21st Century Classroom

At the start of our very first Teaching with Technology class, we were asked to draw our future classroom, incorporating any technology we hope to have. I found this to be a very difficult task, stuck in the mindset that a typical classroom would be the same as the classrooms during my high school career, with a few modifications (projection from the computer, rather than using transparencies, etc.). I found myself focusing more on the physical setup of the classroom than on the technology: Do I want desks or tables? Should I set them up in a square for face-to-face discussion, or in traditional rows? Where do I want the teacher's desk?

After listening to my classmates describing the classrooms they hope to have, complete with laptops or computer stations for every student, I felt a little embarrassed about my lack of vision into the 21st century and beyond. Even though I graduated less than a decade ago, technology and society's reliance upon it have changed greatly, and I guess it's time for me to realize it! Universities use websites like CTools all the time, why can't high schools do the same? (They can, of course!)

I know that by the end of the semester, my vision for a technologically-equipped classroom will change substantially. Even after one class I've realized all kinds of things I'd missed out on! I still would like to keep my room relatively simple, but having computers in the classroom for student use creates countless opportunities for instruction. A language lab can be created in-class (without the need to relocate to a separate room), using only the computers and a good set of headphones. As I mentioned in my last post, I would love to use blogging and chats to create different types of discussion and writing practice.

Pen pals from a Spanish speaking country provide an excellent way for students to practice that is more relevant than writing essays in class, and provides feedback from a native speaker...something I can't give my students myself! Technology offers ways to make this happen much more easily than the traditional "pen and paper, foreign mail that takes forever to arrive, if it ever does" variety.

Check back in a month or so, I'm sure I'll have learned about all kinds of excellent technological tools that I can incorporate into my 21st Century classroom! I can't wait...but you're going to have to!

End of Week 1

We made it through week 1 of the MAC program, and we're all still standing. At least we were, as of 4:30 this afternoon. I'm impressed with the amount of work that goes into making this program possible, and overwhelmed by the amount of work that will go into getting out of it alive! But I'm looking forward to what's to come.

The technology class really struck a chord with me today. It's not something I'd really put much thought into, but the idea of using tools like blogging and twitter and lends itself to all sorts of wonderful possibilities in a Spanish classroom. I also love the idea of using a discussion board and a live chat (Does anyone still use chatrooms anymore??) What a great way for students to use their Spanish outside the traditional classroom setting! And it could be great for the more meek, who may not be ready to speak up in class yet. I'm really excited to see what we're going to learn in this class, and what I will be able to do with it...the ideas are already going on the spin-cycle in this thing I call a brain!