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Matthew Lynch published in Campus Security, EdTech & Innovation, Higher Education, Trending Topics

3 Ways That Technology Can Boost Campus Security

The need for increased security on college campuses is a growing concern for parents, family members, and loved ones. In the news and media online, you can hear or read about incidents, accidents, and even violent crimes that are taking place on US college campuses. Technology can offer increased security, regardless of the reason for the apparent increase in crime on university campuses. An increase in security on our college campuses should be one benefit of living in the age of growing technology. So, how can we use technology to keep our students safe?

  1. Security Alerts Delivered by Text Messages and Apps:

As a college student once, myself, I remember receiving text messages directly to my “dumb phone” through my college’s optional text message alert system. Even though I attended college without an Android or iPhone, I was able to receive immediate alerts from my university about threats on campus. Sometimes the alert was regarding an impending snow storm, and sometimes campus alerts via text message enabled me to be aware of a possible threat to campus security. Technology now has far surpassed the ability to protect its student bodies just through text message alerts. Although university’s security departments can quickly notify entire student populations through a simple text message, now as noted by Meghan Bortez many security apps and gadgets are widely available to students to increase their personal protection and security.

  1. Increased Lighting and Advanced Cameras:

Automatic lighting systems and sensors can be placed across entire university campuses to increase security. Some ways we can increase campus security are actually quite simple. we can protect our students by increasing the amount and quality of security lights. Students will feel more secure when walking back and forth to classes when security lights are distributed throughout the campus. No areas should be left completely in the dark. Neal Raisman author or “10 Steps to Create a More Secure Campus,” comments that increased lighting can not only offer increased protection but, may also decrease the student drop-out rate, because students may feel more secure when walking on campus at night. Also, noted by Meghan Bortez on www.edtechmagazine.com, an increase in the quality, quantity, and placement of cameras on university campuses can discourage petty theft and violent crime.  When crimes do occur, campus security should be able to view camera footage to help identify the perpetrator.

  1. Place Emergency Blue Light Phones Across Campus:

Some campuses are now placing “emergency blue light phone systems,” across their campus. At the University of Florida, police have installed emergency blue light phones across their campus. These “phones” enable you to alert security immediately of a security breach or concern without even placing a phone call. At the press of a bottom on one of these tall blue, highly visible phone systems, students can instantly contact their campus’ security dispatch center. By pressing the button, the dispatch center will also know the student’s location immediately. The dispatch center can send security personnel to that precise location and speak to the student. These emergency blue light phones are an excellent way to increase security on campus and should be put in use on every campus across America to decrease violent crime.

What Else Can We Do?

With the technology that we have available today, there should be no excuses why the students of America are not feeling safe on their own college campuses in the afternoon or at night. University alert systems increased lighting and cameras, and emergency blue light phones or other security systems can immediately increase the security and safety of student bodies. In addition to taking advantage of today’s technology developments, students, faculty, and staff need to work together to put in place effective security systems on their own campuses. Increase communication, collaboration, and inform your student body from orientation to graduation about how to stay safe.

Neal Raisman presents additional simple suggestions that can be used by everyone. For example, universities can offer defense classes and post the university police department and emergency contact information in public spaces. There should be no reason that today’s generation of young adults should fear their safety on their own college campuses with the options that we have available today, provided through technology and university and student collaboration.

 

 

 

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Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, Trending Topics

Can Coding Improve Your Child’s Writing Skills?

There’s a big push in education right now to teach kids how to code. Coding is undoubtedly an important skill that will help students in the job marketplace. It’s an in-demand skill and a useful one. But can coding help students in other areas? Some are now suggesting that coding can help improve students’ writing skills.

Telling a story through code

In many ways, coding is like writing a story. Programmers must go in a sequential order, just like storytellers. Just like writers, programmers first sit down and plan out the story they will tell. What will happen in the beginning, middle, and end?  This is just as important for programmers to know as it is for writers.

Kids can also use coding to create stories. While we may not think of coding as a creative pursuit, it certainly can be. Some of the best video games tell stories. Through coding, students can create their own stories. The best part? These stories are interactive. Just like an old “choose your own adventure” book, the reader (or player) can decide what the character will do next and change the outcome of the story.

