When I think about technology use at Detroit School of Arts (DSA) I think about the outdated netbooks that students have access to, the tv in the classroom that isn't connected to anything, and the overhead projector that my mentor teacher uses on occasion. It doesn't seem like there is much room for innovation, but then I heard from Pete Pasque.
Pete is one of the founding teachers at Skyline High School in Ann Arbor. He came to class to speak to us about all of the ways teachers are helping students organize their digital lives. Skyline is doing amazing things when it comes to integrating technology into the curriculum. Each class has its own Google page and students can organize and manage who they share their work with. Students have the opportunity to show teachers their research process through Google docs and pages and they can even collaborate with other students. This digital world that has been created at Skyline is truly amazing, but all I kept thinking was: how could this be implemented at DSA?
Then Pete told us about his experience as a beginning teacher in a wood shop class with outdated technology. He described how the students were able to utilize the technology that was there in order to demonstrate to the administration the need for updated materials. By the end of the year, the room was filled with new computers and technology to use in the classroom.
This story was inspirational to me, as I could see what I needed to do in order to update the current technology at DSA. I simply had to make use of the materials given to me in an innovative way. If you use the technology and build up the infrastructure, the funding will come.
It is much easier to write a grant for something that is already taking place than to start from scratch. If you can show someone what you can do with what you have, imagine what you can do with what you don't. After listening to Pete, I am more motivated to incorporate the given technology into my lessons instead of ignoring it. It is important for students to learn 21st century technology skills no matter what the medium is that you have to teach it with.
