In recent years we have been a part of a great shift in the way the world works thanks to digital technology, and based on what we looked at this week, education plays a significant role in ensuring our future generations are able to embrace these changes. As a teacher my role will be different from when I was at school in that I don’t necessarily provide students with knowledge so much as how to access knowledge therefore shifting from teacher-centered learning to collaborative learning (Howell, 2014).
There are different digital skills that we need to ensure students take with them throughout the remainder of their schooling and beyond. These include:
- Experiences and exposure to various software and devices
- Willing attitude and approach to digital technology
- Fluency in using digital technology
- Ability to transfer knowledge from one context to another
With these skills, students, and later employees (or employers), can approach all aspects of their life confidently and willingly with the ability to become global citizens.
Howell (2014), highlights some of the digital technology that students are expected to have throughout primary. These include:
- Word processing
- Web-searching skills
- Web design
- Social media
- Presentation software
Armed with the ability and fluency to manipulate these technologies, students are able to progress and transfer their digital knowledge to new contexts.
With this in mind, this week I experimented with presentation software, Prezi, one of the many uses of technology to communicate our message not only within the classroom (or in our case on the blackboard) but globally.
Prezi was an easy program to manipulate, and whilst many of my peers commented on the ‘dizzy’ effect, it also presented the relevant information with clarity. It would work well for a collaborative project as it can be used simultaneously with up to ten people (BBC Active, 2010). I know that my daughter in year 4 has repeatedly worked with Powerpoint at school, and I believe that Prezi would be even easier to engage with and design a presentation, and as an online program, it can be accessed from anywhere. I found this Prezi presentation with some excellent ideas for using Prezi in the classroom at the various levels.
BBC Active. (2010). Using Prezi in Education. Retrieved from http://www.bbcactive.com/BBCActiveIdeasandResources/UsingPreziInEducation.aspx
Howell, J. (2014). Teaching with ICT: digital pedagogies for collaboration & creativity. Melbourne, VIC. Oxford University Press.
Kroocmo, T. (2013). Using Prezi in the Classroom. Retrieved from https://prezi.com/myqouhhikdzy/using-prezi-in-the-classroom/