After much training and planning, I crazily thought I was prepared for the launch of our technological journey. Beginning in the computer lab with 23 students, I anticipated elaborate blogs with detailed writing accompanied by carefully selected pictures, all to be completed with ease. This generations games. This generation utilizes texting. These generation members are digital natives. So why did the first attempt at integrating technology fail?
Upon my first venture into the lab, my initial response was “digital who/what?” What happened to the natives? How did I become the master? They were supposed to school me! Some computers had issues while some students had issues. Come to find once the computer issue was resolved, those students’ issues were quite basic. How could they set up a blog when they did not know how to sign-in to their email? What is a user name versus an email address? How do you scroll? What do you mean address bar? And of course, my favorite, “I forgot my password!” Clearly, I had overestimated the natives’ technology prowess and intuition.So back to the basics we went. Project #1 became Project Go! My goal was to teach computer basics and vocabulary through use of the computer so that when we entered the lab, my instruction would be “Go!” with students immediately signing in, reading the instructions, and getting started. The first task was to sign-in to their email and send me a properly formatted and grammatically correct email. Once email was mastered, students then learned to open documents followed by uploading, downloading and sending an attachment to others.
Google Docs was step two. We compared how Microsoft Word was similar to Google Docs and viewed the pros and cons of each. Upon understanding those similarities and differences, they typed an essay in Google docs, sharing the document with me and two other classmates who then edited the essay using the comment feature. This proved to be quite engaging. A new tool for them to play with! It has never been as quiet in my classroom as when they are editing using the comment feature. This feature does not change the error but calls attention to it and mandates the editor to be precise in their corrections.
“Go!” is starting to happen now. They understand computer vocabulary. “Scroll down” is no longer responded to with blank stares. Signing in to email, Google Docs and Blogger is a breeze. Though it seems simple, I forgot how basics are...well, basics. They must be taught.
Turns out the majority of this first year has been more about me learning the technology and how to integrate it into the curriculum than it has been for students to blast away from the traditional pen and pencil. From the summer trainings, I now blog, create web sites, utilize Google voice for students communication, create screenshots for instruction and can troubleshoot most issues. Though I strive for students to have those skills, I need to make sure they are all ready to start at the Go! line.
