How to Leverage Technology to Meet the Common Core Standards


When trying to find lessons that meet the common core standards, it can sometimes be difficult to envision how using technology in the classroom can help. Ben Rimes, a K12 Educational Technology Coordinator in Michigan, took it upon himself to investigate the practical uses for technology in the classroom, and how it can be used to meet the standards.

To Listen to his podcast interview with Vicki Davis go here.

His first step was copying all of the common core standards (specifically those dealing with technology and college/career readiness) and putting them into a word cloud generator. Words he saw repeated were: relationships, understanding, collaboration, using, publishing, and writing.

Focusing on the word 'publishing', this implies an audience; this could mean tweeting, blogging, using Google docs, or Wikis. Students can collaborate on Google docs and Wikis, which allows them to view the process of their work.

Publishing can also open up the use of videos in the classroom. Videos have the ability to bring the real world into the classroom, as well as the classroom into the real world. By recording students working, teachers can use it to review their process to improve for the future. Video can be used to capture the real honest moments of the learning process.

One of the biggest concerns using technology in education has been privacy. Some parents are less than comfortable with the idea of publishing work onto the internet; however, there are ways work can be published, but kept private from the general public. If students collaborate on Google docs—which is private—it can then be published to a classroom blog or within the school, while keeping their identity private.

There are so many possibilities when discussing educational technology, but it’s up to teachers to find what works best for them and their students. 

To Listen to his podcast interview with Vicki Davis go here.

Comments