Reflection 1:  How Technology can be implemented at Walker

Today’s schools need to reflect real life by integrating technology in ways that train students to be competitors in today’s global economy.   Most of the technology used in schools do not include the tools that people, including kids, are already using in their everyday lives, so we are not preparing them for the jobs of tomorrow.  In order to best prepare students, we must move away from the style of education that grooms them for obsolete jobs, let go of control and get them ready for the high-tech future.   Unfortunately, many educators are nervous about using certain types of tech tools, such as cell phones and social media, in their lessons because they do not know how, and because they are afraid that students will not use their phones appropriately.  In order to eliminate this problem, educators will need to help students “to understand that they are tools for learning and should be referred to as mobile learning devices (Sheninger, 2014, p. 153) to keep the focus on acquiring knowledge and not on socializing.

As I stated in my earlier posts, I am very excited about introducing different types of technology resources to staff and students at Walker.  As an alternative high school, that is responsible for educating students that need a little extra care and encouragement, Walker would be the perfect type of environment to implement some of the digital learning explained by Sheninger in Digital Leadership:  Changing Paradigms for Changing Times.  I honestly believe that our students will thrive when immersed into technological education.   The first step, though, would be to create both a professional and school brand.  Brands that showcase the staff and school in positive ways to the community of, and around, Puyallup, WA.
 

Since there has been such a variety of resources introduced to us, I would like to focus on a few, to begin with, to insure that they are implemented with fidelity.  I would like to take charge of the Walker Facebook and work with the Journalism and Digital Photography teachers to maintain the page.  There are so many wonderful and exciting things happening at the school and need to be made transparent to the community.  Creating and using a Walker Blog would be another way in which technology can be used to communicate with staff while, at the same time, teaching them how it can be applied into their own lessons.  I would also like to utilize Twitter in different ways; such as a communication tool with staff at meetings, parents to inform, and as an educational tool in the classroom to engage, check for understanding and for formative assessments. 

 

Many of the students who attend Walker are credit deficient.  Some of them are so behind that they need to take Odyssey computer classes to catch up.  Many of the students whiz through the courses and feel that they are not challenged by them.  For this reason, I am curious about the possibility of introducing OpenCourseWare (OCS), a free digital publication created by prestigious universities, such as MIT, that offer challenging courses of study, to the staff as an alternative or in addition to Odyssey.  This may be something that needs to be taken to the District office for discussion.
 

There is just so much that I would like to do create a technological footprint at Walker, but I am going to take one step at a time, be the “lead learner” (Sheninger, 2014, p. 191) and teacher of teachers to get us there.  That first step has to focus on teaching in ways that students are familiar with and connect to their everyday lives.  Not in the way things are always done because teachers feel more comfortable doing it that way.  We need to take risks, challenge ourselves and put ourselves into uncomfortable situations.  Only then will change occur.  #changeisgood #technology #techtools #thefuture