Technology in the Classroom

When I was growing up, social media did not exist. Most of my friends didn’t even have computers in their homes, let alone access to the internet. In sixth grade, my school was able to buy about 30 desktop computers to be housed in a “computer room”. Teachers could sign up for specific time slots and take their class to the computer room where we mostly played games that kids today would certainly laugh at if given the opportunity. Back then, I don’t think anyone was aware at how essential computers and internet access would become in our everyday lives.

Fast forward to today and I am currently active on a few social media platforms but my primary purpose is to keep in touch with friends and family. I primarily use social media to share pictures, and document experiences; however, I do occasionally read stories or articles relating to current events or pop culture. Most recently for a previous class’ assignment, I created a PechaKucha on the need for more mental health services in urban schools. I must say that using this platform was much more fun and engaging than simply writing an essay.

The use of digital media has made it possible for K12 schools, and colleges and universities, to operate safely in the midst of a pandemic. My daughter, who is 11, currently uses various modes of technology in order to attend classes, collaborate on group work, and complete assignments. However, even without the pandemic she was utilizing digital sources and media outlets more than I had previously thought possible. Not only is using technology in the classroom preparing her for future endeavors, it’s a greener way to go than the endless handouts, poster board projects, and handwritten essays that were used when I was in K12 schools.

(My daughter at school, at home)

While reading Henry Jenkins’ Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21^st Century, I became intrigued by the concept of participatory culture, which is a concept where the general public can create media content for the masses. Jenkins et al. state that, “more than one-half of all teens have created media content, and roughly one-third of teens who use the internet have shared content they produced,” (Jenkins et al. 3). These skills will translate quite readily into the classroom as long as teachers know what to do with them. Teachers are therefore responsible for shaping these skills into “a set of cultural competencies and social skills that young people need in the new media landscape,” (Jenkins et al. 4).

Jenkins addresses and recognizes the concern shared by most of society, that our kids spend too much time in front of screens, perhaps a counter notion could be that it all depends on what they’re doing on those screens. Rather than criticizing our students for bringing technology into the classroom, we must develop ways that we can teach them how to use their technology in meaningful and appropriate ways that will be of use to them in the future. Another concern addressed by Jenkins is that our kids are replacing the ability to read and write with digital media and technology. He argues that, of course, reading and writing can not and should not be replaced but that we should recognize that the relationship between reading and writing and technology is changing.

In addition to using technology to foster skills that will be beneficial in the long term, the use of technology has also been shown to keep more students engaged in their learning activities. In an article by Marcelle Haddix and Yolanda Sealy-Ruiz called Cultivating Digital and Popular Literacies as Empowering and Emancipatory Acts Among Urban Youth, technology and popular culture were used to “reengage adolescent males who had been pushed aside and positioned marginally within the official school context…” (Haddix and Sealy-Ruiz 189). Utilizing technology in English Language Arts classrooms, for example, might help to engage students in books they may otherwise consider “boring”. Students can work together to create book trailers, stop-motion videos, or blogs about a book or written from the perspective of a certain character.

One of the problems associated with the use of technology in urban classrooms is the stigma surrounding these students. There is a belief that letting them use technology is “dumbing-down students’ literacy skills or practices,” (Haddix and Sealy-Ruiz 190). Students in certain urban school districts were assumed by teachers to be engaging in drug deals when using their phones. By not allowing these students to engage with digital media within the classroom we are doing a disservice to them and not adequately preparing them for a future in the real world where digital literacy is imperative to success.

The only problem that should realistically be considered when developing an urban or rural school curriculum that utilizes digital media is whether or not their students have adequate access to the types of technology necessary. There is a very real “digital gap” between urban and suburban school districts that must be closed. While it is easy to refer a student to their local library, there is not always access to the types of media necessary and it would be impossible to create any type of video in a library. It seems crazy to think that we actually live in a world where some people might not be able to get the full benefit of technology but it’s a truth that must be faced and fixed.

For more information on the “digital gap” visit: How to Close the Digital Gap in Urban Districts - The Tech Edvocate