How do we change the way we teach our students to use technology?

I teach a 90 minute block of reading and writing to about 50 seventh graders at a large school district in the suburbs of St. Louis.  My middle school students are using technology from the time they wake up until the time they go to bed.  They have never known a world where they can't just "Google it" or "search it up." However, we (teachers, schools, heck, even parents!) are trying to teach our kids about technology in isolation.  In 2019, why is technology still a class kids go to to learn to use a tool and not an integrated part of the lessons we teach?

As 21st century educators, we have to adapt the way we teach to the way our students learn.  Everything is coming at them a mile a minute. They have access to information in a second.  They can order dinner, buy movie tickets, and get a ride to their friend's house in less than 60 seconds using their phone.  Most educators did not grow up in this fast-paced world, and they are still trying to teach this generation in the way they were taught.  It just doesn't work for these students, and that ISN'T a bad thing.  

We must begin teaching students how to use technology while they are learning, creating and doing.  When something is taught in isolation, it isn't transferred. We now live in a world of instant gratification.  Can you imagine taking a cooking class that is taught the same way we teach students to use technology?   

             Learn to cook risotto in 6 weeks! 

             Week 1: Cutting and sautéing onions. 

             Week 2: Selecting the correct rice and toasting the rice. 

             Week 3: Adding broth to the rice. 

             ... And so on and so forth. 

Breaking down each step and teaching it in isolation just confuses and slows down the chef.  We should be teaching someone how to make risotto by actually making risotto. It is the same thing with technology.  We shouldn't teach students to use technology only in one 45 minute class period 3 times a week. No wonder teachers are complaining that students don't know how to find reliable and credible resources, share information, create resources for others, or to be good citizens online. It is still the responsibility of ONE teacher to cover all these topics. No wonder there isn't any transfer.  ALL teachers need to take on the responsibility of teaching students to use technology.

In my ELA class, I always plan a mini-lesson on the tool we are going to use the first day we use it. It is vital that the students spend 5 to 10 minutes with a how-to and then have the time to go "play" with the tool on their own.  This is how they learn to use the newest social media and play the newest game...they just do and play! So, of course, this is the way they learn how to use the newest tool for learning. I work with a lot of teachers when they want to learn to use a new technology tool in the classroom, and I always tell them to plan to teach them how to use the tool and then give them extra time on the first day to just figure it all out.  If we give students more time at the beginning of the year or unit to learn the tool while they are using it, then they are more likely to remember and use it again.  

Technology is a part of our everyday life, so why isn't it a part of every classroom every day?  We can't rely on the technology teachers to cover it all.  In Creating a New Culture of Teaching and Learning by Alan November he shares what he believes is the best way to our students learn:   

The best thing to invest in right now is collegiality. The number one skill that teachers will need is to be team-based, collegial, sharing their knowledge and wisdom -- not thinking that “these are my students in my classroom.” We have to drop that language. Collegiality, teamwork is what’s needed.

November hit the nail on the head with this one.  We have to work together and be willing to share ideas, knowledge, and responsibilities with other teachers in our buildings.  There are so many teachers who shut their doors and teach, ignoring other teachers ideas and techniques.  When we, as educators, can have an open, honest sharing of ideas, every one of our students will benefit and succeed from our shared knowledge. 

November also brings up a great point about why traditional professional development on technology isn't always effective. "Staff developers, please don’t train teachers to use technology without kids. Ask every teacher to bring two or three students."  This is something I have seen first hand when I attended one of November's multi-day workshops a few years ago.  The second time we met, about 2 months later, he had our school bring a group of students in order to learn with and beside their teachers.  It was an awesome experience because the students went back and they were our leaders to help us further implement some of the new ideas we learned.  Using our students as a resource to change the way we teach students about technology is something that I want to try at my new school.  I have seen first hand how effective it is, and I know that the students listen and are more attentive when it is their peers trying to teach them.  

There are many things we can do to change how technology is taught in schools, but the first thing we need to do is look at what we are doing that is ineffective and then spend some time working with our teammates and colleagues to share ideas and find what is effective in our classrooms in order to do more of that.