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Tech Trends: The Horizon Report
For this assignment, I first needed to read a copy of the 2012 Horizon Report put together by the New Media Consortium. The Horizon Report shares information about upcoming technologies that may impact education in both the k-12 and higher education settings.
This important report focuses on the new and future technology trends that will impact education. Many of these trends are happening right now and as technology teachers, this report is crucial to our understanding of where we are and where the future of education will be in the near future. The report touched upon the growing trend of cell phones and tablets in the classroom. This is happening already in many schools and is a trend that will only get more popular. In fact the school I teach at has begun the implementation of this. This year we have our entire grade 9 and 10 students required to bring and use a computer of some sort. These personally owned devices (POD’s) can be cell phones, tablets and laptops. The lessons I have developed focus on problem based learning and each student needs to have a POD to be able to function in research, class discussions, blogs and the occasional group assignment. Eventually all students in grades 7-12 at my school will require POD’s, and this is part of a greater trend in the province of Alberta where students will have greater control to be able to complete their education were and when they want. In many ways the old traditional classrooms will disappear and be replaced by a dynamic and interactive classroom and teachers rolls will have a much greater role in technology and the facilitation of learning.
The lesson attached still has to be facilitated by a teacher, students need to follow the instructions and will need help with time management. Students in my class know how to open and invite others into their Google drive documents, if your students don’t know how to do that, teach them before you begin this lesson.
When I have taught this lesson in the past students offer very harsh and unreasonable punishment suggestions for the accused offenders in the case studies. Before I teach this lesson students have been introduced to alternative and reasonable punishment for youth. The focus being upon ensuring all parties are treated fairly, this includes the victim, the accused and all aspects of the justice system. So it’s important to remind students that 5 years in jail for stealing lip stick is not reasonable. Also having taught this unit the only current examples of youth being charged with crimes are usually very violent and aberrant as the common and petty crimes tend not to reach the front pages of the local paper. Also I have invited a youth justice lawyer and or a youth support group to come in and talk to the students about youth crime and the role citizens play in the justice system.
Over all students like the case studies and they like to present and defend their positions, using Google Drive real-time features make this a fun and easy way to have a discussion and debate.
I hope my insights help you if you use this lesson.
The lesson I created is one I use in my class, in fact we will be covering the justice system as it relates to youth starting next week. This lesson requires the use of a POD, students need to have a Google Drive account and wifi internet access.
AECT Standards:
- Standard 1: Design
1.1 Instructional Systems Design - 1.3 Instructional Strategies
I have met this standard by researching and analyzing technology trends through the 2012 Horizon report. I have also created an original, lesson plan that meets the Alberta Program of Studies that relates to youth and the justice system.
- Standard 3: Utilization
3.1 Media Utilization
I used many different media resources to develop a developmentally appropriate lesson plan.
3.3 Implementation and Institutionalization - 2.3 Computer-Based Technologies
I have implemented this lesson plan into my classroom where we have the necessary resources available to us, including wifi, a District Google account for each student, access to a computer, on line lesson organized D2L.