A great conversation on TTWWADI is brewing between the comments left on my last post over at The Stick and Clarence Fisher adding to the conversation on his own blog.
The more this conversation emerges the more I’m convinced that an embedded technology approach is a great approach to use in schools.
My issue is I’m teaching skills without content. My rubric is based on the skills of creating a web page. The layout, color scheme, link placement, etc. But the content…is just content to create the site. Clarence has the opposite issue:
What was important in this case was not the coding and the software skills, although they did come into play. What was important was the information presentation skills, the design and interplay of colours, fonts, organization, etc.
So as a classroom teacher he’s concerned about information and presentation skills. As a technology person I’m interested in coding, layout, color, and presentation skills. Our interests are the same, but our focus is different. Clarence has good technology skills, I would say above average compared to most teachers and probably doesn’t need a technology person helping him teach these skills to his students. But for the teachers that are focused on information and presentation but don’t have the knowledge of web design, a technology person there to help is critical.
This is why I like the term embedded technology rather than integrated technology. Integrated to me seems like we’re putting it on top of what we’re doing when really the technology part is embedded as part of the assignment. It’s like a hamburger: A patty is far better when presented with lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard, and relish (substitute your favorite toppings here! FYI a good burger is something I can’t wait to have when I get back to the States in a couple weeks.) between the buns not on the side as add ons.
In order for an embedded technology program to work you have to have two key factors in place.
1) A classroom teacher who is willing to open their door, team plan/teach, and understands the skills needed to complete the project.
2) An educational technology person how understands teaching and learning, understands the standard or outcome the classroom teacher is trying to meet with the project and can team plan/teach lessons.
There are teachers out there like Clarence who are a 2 for 1 package and can do both. I can’t wait until all teachers are at that level and I no longer have a job. I’m waiting for the day that a principal comes to me and says, “Jeff, I’m sorry but our staff doesn’t need you anymore.” As strange as that sounds…it brings a smile to my face.
Moving to an embedded technology model allows us to teach 21st century skills within our content areas. Both are more meaningful and engaging to the learner. Personally I’m looking forward to next year where my full duty will be to help teachers embed technology into everyday content. Next year Dreamweaver might be more relevant to me and my students as there will be a purpose for us to use the program other than me teaching it because TTWWADI.
[tags]TTWWADI, 21st Century Learning[/tags]
Technorati Tags: TTWWADI, 21st Century Learning
Jeff Utecht is an international educator, educational technology consultant and author. He has worked internationally since 2005, prior to that he worked in Washington State. Currently Jeff is working as the High School Technology and Learning Coordinator for the International School Bangkok. Additionally, Jeff is the technology consultant with EARCOS (East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools) and has consulted for Web 2.0 companies on educational issues. Jeff is a main coordinator for the Learning 2.0 Educational Technology Conference in Asia. He has consulted with international schools and conferences globally. Jeff regularly shares his thoughts on education and technology on his blog, thethinkingstick.com. Jeff have been mentioned in several books including Reinventing Project-Based Learning as an avenue for “free online professional development” and Web 2.0, New Tools, New Schools. He has also written a chapter on 21st Centrurey Technology Planning for the book Wired for Learning. To learn more about Jeff, visit www.jeffutecht.com.
My school is going through the issue of integrating technology skills into the core classes, which I’m most definitely not opposed to. My problem is where the skills are initially being learned. I (a licensed business teacher) have been trained to teach technology skills. Is it really going to work to have science teachers teaching web design? Sure they may be able to have students use the skills and reinforce what may have been already learned in a technology class, but is a science teacher really going to want to teach the technology? And even if they want to, do they know themselves what they are doing? They were trained to teach in their area, I was trained to teach in mine. That’s what I went to school for 4 1/2 years for.
Re: “My issue is I’m teaching skills without content… But the content…is just content to create the site.”
Why can’t a technology class embed “content” into teaching the skills. Content IS just content if you’re inserting it with the sole purpose of creating something, but why not use meaningful content–have students create a web page for a local business, promote a school event with flyers, or creating a multimedia presentation on a significant event in history.
What’s wrong with having a foundation technology course where students can learn computer basics, the process to put together a multimedia presentation, web design basics, etc…
I agree with you on this one. Schools need to leave computer training/teaching to individuals who are experts in the field. Unfortunately, I’m not sure how many schools will hear this, and how many will even understand that programmers and other computer science/computer technology experts need to be the only people to teach computer skills.