In the late 1970s, when the Apple II series appeared and technology first began to be introduced into schools, the attitude of educational leadership was: “Buy it and teachers will use it.” It was very quickly discovered that only the innovators seized upon the opportunities presented by this amazing new tool, the personal computer. The more techno-challenged among us had a very expensive paperweight that took up valuable desktop real estate. Eventually, education leaders saw a problem and began to invest professional development dollars in technology literacy training.
This cycle (purchase technology now, figure out training needs later) has continued over the last three decades as computers have rapidly evolved; the Internet has matured; and fiber, cell towers and wifi are creating a 24-7 connected world. In 1983, in was the Apple IIe — in 2011, it’s the interactive whiteboard, 1-1 laptops, iPod Touchs and tablets that are invading classrooms. The pressure on schools to “catch up” with the technology revolution has never been greater.
Meanwhile, many mid- to late-career educators who have not kept pace with the constant changes brought on by the digital revolution are hearing an increasing amount of teaching-and-learning talk that sounds foreign and a bit intimidating. Blogs, wikis, Twitter, Ning, Web 2.0 and “the Cloud,” Google Docs, back channeling, Creative Commons, transparency within the cyber-world, internet safety, digital citizenship – these are some of buzz words and phrases floating through the education world that can seem bewildering.
In her recent book, Wikis for School Leaders (Eye on Education, 2011), Stephanie D. Sandifer offers her perspective on these trends:
While it is nice to have administrative support for new technology purchases, a technology-purchasing frenzy is simply not the correct response to the realization that our schools are not doing enough to prepare students for their futures. This is about changing adult perspective and adult behaviors to create student-centered classrooms that exemplify research-based best practices around learning. (57)
The professional development programs that are essential today need to focus not so much on the hardware and software — what “cool tools” we can use — but on changing how teachers view themselves as educators. It’s not just about teaching the three “r’s” and the content packaged in textbooks. It’s about preparing our students with the skills that they need for the future within a new learning ecology. In a connected world, educators have to think and teach differently. This book adopts that attitude. Sandifer proposes that school leaders:
… take some time to begin discussions on your campus about how to transform your school into a place where teachers see themselves first as learners who are invested in improving their instructional practice through reflection and inquiry, and where students are more globally connected in a way that enhances and supports their personal learning. (57)
After reflection and dialogue one might ask, “Where to now?” One good answer: The Wiki.
The general purpose of the wiki is to improve the ability of a team or staff to collaborate on a variety of projects electronically in a more efficient manner than by using email or face-to-face meeting alone. Specifically, wikis are an excellent tool for mapping out plans, documenting work and processes, and archiving information for future reference. (7)
Why a wiki?
Through the use of a wiki, according to Sandifer, a “paradigm shift” can occur. The shift we are experiencing today challenges us to create an entire new identity (or definition) of “teacher.” Today effective educators are life long learners who guide students and challenge them. Educators, in other words, are a part of the team that is responsible for learning in the classroom. They can no longer be the sole voice of expertise and all knowledge, speaking from the scholar’s podium. The ease of knowledge transfer via Google and connectivity has brought a final and abrupt end to that era. It’s no longer just about what you know but how and where to find what you need to know and how to help your students develop these same skills, every day across the curriculum.
According to Sandifer, this tool is easy enough for even a novice to tackle and master. What’s more, the wiki provides a collaborative environment that can increase cooperation and collaboration. “Everyone can add to the collective knowledge base as well as plan and implement something new. In brief, it improves processes as well as individual and team productivity.” (17)
The added benefit to wiki use: as educators use the tool regularly, they grow in technical competency, and gain some expertise that many students do not have — thus allowing them to share their skills with their classes and gain some tech cred. And the extra benefit for students: Acquisition of the kind of collaboration skills wiki use promotes is essential as they venture out into the modern job market.
