Education Special Section
Classrooms are set up in different sections , such as a kitchen , home , science area , reading nook , or water area , for kids to engage in social interactions with others and learn valuable skills based from play . Academic or didactic , teacher-directed programs are structured with a curriculum involving planned activities guided by teachers and designed to prepare students for a kindergarten-type setting . Either method for learning prepares young children for their future interactions , both socially and educationally . Finding the learning style that best suits your own child ’ s needs will set him / her up for success .
K-12 Education It is early in education that students start to become competent in utilizing the tools needed in our society . Reading , writing , math and language skills are all core competencies that need to be mastered at a young age and are critical for a student ’ s success . Education is being shaped by incorporating different styles of teaching , accessing new technologies to enhance learning , and ensuring that students leave high school with a sense of confidence to enter the workforce or to continue on to higher education . A variety of trends , disruptions and technologies are shaping the way K-12 schools face their biggest challenges .
Engage Parents and Caregivers
Parents can ’ t advocate for their children if they aren ’ t given the tools to do so . The National Education Association states that by monitoring , supporting , and advocating for their students , parents and caregivers can ensure that their children have an opportunity to be successful in school . By working with your students to set goals , make sure they are on track for academic success , holding them responsible for their education , and advocating for them , their peers , and their entire school community , you are doing a service that will have a valuable outcome for all involved .
Data and Analytics
Relationships between K-12 teachers and college educators used to be solely focused on college transition programs . Now , the focus is shifting to partnerships based on formal research studies , professional development , or joint technology and curriculum initiatives , as EdTech Online states . Data-driven research is being gathered and assessed by college educators
and results are being implemented in the form of metrics to keep individual students on track to graduate . If an individual student falls “ off track ,” teachers utilize that information to determine a course of academic intervention . This form of individualized learning is being employed across the country with positive results .
Adaptive Learning Technology / Resources
Addressing individual learning gaps continues to be at the top of priority lists for student achievement in the classroom . Adaptive learning technologies have already proven successful in the classroom and are a growing piece of the education puzzle . As the infrastructure needed to support these types of initiatives is more easily accessible and widespread , teachers are finding ways to incorporate these technologies into blended learning programs , according to EdTech Update .
IoT in the Classroom You may be unfamiliar with the term IoT ( Internet of Things ), but you likely use it every day . IoT is a network of devices connected to the internet that deliver realtime insights to connected devices , such as cell phones , laptops , or even your television . These “ smart ” devices offer a unique benefit in the classroom in the form of interactive whiteboards , e-books , 3-D printers , security cameras , and attendance tracking systems . Use of IoT can remove barriers to learning such as location , language , and economic standing .
A recent TEDx article highlighted a Fargo , North Dakota , teacher , Kayla Delzer , and her use of technology in the classroom . She believes it can revolutionize education , but only if used correctly . “ Using technology simply for the sake of using it is wasteful ,” Delzer says . “ If tech doesn ’ t transform your classroom , your teaching or your students ’ learning , skip it .” One easy rule of thumb : If a project can be done using paper or pencil but you ’ re doing it on a computer or device , it ’ s not transforming your classroom . The possibilities for technology in the K-12 classroom setting are endless and , if implemented correctly , change the course of education as we know it .
Change in Educator Practices / School Infrastructure
Although technology is getting all the hype for being a game changer in the
education industry , the real success comes from teachers and their active role in ensuring the proper employment of that technology in making a difference in learning . According to Education Week , 90 percent of teachers agree that technology gives them the ability to tailor lessons and homework assignments to the individual needs of students . Yet , teachers and schools who rate their system-wide technology integration on a lower scale don ’ t have as much hope . Buy-in from educators , school leaders and board members , parents , and the community is critical when looking to successfully integrate new technologies into a curriculum . The change in how teachers are teaching and how students are learning requires a complete shift from room layouts and resources needed for students , to continuing teacher education and administrative observations . Each piece of the education puzzle needs to be thoughtfully addressed in order to successfully accommodate a new way of learning .
“ What technology allows us to do is amplify and expand the repertoire of techniques that effective teachers use to elicit the attention , effort and engagement that are the basis of learning ,” Michelle Miller says in Minds Online . “ The tools we use can and do change us but when we use these tools mindfully , we can remain in control of those changes , shaping them to benefit our students .” As schools are implementing the infrastructure needed for technology advancements in the classroom , teachers are being tasked with providing their students with a more individualized approach to learning . Professional development for these teachers is critical to ensure that they are not stretched too thin and their budgetary resources are properly allocated . Support from administrators and coaching from peer mentors in how to approach this new way of teaching has proven to increase the likelihood of success in the classroom . In addition , classroom evaluations are being reconfigured , as sitting in the back of a classroom no longer accurately assesses a teacher ’ s effectiveness in this new learning environment .
The World Economic Forum states that 75 percent of educators and students feel there is a gap in their ability to meet the needs of a growing IT-focused workforce . In addition , 90 percent of organizations currently have an IT skills shortage ; by 2020 , it is estimated that there will be 1.5 million jobs in the digital industry across the globe . These statistics alone make technology integration into schools a necessity . Not only will our young children come out of their education prepared for a role in a booming industry , but our teachers will have the confidence in knowing that they ’ ve provided their students the best opportunity for success . ■
GREENSBURG SALEM ❘ FALL 2018 21