“Daddy, sit. Watch!”

An article by Darin Wagner    No Comments

I have been practicing martial arts for several years and was practicing some forms (self-defense patterns) in our family room recently. My son was with me and watched intently for a while from the couch. It wasn’t long before I heard, “Daddy, sit. Watch!”

As directed, I walked over to the couch and sat down and my son moved into my practice area. As soon as I was seated, he began to simulate the movements that I was just practicing in the middle of the room. He was so excited to move his arms and legs, turn and twist, and scream. Of course I applauded and praised him for his spontaneous performance.

As I related this story to my wife later, I started thinking about modeling. His interest in practicing his version of martial arts was prompted by my demonstration in the family room. Because I enjoy this activity, he wanted to be a part of it, too.

I think the same can be true for the use of technology in the classroom. Those teachers who model technology use in the classroom are likely to encourage their students to use it as well. One factor that influences a teacher’s use of technology is their personal comfort level and technical competency. To integrate technology, teachers must first know how to use the available technologies in the classroom and also in their personal lives. Effective technology integration requires teachers to possess a minimum level of technological proficiency with hardware and software.

That minimal knowledge in one area often requires related knowledge in other areas. For example, teachers wanting to create and print a word processing document for classroom use, must first have some word processing knowledge to construct it. To print the document, they might need to know a little about the school network. If they want to send the document to a colleague, additional knowledge of either e-mail software or web-based e-mail services may be required. Sometimes, as one piece connects to another, the vast amount if technological information can seem overwhelming.

Most teachers will never need a complete understanding of computer networks, wiring schematics, server protocols, or available software applications. However, acquiring basic competencies and a working knowledge of how computers relate to other technologies is vital for classroom integration to occur. If we expect our students to be 21st Century learners, then we need to use the technology and practice ourselves.

Like my son, they are watching.