Technology Terms for Teachers Part 1

Back for Day 2 of looking at Michael Zimmer’s blog, The Pursuit of Technology Integration Happiness. This is the second blog out of three that I will review and discuss for my Weblogs and Wikis course final project.  Yesterday, I discussed a couple of examples of how technology has changed- posting about Flip Cameras and Clicker Systems. While both tools have changed, the ways in which they can be implemented into the classroom has not.

Today, I will review 10 ideas from his post from December 2013, “20 Critical Vocabulary Terms for EdTech”. This post caught my attention, as it contained some terminology that I didn’t know.  Some educators may be familiar with all of those- and to you- I commend you!  I’m definitely still in the beginning stages of my own technology integration, pretty much limited to the use of my Promethean ActiveInspire SmartBoard.

This software, of course, is an excellent source of interactive lessons for any teacher, and can be used for basically any type of lesson plan from incorporating videos to breaking down grammar.  But at this stage in my career, it’s time to really, really dig into what technology is out there.  That’s essentially why I chose to do this project theme- to help me and other teachers improve in this area.

So, on with it…here is a recap of the first 10 Critical Vocabulary Terms for EdTech, that according to Zimmer, can help every teacher with the techno “lingo”:

1. Web 2.0

This term refers to using the web and web apps to collaborate, share, and interact with others.  Example:  Prezi

2. PLN

This acronym stands for Professional Learning Network.  Educators use this term in reference to their sharing of resources and information through online communication.

Examples:  Twitter and Blogging (of course!)

3. Social Media

This is used to share media (videos, podcasts, audio, etc.) and interact socially with other users.

Examples:  YouTube, Skype

4.  Social Network

Private or public online profiles are created by individuals for connecting through discussion and sharing.

Examples:  Facebook, Twitter, and Edmodo as a solid educational source

5. Digital Native

This label was coined by author Marc Presnky and given to the current students that were born into the digital world and have basically grown up using technology for everything. CNN has a great article, “What does it mean to be a digital native?” for your reading pleasure.

6.  BYOT/BYOD (Bring Your Own Technology/Devices)

Everyone in a school district literally gets to do this in this type of setting.  The implementation of this policy allows teachers and students to use their own technology in the classroom, and includes cell phones, tablet, iPads, etc. In one of my previous posts, I outlined 7 ideas from Lisa Nielsen’s post about the BYOD/BYOT process and they all seem to have positive aspects that could work well for student learning.

7. Cloud Computing

Remote servers store files, data, and information which can be accessed at any time on any type of device.

Examples:  DropBox, Google Drive, cloud storage

8.  TeachMeet

I honestly couldn’t find much information on this tool- it seems as if it is no longer a point of interest.  Wiki describes it as “an organised but informal meeting (in the style of an unconference) for teachers to share good practice, practical innovations and personal insights in teaching with technology”.  It seems like an informal way of meeting and sharing information with other educators to gather new information about the profession.

9. Hashtag

#Obvious

But for educational purposes, this works a bit differently.  Teachers could set up specific hashtags for classes to use on Twitter.  Photo sharing could be used for art classes, with the use of hashtags on Instagram.

10.  Wiki

Users on this website collaborate with others by editing and adding to the content on Wiki pages.  School districts and staff can use these spaces for discussion and communication, and teachers can utilize Wikis in the classroom in various ways.

According to Wikis Teaching and Assessment:  The M/Cyclopedia Project by Axel Bruns and Sal Humphreys,  “Learning in a wiki environment is learning technical literacy, content creation in a digital environment, the art of collaboration, consensus building, creating explicit knowledge from tacit understanding, and effectively communicating ideas to other people through networked knowledge environments”.

All of these components can be attained by students using this tool and it can be a good source of teaching students online skills.

Bruns and Humphreys also insist that the wiki can serve as an “in-class communication tool- fulfilling a kind of bulletin-board function enabling staff-to-student and student-to-student interactions”.  This can be a great way to hold post-reading discussions and reflection, with the continually addition and revision of information as a unit progress, especially with a novel.

While the wiki is used frequently in the higher-learning setting, with colleges and universities incorporating it into campus and online course work, it is also a wonderful way for high school students to learn how to navigate a system like this. There are some challenges to keep in mind with the Wiki including  access limitations and “work-in-progress” credibility. But overall, it is a worth-while tool to consider.

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Up next…the final 10!