The meme I created was centered around the idea that tech savvy teachers need to be adjustable and be able to meet the students where they are at in terms of technology. In my opinion if we are to use technology to the fullest potential in our classroom we have to be aware of where our students are at, as each student has a different level of technological understanding. Part of being adaptable means knowing where you are starting in relation to using technology in your classroom. Some of our students will have grown up using technology since they were 2 and some have no access to technology except maybe in the classroom if they are lucky. By taking this into account, we can create activities using technology that allow all students to engage in the activity. I also think this leads into the most important trait of a tech savvy teachers which is being adaptable. I think it is most important to be adaptable because we have people relying on us so we need to be able to think on our feet and have a back up plan incase technology doesn’t work or something goes wrong in our plan. Another interesting aspect I wanted to come across in my meme is how much technology has changed over time and yet we as tech savvy teachers always find a way to keep up with current technology and help teach our students how to use technology as well.
The art and craft of teaching with technology
I really liked your meme! Not only did you incorporate lots of images and text, but your overall reflection was easy to relate to. I have seen a wide range of ability with technology in the classroom based on what school and the backgrounds of the children in that school. For instance, I was placed in a first grade class at a private Catholic school where technology was rarely used but the students were adept at using it because of their personal backgrounds. Now, at a lower-income school, I see varying abilities in regard to technology, with some students navigating the educational games easily, and other students struggling to login. I think educators DO have to meet students where they are at and be patient when working with students who might have very little experience with technology inside or outside of the classroom.
I really like the point you brought up about the backgrounds of our students. While it is important to embrace technology, there will be students who have different levels of using it. Some students may be able to create a presentation in five minutes while others are still learning how to use the home keys. This drastic difference can be related to the differing levels of students in their subject classes. For some students they can read two grade levels above while others can only read two grades below. This drastic difference is why students need a technology lesson which should be put on the same pedestal as the other classes. Students will be surrounded by technology and must have a base foundation for how to use it. It is important to adapt the pieces of technology to their students in order to meet their needs.