Week 8 Review: Shelly Fryer
Shelly Fryer, an elementary teacher at Oklahoma A Plus School, has made it her mission to use the school’s 1:1 iPads to teach her students in new and unique ways. I admire Fryer’s mission to use technology as efficiently as possible in her classroom, and to ensure that it enhances her lessons rather than dragging them down. What I found most useful in her post “TECHNOLOGY 101 SKILLS FOR TEACHERS” were the many examples of how her kids all participated to produce memorable visual aids together.
Children tend to be very proud of anything they make in school, anything from a stick figure drawing to the dozens of math and grammar worksheets they bring home over the years. They create stacks upon stacks of artifacts from their academic career, always eager to share their hard work, however minor it may seem in the long run. Fryer encourages her students to collaborate on bigger results that can be easily shared with parents and the public online as one collective unit. This reduces paper waste, reaches a wider audience, and promotes more interaction with the outside world. They also learn more than just basic facts about one particular subject. Instead, they develop working knowledge about the technology available to them and how to use it to their advantage.
Perhaps my favorite aspect of Fryer's approach to projects is the level of individuality incorporated into every one. The kids are encouraged to pursue what they enjoy and tie it in with their lessons. The class videos involve rap, Minecraft, LEGOs, instruments, Star Wars, photography, etc. They get to use technology not just to research or make cute projects, but to do what they truly love and massively increase their chances of pursuing their lifelong dreams.
Fryer mentions “app literacy,” one aspect of technology I had not yet considered. Teachers need to be able to instruct students using proper terminology, because many will not willingly research and explore individually, and require a knowledgable helping hand. If used correctly, technology can drastically improve students’ communication, leadership, and collaborative skills.
Children tend to be very proud of anything they make in school, anything from a stick figure drawing to the dozens of math and grammar worksheets they bring home over the years. They create stacks upon stacks of artifacts from their academic career, always eager to share their hard work, however minor it may seem in the long run. Fryer encourages her students to collaborate on bigger results that can be easily shared with parents and the public online as one collective unit. This reduces paper waste, reaches a wider audience, and promotes more interaction with the outside world. They also learn more than just basic facts about one particular subject. Instead, they develop working knowledge about the technology available to them and how to use it to their advantage.
Perhaps my favorite aspect of Fryer's approach to projects is the level of individuality incorporated into every one. The kids are encouraged to pursue what they enjoy and tie it in with their lessons. The class videos involve rap, Minecraft, LEGOs, instruments, Star Wars, photography, etc. They get to use technology not just to research or make cute projects, but to do what they truly love and massively increase their chances of pursuing their lifelong dreams.
Fryer mentions “app literacy,” one aspect of technology I had not yet considered. Teachers need to be able to instruct students using proper terminology, because many will not willingly research and explore individually, and require a knowledgable helping hand. If used correctly, technology can drastically improve students’ communication, leadership, and collaborative skills.