Let’s open with some honesty. I am not a tech-savvy person. I can use it effectively, but this is largely due to my fully embracing a “guess and check” approach, which works for me, but is hard to replicate, and to explain how I’ve done something is an adventure unto itself.
With this in mind, the organizational aspect of using technology in the classroom was a challenge at times. In my Social Studies 9 and 10 classrooms, I promoted the use of Google drive as I worked to go paperless in the classroom. I shared all of my lessons, all of my notes, and all support materials with the idea in mind that students would have full access and ability to stay on top of their studies. While this was a part of the experience, I also learned very quickly that I need to pay attention to limiting student access so that they can’t move documents, change my notes, or create other confusion. Despite moments of frustration, this experience actually had a powerful effect. Students love when their teacher messes up and owns it. I imagine it may have something to do with us modelling that mistakes lead to learning, and I was very open to them that, as much as I was frustrated at times, I loved the learning that came from these moments.
Learning moments took all sorts of shapes while using technology, and this is where the power of technology lies. Assigning essays to students, though valuable for some, often leads to other shutting down. It can be overwhelming, but often other forms of presentations are similarly overwhelming, or don’t really allow the students to present themselves in a way they connect with. The variety offered through our access to iPads was liberating in this regard. Many students struggled with choosing how to present their learning, but loved that they had choice. For many, access to apps such as Explain Everything, or simply being able to access images or memes that they connect with allowed for a personal touch that they were excited to share with the class.
So, how was my experience with open access to technology in my classroom? Challenging, yet freeing. We learned together, we stumbled together, and we found new ways to connect and communicate and we worked towards our success.
