The article entitled Redefining Instruction with Technology: Five Essential Steps was written by Jennie Magiera in the magazine, Education Week Teacher, published in January 2012. In the article, Magiera who is an elementary teacher in the Chicago Public Schools describes her experiences when iPads initially became an integral part of her class. She goes on to highlight the problems first encountered with the new technology, and the challenges faced in the implementation. The class eventually began to thrive with the iPads, and Magiera narrates how the technology eventually benefited her students to a high degree.
I found the article interesting and helpful. Magiera stressed two things that really stood out for me which were the importance of not being rigid, and embracing failure to improve teaching methods. Fear of failure and wanting to do things the same way are personal characteristics of mine. Everyone makes mistakes, and learning from these mistakes is an important education tool for students and should be for teachers as well. Technology can be intimidating, but looking outside of the box for different teaching methods can go a long way in improving the educational experience for everyone. My family purchased an iPad for ourselves as a Christmas present just this past year and the opportunities presented with the technology regarding education and beyond are quite impressive. I was initially lukewarm to the idea, having been skeptical as to the importance of the iPad. In these past two months, I have come to really enjoy the iPad and am glad we took the step and engaged with this new technology as we have all benefited.
Please click here for a link to the article.
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