Technology Teaching Teachers

Students are not the only people that need to learn in school. Teachers need to continuously keep up with the growing world and evolving society in order to best serve their students. One way to do this is by using technology. Not necessarily to teach the students, but to have the teachers learn a few new things. For example, imagine having a Skype conference call with teachers from all over the country. You can exchange ideas, lesson plans, and activities with people from all over the world. It is similar to a teaching workshop but you can do this with little to no cost. Now imagine teachers listening and collaborating with other great ones and becoming even better! It can be a great way to infuse new ideas into a different environment. This can even extend into a classroom. Students can meet other peers in different schools and countries. 

Teachers can also learn from their students. Having them do blogs, or ask questions in a class forum will give the teacher an insight to the minds of the kids. Seeing their personal responses will give data that a teacher can organize and look at for gaps in understanding. In having students use technology for school assignments, they are not only learning the lesson but also competent job skills. They are learning on how to meet deadlines, collaborating with others, and researching and analyzing data. Having this information be tangible and available to the teacher can help them focus on what the students' weak points. Simply giving students a computer or a tablet helps them better their abilities, as soon in, "The School in the Cloud" video. Kids will learn on their own if given the opportunity. This can be a valuable and shocking premise to present to teachers. Now they are not teaching them brand new ideas but more so, facilitating a better understanding of topics the kids know about.

My only knock on the use of technology is that not all students have access to it. I my personal experiences in dealing with special education students, I know that if they do not finish the computer assignment in school, there is no hope in getting them to do it for homework. The availability of the resources are scarce for them or they do not know how to get access to them. That is why the "The School in the Cloud” concept seems so interesting. The technology was given to the children and they figured out the rest.