Programmers and writers must use words wisely

Good writers use their words wisely. They know how to say something in as few words as possible. This helps keep writing concise, readable, and to the point.

When writing code, good programmers know how to do a lot with just a few lines of code. Excess code can make a program confusing if other programmers need to make changes. Too much unnecessary code can also confuse the computer and lead to unexpected and unwanted outcomes.

When kids practice coding, they get into the habit of eliminating excess. This will make them better communicators and writers. They’ll know how to say a lot in just a few words—an increasingly important skill in a world where attention spans are shrinking.

Coding forces kids to plan ahead

Both writers and programmers have to learn to plan ahead. Most teachers are familiar with the struggle of trying to get students to complete graphic organizers and plan ahead before they start writing. This kind of big-picture organizational thinking is a challenge for kids.

When writing code, students have to know where they’re going. Otherwise, their code will end up a garbled mess that’s hard to make sense of. Programming allows students to practice planning ahead and thinking about the big picture, a skill they’ll definitely need in writing.

In writing and code, there are rules

Another similarity between writing and coding? Both have rules that must be followed. If kids ignore the rules when coding, they’ll end up with a program that doesn’t work. Certain functions must go in a particular order, and programmers have to understand the proper use of each bit of code.

In writing, there are rules, too. While you won’t get an error message if you break the rules of grammar, writers who eschew conventions may find that their work is hard to read. Knowing the parts of speech and understanding sentence structure is a lot like knowing how to write code.

By practicing their coding skills, students can get a sense of how to piece these different parts together. This skill will translate into their writing, making them better writers.

Coding and writing aren’t that different

In many ways, coding and writing and alike. Both require an understanding of the basics as well as the ability to plan ahead and see the big picture. And both coding and writing allow kids to get creative and tell a story in their own unique way.

Have your kids learned to code? If so, what changes have you seen in their writing?

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Matthew Lynch published in Diversity, Trending Topics

6 Things That Educators Should Know About Multicultural Education

In order to understand today’s classrooms and improve the culture of schools, the primary components of American culture must be identified and understood. Culture and education are intrinsically connected: American culture shapes education, and education subsequently shapes American culture. By understanding the relationship between the two, schools can improve culture-based education, and can reflect and promote different cultural worldviews.

Another aspect of culture is school culture. School culture consists of shared values and beliefs, as well as shared meanings of the community as a cohesive unit (Hobby, 2004). As teachers, it is essential to incorporate both community and diverse worldviews into your teaching. A number of resources are available to ensure students maintain a strong sense of cultural identity. When you incorporate culturally based materials and content into the curriculum, students learn not only about their culture, but also the diverse cultures around them.

Early in the history of the United States, there was a focus on segregation and assimilation when it came to differences between ethnic groups. Those who were of northern European heritage were often assimilated into the culture of the United States and those who were of an obviously different heritage, such individuals of African or Asian descent, were excluded from participation in dominant-culture America. This focus has changed: today, the goal is one of recognizing and celebrating cultural and ethnic differences. Still, more change needs to occur and American classrooms are on the front lines of making this goal a reality.

All children go through the same or similar feelings and experiences as they grow up. All children have a desire and a need to test boundaries. All children are curious and mischievous, and can be at times kindhearted and at other times blunt when they speak. These traits can sometimes make working with children a challenge. However, it is the differences and diversities that make teaching children an even greater challenge, and yet a blessing at the same time. This is a challenge that every teacher in today’s classrooms must face, in order to give children the best support possible as they pursue their education. In this article, we will discuss all of the things that educators should know about multicultural education.

What does “culture” mean in the United States? Culture in the United States can be separated into several elements, including behavior, beliefs, traditions, and values. In the early years of the republic, American culture was indelibly associated with European-derived, English-speaking Protestant culture. More recently, however, the influx of new languages, religions, and other cultural ingredients has created a more diverse and challenging environment.

Many elements of personal freedom, including freedom of religion and speech, are protected by the legal system. However, a conflict between autonomy and assimilation exists: is it preferable to press students into a mono-ethnic mold or to celebrate their diversity?

