Pedagogy Before Technology

Before we can begin teaching students, we must have an understanding of their background knowledge. This has always been a universal first step in teaching curriculum. However, as the emphasis on technology use increases in the 21st century, a new problem arises. Suddenly teachers are finding themselves no longer the experts on the subject, very often teaching students who have a better grasp on new technologies themselves. That is why it is now so important to not only gauge student understanding of technologies, but for teachers to also evaluate their own views. 

My first experiences with technology were mostly for the purpose of communication, rather than education. My friends and I would listen to the screeches and squawks of dial-up internet, eager to sign into AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) and chat online. I felt like I kept up with the changes in technology as I grew up, but by the time I was a teacher the changes seemed to keep happening faster than I could keep up with them. Sometimes I think back to my grandmother constantly calling my dad for help signing into email and worrying that I may start seeming just as clueless to my students! The Mariat Mindset List, giving us perspective into the minds of today’s college students, points out that to them, “Apple iPods have always been nostalgic” (2019). It’s hard to imagine, as I still remember how futuristic they seemed when they first came out and we all transitioned away from our old Discman portable CD players. Yet then I look down at my iPhone, long since replacing not only my iPod but also my camera, calculator, address book, and sometimes even computer, and realize that the times have in fact changed. Recognizing that the perspectives of students, who have grown up with all the information in the world at their fingertips in a device weighing less than 10 ounces, will differ from our own is an important first step. We need to learn how to meet students where they are. A shift has occurred from teaching students how to use technology to now teaching other concepts through the use of technology. Students now come to us already having the technology skills we used to teach them as background knowledge, ready and able to use technology to do more.

 

Attempting to make students learn in the same ways we did, when they know the possibilities technology offers, will make learning feel irrelevant to their lives. Why should they lug out a huge dictionary or encyclopedia to flip around looking for information when so much more information can be accessed in seconds online? Why simply type up a report when there are so many more creative and engaging ways to both present and share what they learned with more people? To see the real-world application of what they are learning, students need to learn with the use of technology tools. Technology in the classroom is no longer about the teacher’s use of technology to create activities, but the students use of technology to engage critical thinking skills in meaningful ways. The focus shouldn’t be on teaching the tools themselves, but on how the tools can transform student learning. 

This gap of technology knowledge between teachers and students presents another problem. New technology offers so many opportunities for the use of digital tools to meet all of the Bloom’s Taxonomies. Adding the digital verbs to the taxonomy, “also promotes 21st century skills like communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking” (“Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy,” n.d.). Yet the problem lies in the fact that for the focus to be on the curriculum being taught and not on the tool itself, teachers will need assistance in finding and selecting the best technology tool for their purpose. There simply are too many options out there and not enough time for teachers to explore them all or keep up with all the technological advances. 

This is where the school librarian comes in. The definition of a librarian as simply an expert on books is long gone. Librarians must be leaders in technology instruction at their schools, not only for students, but for teachers and the school community as a whole. Miller and Bass (2019) explain how this, “continuous shift in knowledge creates an opportunity for librarians to be digital age mentors, cultivating digital skills, online learning, and understanding of the information age” (p. 15). Many people in education are unaware that librarians can do all this and still view librarians only in their past role. Librarians are an access point for information. It’s important for programs preparing future librarians to teach them not only how to evaluate and utilize educational technology, but also to advocate for the changing role of librarians. Teachers and administrators may need to be taught about the capabilities of the librarian. Librarians can assist teachers by providing digital resources and information to fit their needs. Having apps for different devises organized not only by blooms level but by the verbs within each level, such as those created by Kathy Schrock, help take the guesswork away from teachers and create additional opportunities for teacher-librarian collaboration. The school librarian’s leadership and digital mentorship allows all members of the school community to benefit. 

Librarians are the paramount link to implementing educational technology in schools. Technological advances do not diminish the librarian’s importance, but rather make them that much more crucial. After all, as writer Neil Gaiman so eloquently stated, “Google can bring you back 100,000 answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one.”

Resources

Bloom’s digital taxonomy. Common Sense Education. (n.d.). https://www.commonsense.org/education/videos/blooms-digital-taxonomy 

Churches, A. (2008, May 26). Bloom’s digital taxonomy. CCCOnline. http://www.ccconline.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Churches_2008_DigitalBloomsTaxonomyGuide.pdf 

Clarity Innovations. (n.d.). Tools and resources to drive your technology initiatives. K-12 Blueprint. https://www.k12blueprint.com/toolkits 

Marist News: The First Marist Mindset List is released. Marist College. (2019, August 21). https://www.marist.edu/w/marist-news-the-first-marist-mindset-list-is-released 

Miller, S., & Bass, W. (2019) Leading from the library: Help your school community thrive in the digital age. International Society for Technology in Education.

Schrock, K. (2011). Bloomin’ Apps. Kathy Schrock’s Guide to Everything. https://www.schrockguide.net/bloomin-apps.html 

Sneed, O. (2016, May 9). Integrating technology with Bloom’s taxonomy. Teach Online. https://teachonline.asu.edu/2016/05/integrating-technology-blooms-taxonomy/