Avoiding the Digital Abyss

Technology provides endless resources to teachers, but some teachers who are not yet competent at utilizing technology may feel overwhelmed by the quantity of resources.  However, teachers need to learn how to harness the opportunities that are afforded by technology in order to prepare students for life in the digital world.  If students are not given the access that they need in order to be digitally competent, then the students are not being a prepared; therefore, expanding the digital abyss between teachers and students.

Rebecca Mullen, a language arts teacher at a rural middle school in Illinois, discusses three different types of technology that can be quickly accessed and incorporated in the classroom to help enhance lessons and engage students.  Mullen (2008) discusses the use of blogs, digital stories, and Youtube as resources that are easy to understand and access and reflects on how she incorporates them into her classroom.  Blain, a student of Mullen stated that "students should be able to use modern technology in the classrooms because that is the world we are growing up in and it is a skill to know how to use the latest technology" (Mullen, 2008, p. 66).

Since Youtube is a resource that allows teachers to access a wide variety of videos on just about any topic, teachers can quickly utilize videos to enhance their lessons.  The website makes it easy to plan by allowing users to save lists of videos that will be used in classrooms.  Some of the material that is posted on Youtube is very inappropriate for school, so Mullen shares some safer alternatives such as SchoolTube and TeacherTube.  Mullen (2008) gives an example of how she used Youtube to help students understand the meaning of nostalgia.  Since middle school students are much younger they may have difficulty understanding the meaning and feelings associated with nostalgia.  So, Mullen took an inventory of television shows that students watched when they were little and then found them on Youtube.  This allowed for Mullen to enhanced her vocabulary discussion.

As a way to enhance writing activities, Mullen uses digital stories.  According to Mullen (2008) digital stories are the same writing assignment that has a different end product.  Students have to brainstorm, compose, and edit their scripts, then record their story and add pictures using programs like Microsoft Movie Maker, iMovie, or Photo Story 3.  This allows the student to practice the writing process, but they walk away with a video that they created, which is an entirely different product.

Mullen (2008) also discusses how she incorporates blogs into the classroom.  Since blogs are a highly effective way to communicate they can be used is several ways.  Teachers can post their homework and create authentic learning experiences on blogs.  Blogs are also a useful way to allow for learning past the classroom.  For example, teachers can post podcasts on a blog to help enhance student understanding and engagement.

The abyss between teachers, school systems, and students needs to be closed if students are going to be prepared and digitally competent in the 21st Century.  There are so many opportunities for learning that teachers and students have access to; however, so many of these resources are blocked and shut down by administrators.  Digitally competent teachers need to educate and push to have more access to technology or schools will never be able to close the digital divide.

Mullen, R., & Wedwick, L. (2008). Avoiding the Digital Abyss: Getting Started in the Classroom with YouTube, Digital Stories, and Blogs. Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 82(2-), 66-69.