Digital Media in the Classroom
With our society becoming heavily reliant on technology, it is no surprise that more and more schools are incorporating technology into their classrooms. By having easy access to computers, tablets, and smartphones, adolescents basically have the world at their fingertips. Though with great freedom, also comes great responsibility. Educators need to ensure that their students are using technology for the right reasons: to enhance their learning.
Technology can significantly enhance the educational experiences of adolescents. However, without the appropriate guidelines in place, technology could consequently hinder learning opportunities. Many schools now use Chromebooks or tablets in their classrooms. With correct use, these devices can be a tool for learning. Students can comfortably browse the internet to explore new worlds and engage in fun and challenging activities. According to the Office of Educational Technology, “When technology is used in early learning settings, it should be integrated into the learning program and used in rotation with other learning tools such as art materials, writing materials, play materials, and books, and should give early learners an opportunity for self-expression without replacing other classroom learning materials” (Guiding Principles for Use of Technology with Early Learners). Technology should never be used just for the sake of having access to it. Electronic devices should be used to reinforce prior learning or explore things that cannot be found in a textbook. It is also important for students to understand how their technology works. So many adolescents hop onto computers or smartphones without knowing what goes on behind the screen. Julie Warner states that “To be prepared to be engaged and ethical actors in the digital space, youth need deep technological skills that move their action from the front of the screen as content consumers to behind as not only content but software creators” (Warner). Educators should be prepared to help students gain a better understanding of the inner-workings of the technology they are using on a daily basis. Of course, knowing how to use technology is important, but for adolescents, understanding how technology shapes their literary practices is just as important.
Technology should be a great way to increase learning opportunities for adolescents. Although schools have libraries and textbooks, “technology can increase the amount of reference information immediately available to them on a given topic and give them the ability to ask questions of people outside of their classroom” (Guiding Principles for Use of Technology with Early Learners). Technology has the amazing ability to connect students to cultures and places outside of their immediate community. Without worrying about distance or other barriers, students can build relationships with people all across the country. David Buckingham, author of “Digital Media Literacies: rethinking media education in the age of the Internet,” states that technology has the ability to “convey images and fantasies, provide opportunities for imaginative self-expression and play, and serve as a medium through which intimate personal relationships are conducted” (Buckingham).
Flipgrid is a video response platform that allows teachers to have online video discussions with their students or other educators. Teachers post topics that the students then respond to via a recorded video. This platform allows students and educators to connect with each other from various parts of the globe. Students here in Clemson can partner with a school in California and work on assignments together despite the distance. The two classes can read the same book and post discussion videos on the app after each chapter. Students from the other classroom can then respond to their peers’ videos with questions or comments.
There are many benefits for adolescents having access to technology and social media in the classroom. Television, movies, and even video games can have a positive influence on students if used correctly. Technology should be used as a tool for learning, and to strengthen or form relationships among peers, families, and educators. Apps like Flipgrid allow students and educators to interact with schools across the country and introduce young adolescents to communities other than their own. Educators should be excited and willing to use apps such as Flipgrid and other forms of technology to increase the learning opportunities for their students.
References: Required Readings
Buckingham, D. (2007). Digital media literacies: Rethinking media education in the age of the internet. Research in Comparative and International Education, 2(1), 45–55.
Warner, J. (2017). Critical digital literacies. In Adolescents’ new literacies with and through mobile phones (pp. 143–159). New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishing Inc.
References: Outside Resources
Guiding Principles for Use of Technology with Early Learners. (n.d.). Retrieved September 22, 2018, from https://tech.ed.gov/earlylearning/principles/
What is Flipgrid? (2017, August 08). Retrieved October 19, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1U2ONzmwQ6c
