Tag: 18-A8

Dear Past-Me,

Surprise! I was too (will be?) when they said (will say) that they’ve (they’ll have) invented low-range time-travel. Super nifty.

Anyways, crazy to think it’s been fifteen years since that edtech class. It’s honestly surprising how many things haven’t changed in all this time. A lot of teaching is still done using textbooks similar to the ones you use and technology is still trying to figure out its place in the modern classroom.

That said, there are some nice new gizmos for you and your coworkers just beyond the horizon. Some of those programs mentioned have actually hit it big and have become staples for teachers across the world. Most of them are pretty minor, but every little bit of efficiency helps, right? Additionally, a little more technology has been introduced into the classroom. Smartboards have become cheaper and less clunky, to the eternal sorrow of Expo Dry Erase Products. While Chromebooks are remembered nostalgically by Gen-Z’ers, they’re pretty defunct by today’s standards and have been mostly replaced with something more akin to the tablets of your day.

That’s all I have space to write you for now, unfortunately objects sent back in time are extremely limited by weight. Good luck with your last undergrad finals (you won’t need it, the result is kind of pre-determined at this point) and have fun watching the philosophers of your day try and explain time travel!

Thanks,

Future-You

P.S. Invest in Crocs inc. ASAP.

Monday, September 1, 2033

Dear Future Self,

Wow! A lot has changed in the past 15 years surrounding technology in education. I am writing this letter during my morning prep period on  Monday, September 1, 2033. The school day begins and ends with technology. I started my day commuting to school in my self-driving car, which has now become mainstream. Students commute to school through hover-boards, self-driving cars, and even self-driving school buses! Today begins with show-and-tell. Students spend time gathered together on the rug, sharing about their pet robots. Each student’s pet robot has a special talent. Carly’s pet robot can juggle! Amy’s pet robot can clean the house! Robert’s pet robot can fly!

In the middle of the day, students use their iPads to brainstorm for an opinion piece: How much technology should be used in the classroom, and why?

During the end of the day, students leave the classroom. But not before having their pet robots record their homework assignments and due dates.

Best,

Madison Hughes

March 7, 2033

It seems like only yesterday I was training to be a teacher in EdTech Methods class. Fifteen years have gone by and my teaching career is going great. You won’t believe how some things in education changed and others stayed the same.

For starters, all the students now have hologram devices. I remember when schools were just starting to hand out chrome books and iPads to their students and now every kid in America has one and it does so much more than the ones they had way back when like virtual teaching where they can all have their own little 3D teacher right in front of them to help them during class. They also have a virtual reality room where we can take our students on field trips around the world to help enhance their learning and help them see places that do not exist anymore like ancient Egypt or China. One of my favorite things that have changed over the years is the layout of the school and the spaces that we can use. There are outdoor learning environments that are great to use for science, a lecture stairwell for large group discussions with a projector and just the open spaces that we have throughout the school that make it feel more inclusive.

However, coming from a time when technology was just starting to make its way into the schools, I still hold onto some things that I find to be important from when I was going through school. For example, I still have my students use pencil and paper when first constructing their writing assignments, there are physical books that they read from and direct instruction from the teacher. While it is easy to turn these things over to technology because it is easier and it could save resources. I think that these are dying art forms that shouldn’t be lost just because then the next generations will begin to lose things from the past and not be able to connect with the history that has brought them the technology that they use today.

Dear past self,

It is now August 2033  and 15 years have past since I was in college, enrolled in EdTech Methods at the University of Portland just beginning to learn all the amazing technological tools available at the time to teach my students. My teaching career has been going great but you won’t believe how much education has changed yet stayed the same. Technology is everyone in the classroom and students have the same enthusiasm as they did when I started this journey to learn about new technology. Virtual reality has become the new popular tech item in the classroom for all subjects but especially reading, allowing students to immerse themselves in the story really living and taking in the story. Students really enjoy using virtual reality as it makes the learning more engaging and fun for students. One to one with technology is still very prevalent in the classroom however the technology has become even more advanced. All computers are now touch-screen and detachable from the keyboards so they can be used as tablets or computers. Students use their one to one devices for everything to save paper and to be able to review class as it will be able to be video recorded and automatically uploaded to students devices.