What role does ethnicity play in our schools? Determining ethnicity can be complex, and includes factors such as race, religion, customs, and culture. The United States is becoming increasingly diverse. Americans of Asian, African, and Hispanic origin are on the rise: this is reflected in classroom populations. Furthermore, individuals who are multiethnic (who associate with more than one ethnic group) form an increasingly large portion of the student population. Laws have changed in the United States to reflect the value of cultures and languages other than the traditional European ones. It is important that teachers are aware of and are prepared to deal with racism in the classroom.

What part does multiculturalism play in today’s school? Multiculturalism is the acceptance of multiple cultures coexisting in a society by providing equitable status to distinct ethnic groups. The former “melting pot” ideology is being replaced by a “patchwork quilt” mentality, in which cultural identity and language are preserved. A number of theories have been floated, including the cultural deficit theory (students don’t do well because of an inadequate home environment), the expectation theory (teachers have lower expectations of certain students), and the cultural difference theory (students from different cultures have different ways of learning), to explain the variety of performance levels in children of different backgrounds.

How can teachers embrace their multicultural classrooms? Thirty-seven percent of U.S. students currently view themselves as coming from multicultural backgrounds, and the percentage is increasing. By 2040, children of color will make up a majority of students. Schools are currently engaged in producing more inclusive curricula, which reflect the backgrounds of their student population. It is preferable for teachers to be “color aware,” rather than “color blind,” and teachers should encourage students to share and celebrate their diverse backgrounds and experiences by being inclusive and particularistic.

How religiously diverse are our students? Today, only 51 percent of U.S. students are Protestant. Groups such as Hindus, Jews, Muslims, and Buddhists make up around 5 percent of the population, though this percentage is growing rapidly. The separation of church and state in the educational sphere has grown more pronounced in recent years, and it is now against the law, for example, to have school prayers. However, it is important to encourage students to share about their religious experiences, and to celebrate all forms of religious experience.

How linguistically diverse are our students? In the early part of the 20th century, laws were passed limiting the teaching of languages other than English. More recently, however, those laws were challenged. Students may now be taught in languages other than English, and transitional services are offered in many schools.

Does America promote linguistic and intellectual diversity in the classroom? The United States does not have an official language. About 80 percent of Americans speak English at home. Other families speak languages such as Spanish, Tagalog, Hmong, French, and Chinese. As a result, most schools now include language programs for non-English speakers. The Bilingual Education Act and similar legislation stipulate that ELLs must be provided with the tools to acquire English. Models vary, however, and include the immersion model, the transition model, and developmental bilingual education.

Is there anything else that we should add?

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Matthew Lynch published in Policy & Reform, Trending Topics

Pass or Fail: Supporting Teachers to Enhance Educational Value

In this multi-part series, I provide a dissection of the phenomenon of retention and social promotion. Also, I describe the many different methods that would improve student instruction in classrooms and eliminate the need for retention and social promotion if combined effectively.

While reading this series, periodically ask yourself this question: Why are educators, parents and the American public complicit in a practice that does demonstrable harm to children and the competitive future of the country?

How do we support teachers to help them achieve the level of competency required in America today? Are we doing enough to support what we expect them to accomplish?

As part of the third-year evaluation activities, one study asked a group of lead teachers to indicate what they valued most in the ORSI effort to enhance teacher experiences and provide supports.

According to the results, teachers most valued informative professional development that they could take back and incorporate into their classrooms. They also reported valuing the experience of being treated like professionals because it helped them to change practices in classrooms when improvements were needed. The study also indicated that teachers valued being part of a network, being able to share information with other professionals to discuss practices that could improve student learning.

When forced to accept a new curriculum and make difficult changes in instructional approach, teachers most valued having access to support groups and workshops on the aspects of effectively teaching new material, especially math and science topics. Listening to nationally recognized trainers were also said to make a positive difference when it was necessary to adopt a new curriculum and make difficult changes in approach.

In other words, teachers value support from the institution of education itself. They also value the opportunity to be exposed to information on best practices for teaching and for information about curricula and standards. Allowing teachers to understand why the system expects them to teach certain knowledge and skills helps them to be more effective at their jobs.

