Reflection time!

After reading Cuban’s three scenarios in Computers Meet Classroom: Classroom Wins (1993), I want to reflect on my coursework for my graduate certificate from Brandman University. The article shares a prediction for what technology integration in the classroom will look like in the early 2000’s. Based on these predictions, I see my program falling somewhere between the Cautious Optimist’s Scenario and the Technophile’s Scenario. We are still a bit slow moving with some of the innovative and creative ways to utilize technology. We work in ‘building brigades’ to engage in smaller learning communities, but the actions for each group are very similar and all working towards the goal of creating a DEMO BUILD. With that said, I do see some implementations of the TECHNOPHILE’S SCENARIO. We are pushing our learning to progress in areas specific to our educational focus. For example, I work with adult learners on integrating technology into the classroom in meaningful ways, while a teammate in my building brigade teaches high school chemistry. We are each creating a DEMO BUILD that fits our unique interests and needs.

This article posed a lot of interesting thoughts and I can honestly say that I was surprised to read that that this article was written almost 30 years ago. We have come so far in regards to integrating technology into the classroom, but we still have a long way to go… and I think that is a similar message to what this article was stating in regards to technology in 1992.

As I begin reflecting on my own practice and in regards to my DEMO BUILD, I hope to eventually get to the TECHNOPHILE phase of technology integration. I do meet teachers where they are and provide them with the supports necessary through coaching cycles, but this becomes challenging when building an asynchronous unit. I am hoping to bring in the student constructivist approach for engagement with content by asking teachers to self-reflect on a lesson that they have previously integrated into their classroom (regardless of if it was in a blended, online, or hybrid model). Teachers are going to redesign a previously taught lesson utilizing new approaches and strategies that they learn during the unit. My hope is that educators will have a connection with their lesson and feel comfortable interacting with new challenges if they have some ownership of the material.

When it comes to a student constructivist approach for engagement with peers, I am incorporating opportunities for peer reflection and social media engagement. Twitter is one of the most popular platforms for educators to connect on a global perspective, and I plan to incorporate opportunities for learners to connect with one another through #EduTwitter. This approach is taking student far beyond the four-walls of a traditional classroom and truly allowing them to connect on a global level with leaders and educators. This does seem to be taking me in a bit more of the CAUTIOUS OPTIMIST scenario, but I do think that teachers need to be comfortably eased into a fully connected, innovative, and creative world of EdTech. Without room for comfortability, it is easy to disconnect and become disengaged with the unit. Hopefully by slowly integrating Twitter into my lessons, educators will learn the benefit of connecting with educators outside of our classroom.

Before starting this grad. certificate program I was in the CAUTIOUS OPTIMIST’S scenario from Cuban’s vision for the future. I hope to continue growing in my practice and expertise and get to the point where TECHNOPHILE is more prevalent.

Check out the article here: https://www.edweek.org/technology/opinion-computers-meet-classroom-classroom-wins/1992/11