A prominent difference between schools then and schools now is technology. It has become a unique system where students find a sense of independence in their work and studies while teachers find new interests and techniques in what they teach.
Now, simply going to the library is not enough. Digital literacy is a necessity in our fast-paced world. Good thing schools, with the help of the government, is pursuing the same goal of utilizing technology. Integrating technology into the classroom is a great way to reach diversity in learning styles.
When students become digital citizens, they are much more aware of their rights, responsibilities and opportunities. Contrary to popular belief, they seriously cultivate and manage their digital identity and reputation especially since the most acclaimed communication platform as of now is social media. They are aware of the permanence of their action in the internet and is therefore, careful and educated in what they’re doing.
In subjects like English, Values Education and Research, there are lessons that tackle the crime of plagiarism wherein students learn the dangers of simply doing the copy-paste trick when doing their projects. This promotes the importance of intellectual property and the appropriate ways of sharing it which can help the learners value education even more.
As the world becomes more technology-dependent, technology helps teachers to prepare students for the real world. Students love the internet, using technology as a medium will surely keep them interested and engrossed. Being a teacher, we engage students in activities that promote positive, safe, legal and ethical behaviors in a fun way by using graphic organizers, videos, music and podcasts to allow students to share what they want to learn in a unit’s exploration.
The best thing about all this is the learners become more responsible. Technology helps them take control of their own learning and enables them to make their own decisions and actually think for themselves without being spoon-fed. It gives us updated information that we can access with a mere click. The skills that students develop through the digital citizen standard will benefit their lives far beyond the classroom walls. With the ability to collaborate and engage with different sources online, we’ll surely make great blessings for a promising future.
By: ANALYN J. DABU | SPED Teacher I | Bataan National High School | Balanga City, BATAAN