Strategies such as providing regional networking and direct assistance to schools also helped remove the isolation and access issues for teachers looking to acquire new skills. Access to information, including hands-on materials, information on teaching strategies about advanced content, and opportunities to work with other teachers on the same grade level emerged as important support strategies. Teachers also value the administrative support of principals and superintendents who can pass along useful, research-based information.

According to the ORSI, most school administrators strongly supported requests of teachers to attend regional trainings that promise to improve skills in raising student achievement in math and science. One third-grade teacher reported that “ORSI professional development targets specifically the programs we use, and recommends practices for teaching more effectively within those programs.”A fifth-grade teacher indicated that “professional development opportunities now are convenient and well-publicized within our school. We are now encouraged to attend professional development.”

Adequate supports like these help ensure that teachers are consistently able to set students at the center of instruction, helping teachers to guide students and implement practices that enhance and fine-tune the teaching of the individual child instead of the class. Entire districts can benefit when school and district leaders allow teachers to examine curricula and learn new teaching practices by networking with their colleagues.

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Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, Trending Topics

Are Teachers Ready for Virtual Reality in the Classroom?

Virtual Reality (VR) has become a hot topic in education as of late with the arrival of many options for the technology in the video game world. Whether or not video games can teach children has been a long debate, but the addition of VR has possibly complicated or alleviated the situation further. According to a survey completed by GFK, 85 percent of teachers are ready to include VR in their classrooms. At the same time, 84 percent of teachers believe using VR could enhance the one thing that has seemed to be lost in classrooms in recent years: student motivation. These statistics come as no surprise considering how many students are so familiar with the technology, and two out of three teachers claim to be technology innovators for that very reason.

How Ready are Teachers and Classrooms?

 Many teachers claim to be ready, but they might not see the amount of training and preparation it takes to use VR. Also, there is the concern of whether or not school districts can even afford the technology. So far, the cheapest route to go is headsets that work with Smartphones. However, with budget cuts across the board and technology that is already out of date being in classrooms, the concern of how to fund upgrading to this technology remains.

What is Currently Used and What Does Funding Look Like?

At current, most schools only make use of laptops, computer labs, iPads, and SmartBoards. Some of this technology has been provided by teachers themselves due to the lack of funds. Through this method, many applications have come into existence, and several successful start-up companies have been born. However, it is not fair to teachers to expect them to fund everything out of their own pockets much longer, especially as technology becomes more expensive and demanding in the classroom.

How Can VR be Used? What is the Hold Up?

There are many advantages to using VR in classrooms, though. Studies indicate that science and social studies classes would benefit from using VR the most because of the ability VR offers to simulate situations throughout history and in laboratories. For these simulations to occur, though, some technology programs currently available on the market need also to expand to meet the potential demand for these programs shortly. Even though students are ready for such technologies, and teachers crave having them in the classroom, current school curriculum just cannot seem to keep up with either situation. This is a shame considering the effect VR can have on students’ learning experiences and opportunities.

One Teacher’s Story

One teacher, in particular, Erin J. Merrill, has found a way to bring VR into her social studies classroom at the middle school where she teaches, though. She was able to find VR headsets on Amazon for as cheap as $10.00 each, which was helpful to find in a school that allows teachers to bring their own devices into the classroom. She also stated that each student does not have to have their VR headset as a group can share throughout a lesson. She requested students to use their on Smartphones to find 360-degree videos on YouTube and to download other applications found through Orbulus, Trench Experience VR, and Google Cardboard. Merrill foresees writing a grant in the future for a 360-degree camera of her own to have in the classroom for the sake of making her videos and experiences since students found the lesson plans revolving around VR to be so enlightening and eye-opening.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, due to the funding situations of most school districts that have previously been mentioned, most teachers who are ready to include VR in their classrooms will not have any other choice but to look into grant funding for such technology. Students are ready for it. Most teachers are ready for it. Therefore, the curriculum and budgeting in school districts should find a way to be ready for it, too.

 

 

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Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, Trending Topics

Five Ways to Leverage Wearable Technology in the Classroom

There is no doubt that technology both improves and complicates education.  Technology can turn education into a more interactive, global experience, though it also raises new issues regarding classroom management and student misuse of class time.  However, with guidance and dedication, teachers can implement wearable technology to help students engage with lessons on a deeper, more intrinsic level.  Here are 5 ways educators can leverage wearable technology to enhance student engagement.