How do school leaders create a culture that supports wiki use? Sandifer suggests:
Create cheerleaders [among your teaching force] who will coach other professional learners and promote continual learning around changes in the world, economics, technology and workforce trends that have an impact on our work as learning professionals. (60)
As more educators explore and master tools like the wiki, it’s important that they begin to learn from one another. Forever gone should be the attitude of closing the classroom door and teaching. The classroom teacher and the administrator of the school should strive together to create an educational culture that accepts change as in integral part of what is considered normal. It’s a culture that seeks out those who are reluctant to change on an individual basis and supports them to become comfortable and competent.
Finally, as my blogging colleague Lyn Hilt, a public school principal in Pennsylvania, wrote recently: School leaders themselves must become tech-savvy. Wikis are a good place to get your feet wet, and Sandifer’s useful book can help you get started.
Sr Geralyn Schmidt
Latest posts by Sr Geralyn Schmidt (see all)
- Virtual Integrity and the Digital Citizen - April 27, 2019
- Eight Aspects of Good Teaching - December 4, 2013
- Does Your School Need a Culture Re-Boot? - August 15, 2013
I agree that many mid to late career teachers have been unable to keep up to date with the rapid development of technologies. It’s certainly very important that they are provided with support and training to help them feel more at ease with the new-fangled terminology and gadgets that appear in their classrooms and are being discussed in the staffroom, something I talked about in a recent blog. Wiki’s are an excellent way for teachers to share, collaborate and communicate with their colleagues, and are certainly a positive step towards using new web based technologies! In the same vain social media sites such as Twitter, which as a free and very easy to use resource provides a fantastic way to learn and share with other education professionals and is something that can used with pupils to research and explore subjects in a dynamic and interesting way.
Thanks for your response Charlotte. I totally agree about the professional development piece to help teachers use the latest and greatest in technology. For me, its not all about use of tools. A key ingredient for professional development is the sharing of an attitude regarding life-long learning. More seasoned teachers – and I am one of those – must model for their students what it means to be a life-long learner. When teachers “know everything about teaching”, they should leave the profession. There is a distinct difference in, “Show me I don’t know how to use that” and “I am too old or too busy to learn something new.”
HI Charlotte,
I’m glad you mentioned the aspect of these tools (wikis, Twitter, etc.) being “free and very easy to use.”
I have a pet peeve about schools going on spending sprees to purchase the latest gadgets and then not providing the support to help teachers change their practice. And — it’s not all about the technical issues of how to use the tools. Pedagogy must change… Otherwise we end up with those very expensive Smartboards being used as whiteboards and document projectors taking the place of overheads.
We need to focus on 1) changing pedagogy (from teacher-centered to student-centered) and 2) making use of the variety of free and easy to use tools that are available to us on the web.
Stephanie
I agree with you, but I think some people are resistant against the change. Many times I try to teach uninformed people about new technologies and they refuse to learn. One many told me “I have a year left until retirement and I am out of here. I don’t care about technology.” This man was a computer lab teacher. So we have to deal with the stone wall first.
I am so glad I stumbled into this conversation! As the administrator for an elementary school that just completed year 1 of PLP, I’ve just launched the first wiki for our teachers. A result of the action research, The Effect of the Social and Emotional Intelligence of the Teacher on the Learning Environment and Student Success, the faculty has agreed to interact with me and one another in a wiki. The purpose for the wiki is twofold; to provide a venue for collegial conversation and support based on classroom experience and to acquaint the teachers with Wikispaces.
I have just gotten my feet wet with Web 2.0, so I’m not very confident. However, I am convinced that this is what needs to happen in order to create the shift in the classrooms. It is my hope that the teachers, once familiar with participating in the wiki, will create a wiki in which their students can participate. I’m signing off now so that I can order my copy of Wikis for School Leaders. Thank you!
Oh I am so glad of your courage! Be proud of yourself! Remember baby steps!
Hi Helen,
Your willingness to try something new is a great way to be a role model for your teachers! Good for you!
