Responsive Teaching Deeper Learning

The research is clear. On its own, technology does not impact student learning. According to Kolb (2017), “Technology integration is more complex than simply using a technology tool; pedagogical and instructional strategies around the tool are essential for successful learning outcomes.” As an Instructional Support Teacher who travels to many schools and classrooms collaborating and co-teaching with educators within a wide variety of disciplines and grade levels, this notion rings true for me. Not only does this sentiment apply to technology, but it can apply to any of the “next big things” we encounter as educators.  Shanahan on Literacy’s blog (2012) reiterates this notion in regard to Daily 5. Daily 5 and Literacy when he writes, “ The Daily Five establishes a very low standard for teaching by emphasizing activities over outcomes.” Shanahan (2012) goes on to say that when teachers begin with the activity, it “allows someone to look like a teacher without having to be one .” I t...

Does Technology Affect Learning?  There is no easy answer to this question, the answer is not black and white and, in fact, it's so grey that trying to answer it makes me feel like I'm on Newfoundland's Grand Banks amidst a blinding fog. So What? Technology has affected every aspect of our modern lives and therefore, has affected the environment we live in and the schema of the learners we serve, their families, our colleagues and ourselves. Yong Zhao describes the classroom as an ecosystem and this notion very much resonated with me. "To view a learning environment as an ecosystem, we have to shift our focus from finding the better (and even the best) learning medium to understanding the niche and the strength of each medium and taking into consideration the interrelationships among these media. To be more precise, we need to first analyze the strengths /niches of computers and humans and then construct a learning environment that taps the strengths/niches...

"We need to proceed with our eyes wide open so that we may use technology rather than be used by it." - Neil Postman When we become distracted by the flash of the newest technology and is features, there is a danger that we become pawns in a capitalistic enterprise that, by design, widens the gap between the haves and the have-nots. Education is the great equalizer within our democracy and, a s educators, we are charged with bridging the gap toward opportunity, achievement and success. We must think critically about how and why we utilize technology in our classrooms, ensuring it not only supports, but empowers our students, particularly our most vulnerable.  In  The Innovator’s Mindset , George Couros writes, “if we want our students to be designers, thinkers, creators, and leaders, we must first realize that having them regurgitate information on a piece of paper or even on a computer will achieve nothing more than compliance.” (Couros, 2015, p. 206) I challeng...