1.      Fitness Trackers

Fitness trackers, like FitBit or the Adidas Zone, can help students take ownership of their physical education and health classes.  Instead of running a mile only once a week, students can monitor their daily fitness growth and progress over the term of the class.  Physical education teachers can assign fitness homework and have access to monitoring, track the students as they make and reach health and fitness goals, and adjust their classes to accommodate the students’ changing fitness levels.  This can make fitness goals and tests less competitive since physical competition can be intimidating for some students.  On the other hand, students who are motivated by competition can enter into small-group competitions through their fitness trackers.

2.      Virtual Reality

History, civics, and language teachers can make instruction true-to-life through the use of virtual reality headsets in their classrooms.  Virtual reality allows users to feel immersed in another place or experience, an invaluable asset for students learning about foreign cultures, cities, or ancient empires.  Teachers can lead virtual tours through the cities and events they’re teaching about, instead of relying on pictures, posters, and slideshows.  Students can move from reading about a country to viewing its geography on a map, to walking the streets of its cities using virtual reality headgear.

3.      Smart Watches

Smartwatches are a great way to enhance student-teacher communication and help students hold themselves accountable.  Smartwatches increase students’ ability to self-monitor and self-regulate their learning experiences.  Smartwatches can be synced to a user’s phone or tablet and can increase communication between teachers and students.  Students can send questions to a teacher remotely (if they’re too shy to ask aloud), schedule and receive reminders about school work, or be used as an alarm or remote.

4.      GoPro and Video Recorders

GoPro is just one of several portable, wearable video recorders on the market.  They can be used by teachers to record lessons and in-class experiences to be used by students who are absent or unable to attend traditional school, or they can be used to enhance the learning environment.  GoPro allows the student to take the driver’s seat in exploring the world around them as it relates to the curriculum of a class, especially in journalism, communication, and television production classes.

5.      Google Glass

Google Glasses are perhaps the pinnacle of wearable technology.  They take all the capabilities of a phone or tablet and wrap them around a student’s head in a pair of glasses.  They are equipped with 4G and wireless internet technology, meaning that students can use them for both classroom input as well as output.  Teachers can communicate with students, watch a student’s process (and not just the final result) in doing work through the Google Glass’ camera, and communicate with them in real-time, even when the students are at home.  Google Glass is also hands-free, meaning it won’t interfere with the students’ other in-class tasks.

While these wearable technologies have creative uses in the regular education classroom, there are also a lot of exciting implications for special education students as well.  Students with autism, for example, who may have difficulty communicating may find comfort in constant access to technology – like the Google Glass or smart watches – that allow them to view and communicate from behind a comfortable distance.  These technologies also allow students to demonstrate their learning and understanding in deeper, more practical ways than traditional standardized tests or pen-and-paper responses.

Technology may offer certain temptations to students – Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are easy to use for personal, non-academic reasons – and may at times make it harder for teachers to monitor their students, but the potential benefits of wearable technology far outweigh these hypothetical challenges.  Wearable technology can make education more accessible, meaningful, and engaging for students of all abilities and interests.

 

 

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Matthew Lynch published in Policy & Reform, Trending Topics

4 Things That Educators Should Know About Education Law and Ethics

Ethics refers to the discipline of dealing with what is good and bad with moral duty and obligation. The application of ethics in education is essential for students as well as teachers. It lets everyone know the right thing to do, and provides a moral framework so that schools and students can work together to pursue learning in the best possible manner. Ethical teaching practices create a positive atmosphere for the growth of students and provide them with clear examples of how to live ethical lives of their own.

Law and ethics go hand in hand. Law, however, is enforced based on written principles and regulations by parties who have been given the power to do so, such as magistrates or judges. Teachers are responsible to know their own rights and legal obligations as well as those of their students and schools. This article discusses legal and ethical issues as they pertain to education law and how they ought to be applied to ensure quality teaching and learning.