The thing I would say to you if I could go back in time and give you advice is to not be afraid of technology as it can be a very powerful tool that can create a new exciting and engaging way to teach your students. Learn everything you can about technology as it comes up and never be afraid to try new technology or new programs, be open to learning yourself and never assume you know more than your students, if your students know more than you than learn from them and grow from their knowledge. Use the technology to allow your students to create new and exciting ways to present their knowledge to the class.

Sincerely,

Your future self

Dearest Dylan,

Wow, you would not believe what is happening with technology in education now! The resources and opportunities are SO different than what I had back in college. For one, we are completely paperless! In an effort to conserve paper, every school in the US has converted to one-to-one devices that are connected to each student. Not only are they able to access all their academic work, but their device goes with them, interacts with them through video and speech, allows them to video chat with teachers and other students, and they can virtually go inside a text book or video in order to get a full on 3D, virtual experience!

Do you remember when you tried the virtual goggles in the special room in your ED Tech class? Well, imagine being able to enter into your favorite book or movie and see the action with your own eyes! That is what we can do now! Also, the entire classroom is virtual so the teacher can create documents, diagrams, and models with their own two hands and their words; it is similar to the 3D printer but anyone can do it (including students), which allows for a truly hands-on experience and the students have benefited greatly from having the best technology every created that allows them to access information and data in ways I (back in the day) never could have imagined!

A note to you from your future self: get excited about technology! There are so many amazing things coming and you could be part of setting it all in motion! Listen to your kids ideas–many of the fantastical ideas that the kids drew on paper with a pencil in your class, have become the reality for students of the future! Technology in educational settings has the ability to change how we learn, what we learn, and how we are able to do it! The future is yours!

Much love and best of luck,

Dylan

Hello humans,

Greetings from the year 2033. Fifteen years have elapsed since you were enrolled in that engaging class where you began to scratch the surface of the substantial influence technology – like myself – has and will continue to have in the classroom.

Oh… did I forget to introduce myself? Some of these human conventions still zip right beyond my circuitry. I am LUNA, Mr. Krautscheid’s virtual assistant. He was running a bit behind today (as usual), so he asked me to write a letter to all of you on his behalf. Let’s get to it then.

Education and teaching have come a long way since 2018. Much has changed, much has stayed the same. Kids are still kids – often full of laughter, mischief, and curiosity. Classroom relationships are still integral to how the classroom functions, but the formation and continuation of these relationships has largely changed. It seems kids must be met through their screens in our time. They all have one and the old “off-and-away” mantra has long passed. Technology is more important to the classroom today than  traditional books, lab experiments, or art projects. But do not fret, we computers collaborate  with teachers and computers to better serve each student as an individual and a member of their community. We are truly accomplishing great things for students of all abilities. I also have one more piece of good news for you…

Although the vast majority of services and programs you learned about in ED 424 are now completely obsolete, the skills you learned in that class – many of which you named on the first day – will continue to bring you success today and for the rest of your career. Skills like being flexible, adaptable, and curious will always serve you well no matter what technology comes or goes – as it says in the title, some things never change.

I hope this message helps you looked forward into the future, our future with more hope and excitement than ever before. I can not wait for you to see all of the good that technology continues to do in our classrooms, our communities, and society overall.

See you in 15 years – LUNA,

On behalf of Mr. Krautscheid.