I also agree with your approach — let your teachers become familiar with how to use a wiki by using first in their professional work and this will enable them to understand how it might be used in the classroom for student learning.
Stephanie
We first discovered the power of the wiki when using it to organize our Action Research Project for PLP. Since then I have taken a grad class that used a wiki for course information, used the wiki for #4thchat archives and resources (#4thchat is a weekly twitter chat for 4th grade teachers), and have introduced them to my 4th graders! This organized web 2.0 tool has more uses than we can imagine, and is a great way to introduce the convenience and power of a collaborative space. Thanks for a great post, Sister Geralyn!
Thanks for your comment Patti! Our induction program for new teachers for the Diocese also includes a wiki. In previous years, our new teachers were required to compile a digital portfolio. Now, they have a wiki and they can collaborate on lesson plans throughout the school year. This is indeed a great tool to assist in collaboration!
Hi Patti,
You said “This organized web 2.0 tool has more uses than we can imagine” — and I agree! I think how, when, why, and where a wiki can be used is limited only by our imagination/creativity.
Stephanie
Sister
It was interesting to read your comments about the wiki because I am trying to introduce them to the faculty along with blogs. I willshare your message with our principal. I may even buy her the book. Thanks again. I’ll tell John Brixius that I read your article.
Thanks Tom! The book really made me think about wikis and their use .. so much so that new teachers in the diocese has their own! They are to post lessons plans, etc and collaborate about their first year. Check out: hbgnewteachers.wikispaces.com
oops let me try again
http://hbgdiocesenewteachers.wikispaces.com/
I agree that the response we have had, and often times still do, when it comes to technology integration is that we purchase first and ask why and how later. The paradigm shift that is needed truly is a shift in behaviors and attitudes (which can be much harder.) I also have found the use of wikis to help move even the most tech phobic teacher to use technology in a more integrated manner that will really make a difference for our students. I look forward to reading more well written articles from your perspective.
Patti,
Thanks for your input! Change in behavior and attitudes are indeed difficult. Educators reluctant to change might be a bit less reluctant when they experience what I call passionate learning by students. Students that RUN to school. Students that are totally engaged in their learning. Studentes who have smiles on their faces AS and in the midst of learning. It can happen! I have great hope!
I agree that throwing technology into the classroom without training and ongoing professional development is a waste of money and resources, it does a disservice to the teachers and students. Integrating technology into the curriculum needs to be done with thought and purpose and a wiki is an easy, cost effective way to do that. It provides a way for teachers to collaborate while increasing their exposure to technology, thereby allowing them to gain skills and confidence in a non threatening, supportive environment. As their skills grow, they can begin to incorporate other types of technology into their classrooms, as a means of enriching their students learning.
Thanks Deanna for your reply! I think the two of us belong to the same choir! Wiki’s are indeed a place to begin to integrate this type of presence.
This is a wonderfully written article – I could do an entire professional development session using just this as my outline! 🙂
Like you, I am an advocate to get technology into the hands of educators, but all too often, we have our reservations. I realized that the most I have ever learned about technology, was credited to my time just fooling around with a program or tool. Other teachers who don’t believe they have the time, or are just afraid that they’ll “mess something up” if they try take a technological risk need to be convinced that it is not the case. As your Sandifer quote states, “Create cheerleaders [among your teaching force] who will coach other professional learners and promote continual learning around changes in the world, economics, technology and workforce trends that have an impact on our work as learning professionals. (60)” That is truly where our efforts need to be focused – or else NONE of the research out there pertaining to technology in the classroom matters! Thank you again, and have a great weekend!
A very large part of an learning environment is the ability to “mess up” without a melt down. Teachers need to, I believe, model that stance for their students. My students often said to me, “How did you do that?” I echoed that with them more than then did that to me. These are the cheerleaders … folks that have JOY and the love of teaching and use of technnology in their bones.
Thanks for your comment Lisa!
I find the pressure and idealism behind to Buy it and teachers will use it” to be parallel to “Create it and they will share.”