What are the ethics of education? In solving ethical issues, it is first important to be as informed as possible. What is the situation? What are the students’ rights? What are your rights as a teacher? It is important to be empathetic to all parties involved, but also to know the law and the guidelines of the system within which you work. Codes of ethics vary, but useful codes may be found both in the national sphere, such as the National Education Association, and at the state level. The InTASC Standards may also be useful in discerning the correct procedure in a complex ethical situation.

What are your legal rights as an educator? Laws vary from state to state, but there are certain guidelines that should be followed. Teachers are liable for any harm that occurs to a student under their care, if they personally harm the student, have not issued proper safety guidelines, or are not adequately supervising the student. Title IX forbids discrimination according to gender in the workplace. No teacher should feel discriminated against because of gender issues.

What are the legal rights of school districts? Most school districts around the country now ban corporal punishment (as of 2012, 39 states banned corporal punishment outright). Sexual harassment continues to be a major issue in schools, and in particular for female and gay male students. Over half of female students reported being sexually harassed (AAUW, 2011). The law has taken an increasingly harder line against the use of religious elements such as school prayers, though personal expression of religion is protected.

What are the legal rights of parents and students? Though parents have tried to sue schools over the right to keep their children from learning about condoms, for example, the law generally comes down on the side of the school. Students, on the other hand, sometimes complain that their freedom is being infringed upon. For example, they chafe against wearing uniforms. Again, the law generally sides with the schools in these situations.

Parents have the right to access information about their children, including school records, and should have a say in who gets to view this information. Schools cannot discriminate against pregnant students, and the law is increasingly siding with gay, lesbian, and bisexual students. Students’ rights of free speech and protection from unreasonable searches are protected by law, though schools have more leeway in this area than some other institutions in order to maintain order within the school.

Did we miss anything?

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Matthew Lynch published in Policy & Reform, Trending Topics

4 Things That Educators Should Know About School Finance and Organization

As a new educator, you may not be aware of the tremendous impact these two factors can have on your practice as a classroom teacher. However, funding underpins the entire educational system and determines aspects as diverse as the salary you are paid, the benefits you receive, the number of students in your classes, the textbooks you use, and the supplies you are able to purchase for your pupils. Funding for education is derived from federal, state, and local sources. The origin of these resources can have an impact on where and how they are allocated and dispersed.

Educational governance also has a direct impact on your teaching practice. Governance largely establishes the curriculum you will teach in the classroom, how and by whom you are hired, who is responsible for evaluating your teaching performance, and through which channels you will make your voice as a professional educator heard. In this article we will discuss 4 things that educators should know about school finance and organization.

How are schools financed? Funding for schools comes from a variety of sources. Federal, state and local levels all provide school systems with much-needed funds. There are often conditions attached to these monies, depending on their origin. Although local school districts are, broadly speaking, more in touch with the requirements and circumstances of their communities, they are sometimes placed at a disadvantage in terms of ensuring adequate provision of funds for the school. Conversely, although states and federal institutions are removed from the day-to-day workings of individual schools to a greater or lesser extent, these levels have access to a greater availability of funds. When all the various layers of funding administration work together, it is possible to achieve several funding objectives for each individual school.

How are schools organized at the state level? At the state level, the organizational governance structure can vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and the governor is typically the head of education for the state although the members of the legislature are equally as powerful when it comes to setting statewide policies and regulations. Many states have a State Board of Education (SBE), which is either appointed, elected, or a combination of both, with some members being appointed and others elected. The SBE is charged with implementing educational policy and providing both governance and supervision to all schools located within the state. Most states have a Chief State School Officer, who is directly responsible to the SBE, and normally serves as the head of a state department of education. Lastly, the State Department of Education ensures that all legislation and regulation created by the state are observed throughout the state.

How are schools organized at the local level? The local school board is charged with interpreting state regulations and setting similar policies for their district while creating strategic plans for the advancement of education in their area. In essence they are in control of the overall management of their school district. The school superintendent is charged by the school with the duty of running the day to day operations of the school. The principal manages the day to day operations of an individual school and reports directly to the superintendent or one of their deputy superintendents.

What groups influence public education in America? Many teachers belong to the National Education Association or the American Federation of Teachers, which are highly influential due to their coherent voice at a national level. These organizations have been vocal in support of site-based management, meaning that decisions should be made at a local level.

