library media program models and promotes creative, effective, and collaborative teaching.” from the America Association of School Librarians web site and their attempt at promoting the 21st century skill “Information Literacy.” (http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/aaslproftools/informationpower/iplearningteaching.cfm) I know this site is to “…Serve as a catalyst…” (http://www.21stcenturyskills.org ) for 21st century skills. But it feels more like a report on research findings. Maybe I didn’t look deep enough.

It is important to teach our students these skills, now help me know how.


http://www.21stcenturyskills.org
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/aaslproftools/informationpower/iplearningteaching.cfm