One of the issues that occupies more of my attention than it should --- perhaps --- is the reluctance, refusal, or fear that many of my colleagues have regarding the use of digital / social media and technology in the classroom.

OK, already, I get it! Prensky’s “digital immigrants” were not teethed on the stuff and were not taught to teach with it. But, did they know how to use the super-advanced copy machines in the faculty work room before they got in front of them and started pushing the buttons? These copiers are so advanced that you could take over a small country with them!

OK, already, I don’t get it! To be fair, they are teaching how they were taught to teach. It is familiar, comfortable, tried and true. But, does it address the needs of our “digital natives?” The rhetoric of commitment to the needs of our students falls short of some teachers’ willingness to go out on a limb, to climb the learning curve, etc., when it comes to learning how to use new technologies and new pedagogical techniques.

I designed the Smore for this week’s, “Spolight on Strategy,” with this reality in mind. I wanted to address teachers’ reluctance, refusal, fear, etc., by helping them to begin to think through a sample project. I titled it, “A Digital Twist: Rethinking the Research Paper.” The basic idea is to start with something known, and then to show how to “twist” it into something new. “Something old, something new, . . . etc.”

The Smore contains just enough detail to get them started thinking. I did not want to overwhelm. We are going to do more intensive professional development as we enter the second year of a 1:1 iPad roll out. And, I plan to use the Smore as a centerpiece for a, “How to,” session, along with examples of student digital research papers.  

I have used the this strategy in my own classes with spectacular results! Expecting similar results during the second semester, I am very confident that there will be more than a few new converts among the faculty.

Reference

Prensky, M. (2001, October). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. On the Horizon. Retrieved from http://linkyy.com/o9y.

To view the Smore with its original formatting, go to https://www.smore.com/523mm-a-digital-twist