Proposal for the 21st century

The technologies I have observed at Marquette Senior High School are minimal. The internet, PowerPoint, and a projector are the most abundantly used.  None are those like that of the 21^st century classroom.  There is a document camera in the class, but I don’t believe it has ever been used as anything besides a dust collector.  I am merely speculating, based on the observation of one teacher, but I assume there has been no mandatory workshop on how to use and how to enhance a lesson with the document cameras. From what I have seen, I would classify Marquette Senior High School as having moderate to low technological wealth.   If the teachers of MSHS were trained with the available resources, the school would move up the technological scale, but unless the resources are being used, they are of no benefit. In regards to technology, unless a new tool helps solve a specific problem, it too is of no benefit.

Specific problems I have observed in middle and high school classes are that there is not enough time, and students are underprepared. So how can we fix the issue without extending the school/work day? By “flipping the classroom”, a term used to describe a method of teaching where the students receive their lectures  from the internet outside of class time, freeing up more time to work during the sub one hour time slot. Flipping the classroom however would not be possible without the help of several 21^st century tools.  First off, a child needs to be able to access the internet outside of class in order to flip. Some schools offer afterschool computer lab access, and others are issuing iPads to each student.  Also, in order to flip the class, the instructor must have the means to record a video lesson and upload it to the internet. With the availability of a cheap webcam and microphone, free online services, and knowledge of the processes, a teacher can easily flip a classroom. My proposal is this; Find the funds to offer students internet access long after the school day has ended. Whether it is by means of personal tablets, extended computer lab access, or any other reasonable method, the students will benefit from a program which implements a flip classroom. Teachers will have a larger chunk of time to engage in deeper lessons including project-based learning, differentiated instruction, and active learning.

Project-based learning is a means of teaching that challenges students with complex problems and questions which require investigative skills such as problem solving and decision making.   Project based learning can be used to answer the age-old question, “when will I ever need to know this?” by teaching skills as well as content.  Differentiated instruction in its most basic form is a teacher’s ability to adapt a lesson to accommodate all children’s academic interests and creating the best learning experience as possible. Content, process, products, and learning environment are four classroom elements that teachers can differentiate in response to classroom variance. Active learning, a term with inconsistent definitions, can be summed up as a process by which students learn in an environment where students are engaging in material by reading, writing, talking, listening and reflecting.  Research has proven, that the effectiveness of teaching and learning is increased when students have sufficient opportunities to clarify, question, apply, and consolidate new knowledge. 

Funds are always going to be a topic of discussion when it comes to indulging into expensive tools for the classroom. But until we can provide students with internet access, we cannot hold them responsible for information to be found on the internet, which rule’s out flipping a class. Afterschool access to a computer lab can eliminate the problem for a school that simply cannot afford distribution of personal computers. Next the teachers need to be trained how to flip a class and to use the technologies required. Ultimately, time is of the essence. By manipulating time teachers will deepen their students’ ability to make connections to the world through deep, meaningful lessons and activities.


http://www.worldwidelearn.com/education-articles/hybrid-education.html 
http://www.eschoolnews.com/2012/03/09/how-can-research-inform-ed-tech-decisions/ 
http://www.mastersacademy.org/page.asp?ID=35 
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/ipad-teaching-learning-apps-ben-johnson