Ed Tech Overview

            I went into EDU560: Integrating Technology into the Curriculum with a pretty rosy view of technology’s role in 21^st century classrooms. In my year and a half working for Oak Park Public School District 97, I have incorporated iPads, Notability, News2You, Book Creator, Sketchbook Pro, Flocabulary, and other tech tools into my work in the classroom, and I have had positive experiences with nearly all of them.

            With my preexisting enthusiasm for technology in the classroom, this course didn’t particularly change my mind in any way. Instead, it provided me with a wealth of new technology options for me to use when I receive my teaching licensure and take over a classroom of my own. I don’t think that there are any tech tools that I encountered in the course that I definitely would not use, but there are a few in particular that I found particularly useful.

            Open education resources (OER) has been the most exciting new discovery for me. The amount of freedom of access to learning materials that comes from OER is unparalleled, and it opens up the academic landscape in ways that were never possible under the monopoly of major textbook companies. I also found digital stories, infographics, interactive images, and web quests to be excellent tools to engage students and still hit many Common Core state standards.

            As we move further into the 21^st century, technology is going to become increasingly deeply embedded in our classrooms. There is no way around this. Technological literacy is already necessary for adult success in much of our global society, and tech tools can be tremendous boons for instruction. Technology allows students to exert greater agency over their own learning and free teachers to create innovative, engaging lessons. By embracing technology—though not unconditionally—I will be able to provide the best possible educational environment for my future students.