What to do when technology fails!?

I'm sure many of us have considered what would happen if we spent hours creating a snazzy online lesson only to show up to class and have technology fail us! After learning what it takes to create a website, or put together podcasts, I can imagine I would be extremely frustrated to find out I wasn't able to use the technology I worked so hard on in class. One way to make sure this doesn't happen to is plan out the lesson and make a list of what you'll need before getting to class. That way, you're less likely to run into problems getting the required materials, like a projector or Internet access in the classroom, and you're more likely to know who to call to fix any problems you have. I also try to do a dry run in the classroom I'll be in before I actually have to present the information. This can help identify a lot of problems before teaching the lesson.

However, we all know that crazy things can happen, and try as we might, technology may fail us right when we need it. That projector may have gotten lost somewhere, the servers may be down, or the Internet may be out during the 30 minutes we need it! I'm a huge advocate of integrating technology in the classroom, but I'm also an advocate of having back-up plans. While we want to use technology where we can, we have to realize that at the end of the day, we still have a lesson to teach whether we have technology or not. It's important to recognize that technology isn't infalliable, and we may be left to the "traditional" ways of teaching. I always make sure I put in the extra 20 minutes of planning to make sure I can think on my feet and transition to a new method should I lose access to the technology I need. Not only does this give me some peace of mind when going into the classroom, it also ensure my students learn the material regardless of technology error. Please see the sites listed on the left for additional information on integrating technology.

Making time for technology in the classroom

When I think about creating websites from scratch or starting blogs for all of my students, it seems overwhelming. Lesson plans, grading, and classroom management seem to take up the majority of time as it is, and adding in a technology piece seems daunting! However, as a teacher, I feel it is my job to communicate with and engage students though the mediums they understand and enjoy. Our students have grown up with the Internet, and it's one of the most pervasive communication and learning tools in their lives. If we want our students to pay attention to the material we're presenting and commit the information to memory, we need to make it relevent to them.

Given the Internet's power to teach and act as a medium for learning, I think spending the time to integrating technology into lesson plans is well worth the effort. While creating websites, blogs, and other online tools can be time consuming, I think practice will make it easier for me as I create more and more online tools. However, to ensure my time is spent well, I want to make sure my students will use the tools I create to either create something further on their own, or actively become engaged in the topic. If we create online tools that engage and excite our students, they will hopefully take something away from the lesson. If we can create something our students can manipulate and learn from, then our time spent integrating technology into the lesson has been well worth it.

The video below does a great job of defining 21st century teachers and our role in advancing education and shaping our students.