Take Away #1: “Often kids are ‘parked’ in front of technology as a passive solitary experience, but I hope people start to see the immense learning potential that technology has to enable kids to express their thinking and then receive feedback from people who care about them.”
So often technology is seen as something we just use but what if we start looking at it as a tool to improve our teaching. Especially during this time of lockdown, where schools are closed, and remote learning has taken the front stage, technology is really showing its use. Technology can be used to improve interaction as well as help students, teachers and families stay connected. Right now, technology like Zoom or Seesaw is really helping students continue to engage in their learning. Seesaw seems like a cool platform that allows students to create their own digital portfolio to share with their families and teachers. Even though COVID-19 has posed many issues for the world it has also pushed teachers to learn about technology that may, even when classes move back to the classroom, help the teachers to better connect with the families and students. Technology is such an important part of our culture and schools should be taking advantage of the resources it can provide. Hopefully even after remote learning ends teachers will now know how to better incorporate the technology into the classes.
Take Away #2: “The next test for educators and technology companies will be utilizing and shaping digital tools to make the opportunities that they offer equally available to all, inside as well as outside the classroom.”
The other thing that remote learning has brought to light is the divide economically between groups. Certain families who do not have as many resources are being identified. For some families remote learning is a real struggle as single parents try to work and help their kids. During this time many of the companies are partnering with schools to provide families with the resources they need to teach their kids. Hopefully even after this pandemic ends these companies and schools can continue to support and aid these families. Lack of technology at home or good internet can really be a barrier for students and so teachers need to continue to work to make sure that all students are getting the support they need. Some of the tech tools being used can also help teachers to connect with the families which will hopefully lay the groundwork for deeper relationships that will help schools to provide for their students in whatever ways they may need. This remote learning, though hard, has helped identify the needs of certain students.
Bishop, K. (2020). We're embracing tech during lockdown – but can it replace the classroom?. Retrieved 29 April 2020, from https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/apr/24/remote-learning-classroom-technology-coronavirus
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