What I’m finding in my district is that teachers are very cautious about sharing their materials in fear that no one else will share. No one wants to be the person carrying the load of everyone else.
Rhe “create a cheerleader” idea is always a great idea. I’m creating a special leader blog that showcases teachers and classrooms that are integrating technology. Some schools have these teachers blogging to increase excitement.
Another collaborative sharing tool we’re using is LiveBinders. This is a great way to create a personal archive for each teacher as well as grade levels/content areas.
I hope more school leaders take note of your advice. Many are unaware of the NETS Standards they are supposed to be following as administrators.
Keep up the great work and please keep blogging, Sister Geralyn!
Wonderful ideas Peg! Thanks for sharing! I would be interesting in reading the blog you speak about.
I don’t know about LiveBinders. I will check that resource out.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for the words of encouragement. I am just one voice in cyberspace trying to stirr the pot that leads to change. Your voice is just as important as mine. We are in this together .. trying to make education better for our students. Again … thanks!
This was truly a great article, I also discovered Wiki during a research project for my previous job and my supervisors at the time were floored about how well a Wiki could teach you. I’m currently student teaching at a local elementary school and I am creating Wikis for educational training use for teachers to incorporate technology into their lessons. They are finding the Wikis easy to follow and even contributing to them as they discover other helpful lessons along the way.
As you said about how the classroom isn’t closed to teaching anymore. The Wikis have really opened the door to colaberating learning and lesson exchange between educators and their students. I find the use of tools like LiveBinders, interative Blogs and school Wikis to be the most beneficial to all educators and staff involved.
Ryan,
I think it is great that you are using wiki’s in your student teaching! I hope you bring your enthuasium into your classroom and your teaching all the time!
I think the concept of actively using the technology you wish to teach is key. Having already benefited from collaboration and archiving within a wiki, teachers will be able to believably recommend the tool to their students and integrate its potential more meaningfully. I also think the idea of having “cheerleaders” among the staff is invaluable. If teachers are constantly being told “you should” or “you need to” and possibly being reprimanded for what they are NOT doing rather than being encouraged for the ventures they ARE making into technology integration, their progress will be stunted!
I thoroughly believe that educators should actually do what they preach, thus modeling for their students that teachers are life-long learners.
Encouragement and gratitutde is such a booster for morale! Educators, I believe, should not only express this to their learners but also to one another. There are many ways to do this. I remember that I had one adminstrator that gave us candy bars and/or a sticker when she saw us doing something “different” and “fun” with technology.
This is a great article. My district put Smart Boards and LCD projectors in every core classroom. Yet, they did not bother to give the teachers professional development that is needed. My staff is scared of the technology and most of them are of the mid-to-late career staffers.
I love the idea of using a wiki for the staff and how we can use the technology for our students. I agree with having “cheerleaders” for technology. I try at the technology teacher for the school to be that person. It does seem to help the non-techie teachers at ease.
Julie,
Part of professional developement needs to assist teachers to use the “toys” they have infront of them. The only way to do that is to use them! I am sure it was the same way wtih blackboards and VCR’s when they first came into the classroom!
I can hear the engergy in your words. You are indeed the cheerleader in your school! Keep up to good work! The energy that you share with your fellow teachers helps them to take the leap into technology!
Hi everyone,
Let me begin by thanking Sister Geralyn for sharing her thoughts on my book in this post — I appreciate your interest and your insights into what you found most important in the book.
I am pleased to see so many comments that address some of the issues that I feel are most important — especially the issue of providing effective professional development and support for any technology use in our work. I will take some time today and this weekend to respond more directly to some of the comments above, but wanted to post quick note to say that I am happy to see so many people “on the same page” on this topic.
I do believe that wikis can be a very effective method for transforming our work on many levels including in our communication, collaboration, and professional learning activities.
For those of you who have posted that you are just starting out with using wikis with your colleagues or faculty — YAY! Be persistent and remember to remind everyone that “It’s on the wiki!”