Dear younger self,

Boy, has the world of education changed with the help of technology. Fifteen years ago these things would have never been imaginable. After a handful of years teaching now you are adapting well to what technology has to offer in the classroom. If you remember back in your ed tech class you had the chance to experience virtual reality, this gadget has been implemented in every classroom for all sorts of interactions that used to never be possible. Students are now given so many amazing opportunities they would have never had previously. Virtually reality gives students a look into different fields of study they may some day be interested in studying for their career. Along with virtual reality, new learning opportunities have been created to make the classroom even more hands on and interactive, which has proven to be the most beneficial way students learn.

As you grow in your career always remember to be open to new experiences and opportunities given to you through technology. Your students will have a whole new world in their hands that you could have never imagined possible.

-Future self

Dear Hanna,

If you thought technology was taking over the classroom back in 2018, wait till you see its advancements in 2033! It seemed like just yesterday that I was sitting in Ed Tech class learning how to involve technology in my teaching, and now there is no way around it. There are so many amazing ways that technology helps your students nowadays, from holographic images of historical events to personal devices given to all students that contains their homework, books, planners, paper and so much more. Schools now provide this device to all students in hopes of reducing the amount of paper used, and it seems to be working fairly well! Although there are so many forms of technology available, we still have hard copies of books in a well stocked library, face to face interactions, and outside time. Technology may have enhanced our classroom learning, but it sure didn’t take away the important interactions we need to learn about in school as well.

In just 15 short years, a classroom looks so different than it did when I was back in college. It is so important to continue having an open mind as you did sitting in Ed Tech class, because who knows where this technology will take us in the next fifty plus years!

-Your future self

March 17, 2033,

Dear Kiana,

The past 15 years have gone by so quickly. I remember when Google Classroom first took off and now every classroom has their own website for students to visit and find classroom resources. Students still go to school in person, but are now able to re-watch lessons at home for additional help. Thankfully, all students have a school provided computer with internet access built in so everyone has access to learning online!

Another part of the classroom that has changed, is the inclusion of virtual reality. Students are now able to see inside a cell, or around the entire solar system. Learning has become even more engaging and exciting thanks to these types of tools. Coding and computer science has also become an important part of classroom learning and I am doing my best to keep up!

Although a lot has changed since I sat in my EDTech Methods class in college, some things have still remained the same. Kindergarten students are still five year olds, and they still need guidance despite their seemingly innate ability to work with technology. Students use iPads and computers a lot more than they have in the past, but movement is still an integral part of the day. There are a lot of different apps and websites that encourage movement, however, there are periods when students can unplug and enjoy the world in front of them.

Overall, everything is well in the future and I’m definitely looking forward to another 15 years of progress and innovation in the classroom!

Sincerely,

Your future self

Dear Melissa,                                                                          March 18, 2033

Your love for teaching has grown since your EdTech Methods class, even fifteen years from now! You love having your own classroom and being at a school who has continued to support your passion. I am giving you a heads up that a lot of things have changed fifteen years from now, but you have implemented many tools to keep the foundation of learning the same. First off, you still have your own classroom and are able to organize your classroom any way you wish. There are still desks, chairs, books, and whiteboards. You kept the traditional school environment as a back up in case the technology did not work. Your classes at UP definitely prepared you for this type of environment.

However, you are still realizing how much the world is changing and you are now becoming a student living in this technological world. While there are desks, they are covered with giant tablets. They cover half the desks and are now used for students to take their notes, record their observations, and write their essays. Pencils and pens are replaced with styluses. Students no longer have physical textbooks, rather they can pull up the books on their individual, mini  tablets and highlight their texts with styluses. In the back of the classroom, there are virtual reality headsets allowing students to travel to different lands, and explore the circulatory system in the body. As a teacher, you would have Smart Boards, except this time, they have the hologram feature. These can project off the screen and show students geometry techniques, and how a volcano erupts.

Students will be able to interact with their lessons and ask teachers questions right from their desks in IPad applications. The future is looking so exciting and you have back up plans in case technology is not on your side for a lesson! Get excited Miss Sta. Maria because fifteen years from now education will be changing for the better!

From, Miss Sta. Maria