After viewing @todmafin's tweet about how it's simply not funny to claim 'Luddite' status anymore, I thought about what might be important-from a tech perspective-to know as a teacher teaching in these times. Here's my top ten...with many exclusions.
These, to me, are basic competencies I think all School Districts should assess and provide professional development in.
All teachers should be able to..........
1. Subscribe to an RSS Feed
2. Bookmark, tag and annotate websites in the Cloud
3. Create and use a Blog
4. Create and use a Wiki site
5. Create hyperlinks (in e-mail, at blogs, websites and wikis)
6. Create a PDF file for Free
7. Capture, Remix and upload Photos (free of copyright restrictions)
8. Capture, Remix and upload Audio/Video
9. Use Google Docs or other collaborative file sharing system.
10. Locate and Participate in Social Networks on Education, Useful Tech Tools for Learning, 21st Century Learning and content-specific Education Sites.
What would you add?
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12 comments :
Great list! Getting people to do audio and video online is super, but maybe a first step needs to be helping people to learn how to find public-domain and creative-commons-licensed IMAGES online, how to share their own images online, and how to do basic image editing (crop, resize, etc.).
Thanks for providing a great discussion point. I agree completely with the general message of your list, but think that a couple of the points could be edited.
Although I'm a big fan of blogging, I don't think it's a prerequisite for good teaching.
Also I'm not sure about singling out Google Docs for inclusion - using a collaborative system, yes. But there are alternatives.
I'd also add that the most important thing is not being able to use these tools/skills, but being able to add value with these skills. If they are not used appropriately, then it becomes a flashy waste of time and effort.
I would suggest the inclusion of the use of classroom-linking technology - for example dimdim, Connect or Elluminate. (or even Skype)
Thanks for making me think.
I would endorse Laura's comment. Video and Audio editing can be tricky, whereas images are much more handleable. I think I would add participate in a live online conference and/or collaboration. It should also go without saying, but build a PLN!
These are excellent ideas! They would go a long way in helping teachers become or stay current with the latest methodologies and practices. A professional development session with this title should be offered and marketed to school districts or University Education programs. Keep going with this message!
All great suggestions and I have edited the list as a result! When I wrote it, I was under the gun. 10 minutes to create the list..using/editing images, for sure, belongs here before audio/video editing. I do believe Skype has a place (I use it) but maybe #11-after the other 'skills' are acquired.
This is a great list, and I'm especially glad to see creating hyperlinks included. I normally wouldn't put isolated technical knowledge or skills above understanding how to use broad platforms like wikis and social networks. But in a workshop I led yesterday on 21st Century Research Skills, there were several teachers whose favorite "take-aways" were things like right-clicking to open a link in a new tab, using control/command+F to find a word or phrase, and holding control/command while pressing + or - to zoom. So maybe knowing a basic list of shortcuts and keystrokes should be included, too.
I know that we are talking about things that teachers should be able to do technologically speaking. But all teachers should be able to:
1. Like to be around children - otherwise go home.
2. Teach with or without technology.
3. Listen to what their students need to learn.
4. Be collegial with their peers.
5. Communicate effectively (orally & in written communications)
6. Read boring stuff (online or PNP) like regulations, laws, IEPs, etc. for some reason or other some teachers don't do this one either very well or very often.
7. Continually improve their pedagogical skills - i.e. stay current technologically (your list is a great start) and classroom skills.
There are many more things that all teachers should be able to do with or without technology, it just seems such a shame to only have technology focused items, when teaching is so much more than simply using technology.
Teachers do need to be able to do the technology related things everyone has talked about in this blog, but what happens when the power goes out or the server goes down? Then we have to be able to teach without all this wonderful technology. Sometime the best technology is the simplest one that will do the job efficiently. I would hate to have a teacher who couldn't teach if the power goes out.
Yes I am a geek that believes we need to have technology integrated in the classroom, not just be a nice add-on and that teachers should be able to use technology or “old school” non electronic technology dependent, upon the needs of their students and what they have available to their classroom.
Of course, the point of the post was what should teacher's know "technologically speaking...". We can comment ad infinitum about what teachers should know/do "generally speaking..."
This was not meant to be a post about giving up the human side of teaching (Harold) which I'm sure you're aware of.
A couple of basics I would add are the ability to take a screen shot and to record their screen as well as the ability to join an online Webinar.
My list would include building a PLN and using collaborative technologies. I love google apps for educators but alternatives would be fine. I don't understand how teachers think they are going to teach collaborative skills to their students if they do not know how to use collaborative technologies. As someone commented previously building a PLN should be a the top, the skills or tools needed to complete it would fall under this category. RSS readers, collaborative bookmarking (which I am not a big fan of), Twitter, Ning networks, and other social media that build the foundation of a PLN are all essential for this purpose.
One suggestion to add: become familiar with one of the new online presentation tools like Prezi to get away from the overused linear framework of the PPT.
Great list. One skill that I would argue for being there is what Alan November calls Web Literacy Skills - they are the new library skills if you will. With these, that great big expanse called the web becomes much more useful and credible. A thought.
Thank you for the stimulating discussion.
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