Techlearning blog

Throughout my time teaching, the learning experience that really stands out as most memorable was the abandonment of the traditional research after hearing my juniors frustrated that their voices weren't heard and that "all this research was worthless if it wasn't doing anything for anyone". So, we created a semester problem based inquiry piece titled "You Have a Voice; Use it" where the students explored problems facing their community, researched how to go about solving these issues, and lobbied for their solutions for which a number were accepted and implemented.

While the learning and experience were amazing, what made this memorable was watching students working side by side with adults to solve a problem: their voices heard, embraced, and sought; their ideas powerful; and their enthusiasm intoxicating.

Today, I'm no longer in the classroom but almost two weeks ago a student walked up to me with a computer, phone, and flash drive to show me a solution to a problem I posed to him earlier in the year.

While the solution was quite impressive, this student gave me much more than a solution. This student reminded me of the lessons I learned years ago when engaging with "You Have a Voice; Use it": the need to tap into the potential of students as leaders, as change agents, and as powerful voices with amazing ideas and unmatched enthusiasm.

One of the ways to involve students is through an advisory committee composed mostly of students along with the instructional technology coordinator where students are able to explore emerging technologies that may have classroom value, discuss better ways to infuse technology into the curriculum, and problem-solve issues with current and future classroom technologies.

For instance, I raised the question some time ago about what happens if everyone begins using web 2.0 technologies and decided last week to mention this question to students that were passing the time in the halls or in the computer lab. They saw it as quite an easy solution: "every student should get a SpartanSpace like MySpace with one blog, podcast, and all this other stuff that I control using ideas from all of my courses."

This was just one of many thrown at me in brief chats with students in passing. What would happen if they were part of an advisory team and had time to think through their ideas? What great solutions and ideas would spawn because these students were empowered, were told we want to hear your ideas?

However, there are more ways than an advisory group that we must begin to implement in schools. For instance, most teachers will tell you that the students have "saved the day" when it comes to technology hiccups in the classroom. For the most part, "saved the day" is based upon troubleshooting and basic IT support. While this just in time support is one great use of students, it fails to tap the creative ideas that these students can offer. Thus, what about educational technology support such as the type proposed on Generation YES?

Many students are longing to have their voices heard and some are stepping outside of the school to be heard such as the soon to be launched Students 2.0. According to this student driven site, student ideas have gone untapped:

Everywhere, we see changes: in how business operates, in how people interact and success is accomplished. That is, we see changes everywhere besides the closed bars of education. The system continues to “stay the course” upon a falling ship. Yet, the widgets within the machine are no longer content to grind away. Ideas are popping up everywhere, across the globe. Students are continually redefining their own lives and how they want to learn and interact. Adults and teachers talk about education and students, but rarely invite students into these discussions. Fortunately, this blog plans to change that by offering an authentic student voice upon education.

This movement by these students and Clay Burell is just another sign that the time is now to reach out to our students as partners and let their voices be heard.

We've all seen first hand what students can do when empowered in the classroom, so the question that now drives me is how can I begin hearing students and tapping their tremendous potential school-wide in order help create a learning environment where technology is transparent and learning central?

So tell me, how are you tapping into students in your school?