Parents have an enormous influence on public education, though their involvement varies considerably. Parent Teacher Associations and Parent Teacher Organizations serve as valuable liaisons between teachers and parents.

A fairly recent phenomenon is the impact of large businesses on education. Corporations such as Coca Cola, IBM, and Apple are all deeply involved in education and donate millions of dollars to the public school system. However, some groups have raised concerns that the businesses are focused primarily on molding students to become better workers for their particular industry. Another concern is that businesses contract with schools to exclusively provide their product (such as soft drinks) in return for funding. This creates brand loyalty among this impressionable group of young people.

The federal government, though it has no direct control over education, does pass laws that have an impact on local education. These include laws in the areas of desegregation, school finance, prayer in the schools, and the rights of individual students.

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Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, Trending Topics

Helping Teachers Use Technology and Technology Experts Teach

The Difference Between Teachers and Technology Experts

 Although many teachers now have grown-up in the technology age, many traditional or “old-school” teachers are still not feeling equipped to teach in the classroom of the 21st century. Teachers that earned their certificates in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, and even the 90’s may or may not feel prepared to operate and utilize today’s education equipment in the classroom. From the replacement of chalkboards with smart boards to the use of iPads in the classroom with apps for learning in English, Math, Science, and many other areas, the advances in technology are taking hold in today’s classrooms. The question remains how do we educate our teachers on how to use the technology?

What Needs to Change

Despite the fast-paced advances in the development of technology, technology can be used well if the teachers are first educated on how to take advantage of the resources that they have available to them. Teachers do not only need fancy apps and computer programs, but they also need proper training, as well as simple devices with easy to use features, affordable gadgets and programs, and ongoing support.

  1. Include Teachers on the Decisions! – Teachers are not often included in the decision about what materials to purchase for their school and or how those materials will be utilized, but are expected to use them regardless. One of the biggest most common mistakes that increase the gap of comprehension between teachers and how to use their resources is that often teachers are simply handed a new program, device, gadget, or system, and are told to use it. Principals, executives, and other administrators make decisions about purchases but very rarely is teacher input included in the discussion. Open a dialogue about the needs of the educators before sliding the school board’s credit card across the machine.
  1. Provide Proper Training – Instructions needs to be provided to groups and or individual instructors as needed through multiple sessions of training before each product or program is introduced to the student body. How can we expect teachers that were not trained in the 21st century to understand how to implement programs and devices of the 21st century, without proper training? Training requires patience, professional trainers, and can even require one on one attention. If we expect our teachers to implement unknown technologies we have to offer adequate time, training, and attention to each teacher who may have questions about the functions of a new program.
  1. Purchase Simple Devices – Start from the understanding that not all teachers are automatically technology gurus. If a school, a university, or a community center is employing new technology in their programs and classrooms, they should not only talk to their educators and teachers before putting out the money for a complicated device, but also start with purchasing some basic programs, games, and apps that are easy to use. If a teacher is familiar and more comfortable with using a certain device, he or she will be more apt to use it, rather than leaving it on the shelf and collecting dust in the closet.
  1. Use Affordable Programs and Devices – Although it is true that many new technologies and devices are outrageously expensive, some start-ups are offering free apps and other programs to gain publicity and market their company. Make use of free and or low-costs devices and apps to reduce the schools’ costs and minimize teacher out-of-pocket expense. After all, not all school districts will have access to equal funds for implementing technology of the 21st century in the classroom.
  1. Offer Ongoing Support – Lastly, after a new program or device is introduced to the classroom, and all the teachers have received training, don’t assume that the teachers understand 100% how to use the technology. Provide ongoing support, training, and continuing education regarding the new products. The process of learning must start with the teachers, in order for the students to also effectively learn! As teachers always provide ongoing feedback, exams, and reviews for students, even technology experts, administrators, and trainees need to remain available to teachers to listen to feedback and provide additional instruction after the initial use of a product.