Stephanie
Stephanie,
I am glad that you have found my little page about your book! As you can tell, it has stirred alot of conversation about the use of wiki’s in education.
I enjoyed this article. This idea, is one of particular interest: “The professional development programs that are essential today need to focus not so much on the hardware and software — what “cool tools” we can use — but on changing how teachers view themselves as educators.” I think this really flows well with the notion that we as teachers need to be chaning our role in the classroom. As we become more of a facilitator, guiding students in how to find and discover information, we should use similar methods when instructing teachers on integrating technology. The tools themselves are going to change, but if we know general ideas about how to use them in our curriculum and where to find tools and resources, we’ll be better able to evolve with the information.
For those that struggle with technology, and even those who don’t, integrating technology can be a very daunting task. I can see how starting out on a smaller scale, with a tool such as Wiki’s can really be a powerful way to take a baby step in the right direction.
Amy,
The key to get any reluctant teacher to use these toys is the ability to convince them that it is essential to the learning process of learners TODAY. When they see the energy other teachers provoke in their classrooms through the use of these tools, they catch the fevor.
That being said, baby steps are indeed helpful toward full implementation.
Hello, thanks for sharing your thoughts regarding technology and professional development. Locally there seems to be a push to implement technology such as IPad, iPods and web 2.0 tools into the classroom setting. However, previous generations are not as inclined to support these efforts. In addition, to the push of technology there is no professional development sessions offered to instruct and inform staff members of their uses.
The utilization of wikis is a great start in the right direction, however how many school districts are still willing to invest the time to provide staff and teachers proper instruction.
That is the key for implementation … a cheerleading team. Don’t look for “experts” to push the implementation. Have others look TO YOU as a leader how to use technology. This is where innovators need to shine.
Lead on!
You can’t be taught how to build a sandcastle; just get into a sandbox and play. This is the metaphor I use when it comes to learning, discovering, creating, and utilizing technology. I am a technology coach in my school. I tell teachers all the time that using the cool Web 2.0 tools and utlizing technology in their curriculum isn’t something that you can learn, know, understand every step of. I will have teachers sit down with a laundry list of things they want me to teach them. Yet I have break it easy to them that the best way for them to learn technology is by “playing”. They want a quick fix and a know-it-all/learn-it-all program. It can’t happen.
I love the picture of a firehydrant gushing water. It has a quote on it that states “trying to learn the internet is like trying to drink from a fire hydrant”. It is so try. You’ll get blown away because SO MUCH is there for you. There is so many amazing things we can use technology with in the classrooms and in our rigourous curriculum.
So how do we get teacher to reach this paradigm shift? It is a hard sell, but it will come with time. As a society, I feel there is a strong discussion being shared in the educational world. I do believe that the world of technology has exploded and become clear to so many “sage on stage” educators. If there are strong 21st century leaders/teachers in a building, it becomes clear to those teachers that just because you “use to teach this way or this topic” doesn’t make it right. We need to lead by example and keep moving forward. It’s easy to get bogged down by the people who “want to be the sole voice of expertise and all knowledge, speaking from the scholar’s podium”. It doesn’t work anymore!
Our “digital natives” are saturating our classrooms with knowledge. We must embrace this fact and allow them to go further and faster. We have people holding them back because of their “teaching philosophy”. It’s saddening to me. How do we reach those educators? Through dialogue and leading by example.
So encourage your fellow colleauges to get into the sandbox and play. It will take everyone a different amount of time to build their sandcastle, but it will eventually happen if you give yourself the time to “dig around” and explore. There are castles waiting to be made!
I so love your words: I do believe that the world of technology has exploded and become clear to so many “sage on stage” educators.
Educators, I believe, need to stand up and change the current way we teach. All you need is one person to begin the process and the fevor will catch! Yes … with time.
I agree 100% with Ms Sandifer’s analysis of our professional development needs regarding technology and getting all educators on board with the freely available resources accessed through technology. I am a big fan of the many and fabulous resources available to us; my next thoughts, however, may seem at odds with that statement.
