Thoughts on Interactive Learning

Ashburn, E. A., & Floden, R. E. (2006). Meaningful learning using
       technology: What educators need to know and do. New York:
       Teachers College Press.

Koechlin, C., Zwaan, S., & Loertscher, D. (2008, October). The time is
       now: Transform your school library into a learning commons. Teacher
       Librarian, 36(1), 8-14. Retrieved September 26, 2009, from Library,
       Information Science & Technology Abstracts database.

As a classroom teacher, I know that meaningful learning is the key to student success. Students have to engage in hands-on learning in order to create connections, and these connections lead to a deeper understanding of the concepts taught and higher levels of thinking. Technology can be the missing link in creating a hands-on learning environment, and proper use of technology can provide students with a plethora of opportunities. As some researchers have noted, “Teaching professionals can paint a better picture, compose a more dynamic symphony, dance a more relevant step, and write a more powerful story” when using technology (Koechlin & Loertscher, 2008). Technology is something that most students have access to in some form, and when we teach students how to use technology in school, we teach them skills that they will be able to use for years to come. Research has shown that technology is an important part of classroom instruction, and even though it is not “reading, writing, or rithmetic” it can be used to support content areas of learning.

Ashburn and Floden commented on a particular project, known as Project TIME, and showed how this project allowed teachers to implement technology while teaching content curriculum (2006). Project TIME allowed teachers to create practical lessons involving immigration laws, and the students used technology to research and evaluate information regarding immigration policies and philosophies. My favorite part of the lessons included in the first chapter related to the concept of authentic work (Ashburn & Floden, 2006). Authentic work means that students are using real materials as part of their research, and they are evaluating these materials for quality and accuracy. They also use their materials to investigate different points of view, and to build questions they have on their topic. So many times students blindly accept the views of the materials they are given, and they think that if something is in print than it must be true. Technology can be used to present students with a variety of materials, and this can cause students to evaluate their own opinions and to organize and alter their beliefs accordingly. Technology provides students with a means to accomplish these higher levels of thinking while learning a specific area of content, yet so often teachers are unable to use technology in this way.

As a future librarian, I want to make myself available to support teachers in technology integration. I know that classroom teachers want to use technology to support their students’ learning, but so often they are discouraged by lack of time, resources, or technological skill. I agree with Koechlin and Loertscher that a library should be a “learning commons”: a place where teachers and students can seek assistance with technology and find opportunities to extend their learning in an engaging and interactive way (2008). A library should be a place of experimentation and enrichment, where teachers can gather new ideas and strategies, and students can build off the concepts they’ve learned in their regular classrooms. I want to use my training in technology to provide support to the staff at my school, so that they can use new technologies effectively in their lessons. I also want to tailor my instruction to match the state standards of the teachers, so that the students will always be engaged in meaningful learning. As a future librarian, I want to assist the teachers and students in my school by incorporating technology as part of my service as a media specialist.