With the advancing technology age, efforts need to be made by both teacher and technology experts to meet in the middle. Just like we cannot expect technology experts to automatically become amazing teachers, we cannot expect our teachers to be immediately knowledgeable about how to operate a Smart Board or how to manage a class of students with iPads. By including teachers in the discussion about materials they need for the classroom, offering training and ongoing support, and using both simple and affordable gadgets and programs, teachers and educators will feel that their voice is being heard, and will be more motivated to learn how to use the technology in the classroom to the benefit of their students.

 

 

 

 

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Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, Higher Education, Trending Topics

5 Ways That Technology Can Expand Creativity in Higher Education

Discovering Ways To Link Technology and Creativity

 Creativity has always been a part of a successful classroom, however recent advances in technology are making it possible to increase the ability for students to use their creativity in academia. With the ability to take and store thousands of pictures and videos, and listen to music in the palms of our hands, our students have the ability to be more and more creative in their projects, assignments, as well as group and individual tasks. As universities are encouraging the expansion and use of technology in the classroom, many professors are also encouraging the development of their students’ creative minds.

  1. Getting Creative Through Photographs and Video Projects

One way many professors and teaching assistants are using technology to help students get creative is through the use of devices and media that students already have! Almost all, if not all of today’s students have access to a photo and or video recording device. Professors can use digital media in projects for their students, regardless of the subject. By asking students to step outside their comfort zone and produce their own piece of media, we are asking students to be creative, to think in a variety of ways, and to apply their learning through the use of technology. Nicole Flynn writes on Cielo24 that the concept BYOD (or bring your own device) to class will increase the concept that students can use technology to enhance their own learning. The BYOD idea will likely take hold immediately within the next one to two years, states Nicole Flynn.

  1. Innovation and Creative Design in STEM Subjects

 In STEM subjects, the use of technology and the need for creativity go hand-in-hand. Technology provides the opportunities for learners of STEM students to be more creative than ever before. Students have the opportunity to build virtual models of their devices, programs, robots, and other gadgets. According to Meghan Cortez, of EdTech Magazine, technology has enabled engineering students more opportunities than ever before to create and innovate. In the future, we can look for advances in robotic technology through “Generation Z,” the name of our current generation growing up with technology. The article “Technology Can Help Expand Creativity,” discusses how Generation Z students believe that learning to use technology in a creative way is essential to being career-ready.

  1. Video Game Design, Film Animation and Media Development

As professors are being given more freedom in the classroom to design lessons, learning materials, and assignments, professors are also able to encourage and support students in the dual use of technology and creativity, according to Norman Jackon. Technology is also advancing growth in the gaming industry, as technology related to game design and program development is developing at a rapid pace. Video game design students, computer programming students, and students are able to access today’s technology and information about programming to create and innovate new ideas, games, and solutions to every-day problems. In game and software development, technology thrives where creativity is present, and vice versa; creativity thrives where technology is present.

  1. The Makerspace Movement: Changing Our Creative Spaces

Another way that technology is changing our classrooms in universities and colleges is the recent trend called Makerspaces. Makerspaces are designated spaces in libraries, in labs, on college campuses, and in other learning centers for artisans, scientists, and learners to engage using given space, materials and supplies. Makerspaces, according to Nicole Flynn, will become a significant part of the learning process in academic spaces within the next three to five years. Makerspaces will provide space for students and teachers to collaborate and learn by engaging with building materials such as advanced 3D printers and laser cutters and even simple tools such as plywood, a hammer, and nails.

  1. Encouraging Ideas and Growth Through Social Media

Social media is also encouraging creativity among our current generation of students. Through social media programs such as Tumblr, Pinterest, and Instagram, students are combining technology with inspiration, to create a wealth of resources and information available globally. Students in higher education are able to innovate, engage in online discussions, and share creativity through social media platforms. Through these platforms students can share ideas with each other, collaborate, and keep even their professors on their toes!

Regardless of the types of media that professors introduce, and students suggest, use, and implement, technology is taking hold in our universities to expand opportunities for the use of creativity inside and outside the classroom. Often times students can contribute new ideas to discussions and development regarding creative design, STEM learning, robotics, film animation, game design, and other arts. As we advance into the 21st Century, we are all learners. We can all make use of both the left and right sides of our brain to advance the technology we already possess by using our creativity.

 

 

 

 

 

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