Ms Sandifer wrote, “This is about changing adult perspective and adult behaviors to create student-centered classrooms that exemplify research-based best practices around learning.” Sister Geralyn wrote, “Today effective educators are life long learners who guide students and challenge them.” In my experience, this is how good teachers have always been, this is what good teachers have always done- using new/old/or no technology. We have always had the problem of moving unmotivated to motivated and mediocre to good to great whether that be for teachers or students. Maybe access to our newest resources will expedite that process. Maybe it will just make the divide more apparent. But if a good or great teacher is not invested in technology, does that make the teacher less good or make the learning that the students do less important?
On the other hand, we have a responsibility to students to make sure that they have the opportunity to become proficient in the currency of their time. The technology is a means to the end and not the end in and of itself. Teachers still need to be experts in their content and direct the learning. These days that should mean helping students be able to judge information sources and utilize resources like wikis to extend learning opportunities so that they can be architects of their own knowledge. We don’t necessarily need to change our perspective; good teaching is always good teaching, but using wikis and other resources to enhance teaching is a great idea.
J,
I so agree with your feelings about the fact that technology is a means to the end and not the end in itself. Its not about the TOOLS of technology. It’s about reaching where our learners are coming from and bringing them forward. Technology will not go away. Our jobs as educators is to prepare our learners to meet the demands of today. I know you agree with me by your words.
Good teaching is all about meeting the heart of the student.
I have to be honest. I learned about wikis a long time ago, but I skipped over them as an education tool. I have to build a wiki for class, so I will be fully exposed to what wikis have to offer. I do see them as a great collaboration tool, but I feel Google Docs and other devices covers this area very well. Again, I recently stepped into the blogging world and I like the concept, but unless you are fully committed, blogging can be a chore. Both tools, wikis and blogging, they are at the bottom of my list right now as helpful education tools. At the same time, I believe that every educator should try out every tool and find what they like and dislike.
The problem stems from getting people to try the tools. I would say that about 20% or less of the people I train or try to train, which are all teachers, refuse to change or try out a new technology. I can understand that new technologies can be hard, but it is not about the teacher. It is about the students we teach. Every minute a teacher refuses to teach students to use a new technology, we leave that child behind. This is a stone wall that is hard to change.
Kai,
I agree with you that change is indeed hard. But ya know when a pearl is uncomfortable with a “change” (a grain of sand) it makes a pearl. Gentle hints and modeling for teachers who are hesitant does go a long way!
I think a key to change is having mid-level administrators (ones that are still in the classroom) that will lead the charge by example and high-ranking administrators that will mandate change. It is important, however, to make sure the changes that are being made are being done in the best interests of the students and not in the interests of the technology that’s lying around.
As an extension to my previous comment and something touched upon in your article, teachers need to realize that they are not the sole knowledge-base students should rely on. Information is everywhere. There are a lot of different ways in which students can work together to learn and acquire knowledge. In my experience, Wikis are among the top of these tools collaboration tools. Teachers need to be taught this, but that is often not good enough. School administrators need to convey this to teachers and mandate change. For some reason, teachers (of which I am one) get this idea that we run the show and that it’s all about us. IT’S ALL ABOUT THE STUDENTS. We MUST teach them in the manner they will be expected to work in the future – in a collaborative fashion.
Ben,
Thanks for your comment. I TOTALLY agree that its all about the students. We are preparing our students for the future in which we dont even know how technology or how the “work place” will even look. Thats the amazing job of an educator today! Isn’t it thrilling?!
This is a really nice article, but I think it really speaks more to the general understanding (or lack of understanding) that goes on in schools when it comes to technology. I think Wiki could be used a a generic term because I think that any peice of technology (site, product, program) that enlightens a teachers and causes them to look further is really what this is about.
