Prompt #7: New Technologies (Gretzky Principle)

The first point to acknowledge is that a good portion of the United States classrooms are not on the cutting edge of technology. Many classrooms still rely on out-dated forms of education. Therefore, teachers should focus on steps from the bottom up. We as teachers must have a firm understanding of the technologies of today, hence cloud computing. Once that is mastered (hopefully with gusto) then we as teachers can move on to other forms. One of the most important foundational principles of teaching is understanding one's students. Therefore their interests or their habits may sometimes be appropriate to mimic in the classroom. For example, a great number of young adults are addicted to their cell phones. Some educators are using that popularity to influence lesson plans. For example, while going through a presentation an educator may post a survey question, but answers must be submitted via texting. Finally, nothing is more effective than being insightful of the future. Wayne Gretzky had once said, “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not to where it has been.” I believe those words to be true. Some have said the minimum amount of knowledge a teacher needs is to be at least one lesson ahead of their students. Although that is minimal effort, it does have the right idea. To be insightful means to think outside of the box, sometimes literally. Classroom lessons do not need to be limited to a four wall classroom or students behind a laptop. New technologies like flexible screens, advanced educational video games, and augmented reality are methods that are still being manufactured, but will have amazing results that revolutionize how a student is taught. If students learn differently today than they did ten years ago, then that means the teaching lessons in ten years must be different than they are today. Education is an ever growing practice.