Greetings Educators,

It’s fall once again and as teachers prepare to teach and students prepare to learn I begin again to think about how our Educational Technology Certificate Program can help teachers prepare for using technology in their classrooms.

Reflecting on the purpose of educational technology in Michigan I’m reminded that Michigan has but one single goal: prepare Michigan students to become productive citizens in a global society. Technology has become an integral part of our global society therefore as a teacher you must then consider how your teaching integrates technology to achieve that goal.

However integrating or infusing technology into your classroom and then utilizing it to have an impact on student learning is an extraordinary challenge, particularly given that most of us did not grow up with computers as kids today have. For many teachers learning how to use a computer is like learning to speak a foreign language while most kids seem to already know how to speak that language.

We have an assignment in CEP 810: Teaching for Understanding with Computers that addresses this issue and asks teachers to reflect on the ideas raised. Consider that today’s kids are “native speakers” when it comes to computers. They’ve grown up using computers, video games, email, the Internet, and instant messaging whereas we have to learn their language – it’s foreign to most of us. The assignment explores how kids are “digital natives” and most adults are “digital immigrants.” According to an article written by Marc Prensky entitled “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants” (2001), “…today’s students think and process information fundamentally differently than their predecessors.” For this reason we must consider how that affects our teaching. Are you prepared with the skills necessary to teach today’s children using computer technology?  And if not, how do you plan to acquire those skills?

Keep in mind when considering the various options available to you regarding technology training that the main goal is preparing students to become productive citizens in a global society. That goal will require you to know how computer technology can enhance learning and lead to greater academic achievement. Choose a program that will take you beyond “just speaking the language” and will provide you with the knowledge and skills to infuse it seamlessly into your classroom.

If you would like to read Marc Prensky’s article you can find it online at: http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf
Best Regards,

Joseph Codde
Professor and Director
Educational Technology Certificate Program

Contact us at: 517-432-9259
http://edutech.msu.edu

This entry was posted on Sunday, September 10th, 2006 at 8:14 pm and is filed under Directors' Column. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.