I’m teaching a tech class every week to two different schools and I’ve found that in each class teachers react differently to the sites, tools, or information they are being shared and also “playing with”. If I only gave them the opportunity of using a wiki they would absolutely destroy me…so I don’t. I’ve showed them mutiple ways to access information from google docs, Tiwtter, symbaloo, and more. Each reacts differently, but they like that they are not being force fed one particular way. Are wikis great…yes…but my schools want variety because they are at so many different levels.
The key for technology to be implemented is comfort: is it easy, can I figure it out quickly, will I understand how to do it when no one is around to help me?
But like you said, so much of this goes back to administrators and how it is implemented in each individual school. Professional development is the key and your must find that spark within the building that will help it grow.
The great thing about technology and being creative is that there is more than one way to do something; there is more that one way to get to “2” than 1+1. The use of whatever tools to get to where you want to go is what learning in the 21st century is all about!
Thanks for your comment
Sister Geralyn,
This blog, the referenced book and resulting conversations are all invigorating. It is a great idea to model and introduce technologies to teachers to encourage integration into instruction. Yes, if you are going to invest in the technology, you also need to invest in providing on-going professional development through offering teachers choices in their technical professional development that is designed to support meaningful application by demonstrating how it can support instructional activities, initiatives and/or strategies in the classroom. By building awareness and confidence through use and training, and then providing support through leaders, mentors, and students we can make progress towards the “paradigm shift” the book author envisions by providing a more applicable engaging learning environment for students.
Karen
Karen,
Thanks for your comments! I agree with you regarding professional development that enables teachers the confidence to use “new stuff”! Besides the instruction on to HOW to use “it”, there certainly must be the support when difficulties occur. I think we are on the same page with this vision!
You put in to print what many of us get frustrated with, the addition of technology without the right support. I currently have an interactive whiteboard which does not get utilized much and a document camera that is basically an overhead. I have had some training on the whiteboard and have found the software to not be user friendly and I am someone that usually learns software tricks quickly. I always wish they would test the technology first and then ask for teacher input, and then use the input.
I also wish we had dedicated time to create something with the technology that we can actually use in class. I see that as a definite need.
Our district is getting a bit better at this process. We are currently running a Tech Cohort which is piloting the use of different types of technology in the classroom for students and teachers. It is my hope that we can help lead other teachers into sound uses of technology in the classroom.
On another note, I am making my first Wiki for other teachers. Here’s to hoping it turns out useful!
Hope,
As I was reading your post, I remembered something so true to any type of learning: sometimes it is PAINFUL. As the “teacher” we often forget that when we learn something new, it sometimes hurts. Our students often get this and struggle through the process. As adult learners, wer forget because alot of our learning is based on previous knowledge. When it comes to technology, everything is new and everyting can be painful! Just like our students, educators need to become brave and step out to the new world! Support is indeed SO important to this process.
Congratulations on the wiki!!!! I know you can do this and be great at this! Keep it up!
Thank you for the reply and kind words.
I find that WIKIS are not only a sharing space for teachers, but also for students. I have created a WIKI in my classroom that states our “Big Idea”/Student Goals/ and response questions that they can complete in and out of school. I have found that not only does it affirm that they are understanding in class, but also naturally extends their school day for enrichment opportunities. I totally agree that WIKIS are a strong way to communicate with others in various ways. 🙂 Great inspiring article.
Kate,
Thanks for your reply and weighing into the conversation! I find myself nodding my head in affirmation. The way you mention is a great way to use this tool!
This is a great article.
I think wikis are a great “cool tool” to use in education. I work for a school district that is pushing newer technology into our hands (whether we want it or not). While there is technology available, wikis are blocked while at school. Some of the teachers I work with use them for their classes, but yet they can’t help their students during the school day.
I’m sharing this article with my school’s technology committee. Maybe the committee can get something done so wikis can be used during the school day!
Erin,
Awesome plan of action! If you need an “outside” person to talk to them .. give me a tweet. You can find me @Sr_Geralyn