Reading Review Part A

BLOG POST #1
My topic is a focus on integrating technology to create opportunities for authentic digital experiences that support 21st Century learning in the public school setting. Technology is unlimited but in the public school setting, we need to be mindful that the purpose in using technology is to facilitate authentic learning opportunities. While including technology in the classroom is often viewed as a strategy for engaging learners, the use of technology needs to be appropriate and should support the development of 21st Century skills and competencies. 

As I begin to explore my topic, I have several questions that I will endeavor to answer:
What is the criteria for an authentic digital experience? An example was posted on Forbes.com (1), "Authenticity isn’t just about what you share and how others connect to it, but how you connect to it as well" that made me think about what the criteria for an authentic digital experience might be in an elementary school setting.  
What are the skills and competencies related to 21st Century Learning? There are many lists that can be found on the Internet (see (2) below for examples) that describe 21st Century learning skills that students need and in British Columbia, new curriculum drafts (3) focus heavily on the need to develop specific skills and competencies by the time students graduate from high school.
Can we use technology to promote deeper learning beyond just being engaging? Microsoft Corp suggests several of their products to enhance learning and to help teachers promote 21st Century skill development in their students (4).
In each of my roles (librarian, vice principal, and a classroom teacher), how can I integrate technology in order to provide my students with authentic opportunities that promote deep and relevant learning experiences? Ringstaff and Kelly (2002) also explored a similar question, “Under what conditions does technology have the most benefits for students?" and essentially, there is no easy answer!

There are two "off the top of my head" examples that come to mind as I begin to think about authentic learning experiences. The first is the use of SMART Boards in elementary school classrooms. At the elementary school that I work at there are now SMART Boards in almost every classroom. This sounds great, but we need to consider if the SMART Boards are truly being used to facilitate deeper learning. How can we qualify this? How can we measure the amount of learning going on and if it can be attributed to the use of the SMART Board? How is the SMART Board being used in the classroom setting? What are the skills and competencies that students are learning from using the SMART Board? Are there other technologies that contribute to a rich learning experience?

The second example stems back to when I first started my teaching career when a colleague introduced me to a flexcam. He had purchased it for anyone in our district to use and I often booked it for my science lessons. The flexcam had to be assembled for each use. It had several attachments and wires that needed to be organized in order for it to function properly...needless to say, it was awkward. However, when it was all set up and in use, the benefit for students was amazing! Basically, it operated like a giant magnifying glass that was hooked up to a tv screen so the entire class could see the image of the object under the camera. All of the students could see the object and begin their learning journey. I will never forget the day that I put a dead bumblebee under the camera and one student said, "Wow. That thing has hair! I've never noticed that before because I'm scared of bees to I never get close to them!" That was a student who was engaged, who was thinking, and who was making connections to the world. Would this be an authentic experience with technology? Can we achieve this with the use of digital technology? 

As technology is changing with every passing moment, I know that I may end up with more questions than answers throughout this project journey; however, I am excited to be thinking about what I can do to integrate meaningful technological experiences into my classroom as well as to my school library settings. 

1. http://www.forbes.com/sites/yec/2011/10/10/are-you-creating-an-authentic-digital-experience/

2. http://www.thoughtfullearning.com/resources/what-are-21st-century-skills

http://www.envisionexperience.com/plan-your-future/blog-articles/13-essential-21st-century-skills-for-todays-students

http://edglossary.org/21st-century-skills/ 

3. https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/

4. http://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/sites/education/classroom.aspx

5. http://dmps.typepad.com/tac/learning_return.pdf