Teaching with the use of technology opens a variety of different opportunities to students in the digital world. School boards are encouraging educators to engage in participation with their students though the digital world. Some Web 2.0 tools that can be incorporated into the classroom are safari, geocaching, blogging, IMovie, YouTube, Twitter, smartphones, Ipads, Facebook, and so much more. Participatory culture is a new way of learning, which encourages participation and allows for a greater level of attentiveness during class time. Students become more focused and engaged when learning through participation and hands-on learning. Learners are able to explore, experiment, and create meaningful projects for the world to view and use. Teachers are encouraged to embrace technology participation, communication, and collaboration with other students, teachers, and schools around the world to create an active and real-world environment within the classroom. Today, individuals are constantly connected to digital technologies and personal media applications, however it is crucial for students to learn how to collaborate and reflect using their online voices within their personal profiles. Thought and teamwork during school will benefit individuals as they enter the 21st century work field in the future.
Alice Cassidy, a principal of In-view education and professional development created a list of 10 ways to actively engage students, which reflects her experience of teaching at the University of British Columbia for fifteen years. Cassidy voiced how important it is to get to know your students on a personal level. Topics and themes can be implemented throughout lessons to interest the students on a deeper level, for example, minecraft and lego. It has been proven that when students are engaged during learning, they are able to achieve high-grade levels as well as enjoy school further. This can be achieved through icebreakers, where students are welcomed into a collaborative environment and welcomed to share their unique ideas and personalities. Students also need to feel valued within the classroom. Alice explained that inviting students to begin lessons and asking for feedback after class, relating to what worked and what didn’t, gives the students a chance to have a voice. It is important for both students and teachers to reflect and collaborate together to ensure that improvement for future lessons are implemented. When students feel worthy while making a difference in the world, they will try a lot harder than they would while completing a worksheet. It is also essential to connect learning to the real world. Having students engage in current events has purpose and meaning, which gives the students a drive to complete their assignment. A great website for these activities is called Teaching Kids News. Even though many students are already connected to the technology-based world, it is important that they have skilled teachers modelling how to dig even further. Students need to be mentored to critically analyze and engage in real-world issues successfully. Reflection of work is equally important to creation. Students need to learn how to collaborate and improve as they develop further knowledge about digital technology. Educators need to ensure that students have the chance to work with certain opportunities and applications multiple times to have the chance to improve, rather than constantly learning new things every class without analyzing what went well and what needs work. When students become comfortable with certain technologies and inquiries, they will feel more confident to engage among their own personal practices out of the classroom context.
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