New Teachers Learn, Connect, Collaborate and Inspire by Trading EdTech Tips 

Technology makes collaborating with colleagues easier, and it expands the geography of our professional learning network. Teachers are able to quickly share resources, collect ideas for classroom challenges, and connect easily with others who can support their goals as educators. 

As one of the many alternate route teaching programs in New Jersey, the Rutgers Alternate Route program recognizes the potential for technology in education and leverages the power of social media to support increasing competency in this area for new teachers. The program hosts Twitter Chats attended by current teaching candidates, course instructors, and guest commentators who are seasoned education professionals and savvy users of social media. In an hour-long synchronized group discussion, candidates volley ideas that expand their knowledge of tools and practices. The overwhelming majority of candidates leave the chat energized and inspired to try new practices and explore new tools. They also express feeling understood and less alone thanks to the transparency of other chat participants.  

The chat content, which is curated in the Wakelet collection here, can be mined for all of the rich teaching tools and tips participants shared. 

NJ Alternate Route #edTech 2021 

While the benefits of technology are undeniable, the insights of a few candidates caution teachers to consider its limitations, challenges, or related unforeseen issues.   
 

I believe that technology is a great tool to engage students. I also believe that we have to pick and choose only a few types of technology to utilize in order to keep the focus on the content instead of the technology, primarily for elementary school students.

- Art Teacher, Paterson Candidate 

In my district, so many families don't have computers (let alone printers) at home. So, technology is great, but I was shocked in this day and age that so many families in New Jersey don't have a computer--even the cheapest Chromebook. I use a lot of technology in the classroom, but I wish everybody would have also access at home.

- Music Teacher, Bridgewater Candidate 

Technology is great but it can also be a pain. Nowadays, students can just open up their laptop, type in the question, and copy and paste the answer with no thought put into it. How much could they truly learn if they just hit Ctrl-C + Ctrl-V? At least before they had to read and write down what they were copying.

- High School Social Studies Teacher, Bridgewater Candidate 

I think there will always be pros and cons when using technology in the classroom. Keeping in mind that technology has both positive and negative aspects, I believe that technology should be incorporated into the classroom but not the primary means by which a classroom operates.

- Special Education Social Studies Teacher, Bridgewater Candidate 

Technology coupled with standard instruction is one of the best tools to use as an educator. What you might miss in standard education, the technology portion can make up and reinforce the learning.

-Health & Physical Education Teacher, Paterson Candidate 

Technology can be super useful in the classroom and especially if teachers put in adequate time to plan out the lesson and make sure the technology will function smoothly to facilitate and not hinder the lesson.

- English as a Second Language Teacher, Bridgewater Candidate 

We have to find a good balance for our own students. Sometimes, the students can get tired of only digital work or only using one platform and you have to change the pace, mix it up. Using both digital and physical resources to maximize engagement and learning will always be the best avenue for teachers and students.

- Middle School Science Teacher, Newark Candidate  

In my experience, by implementing technology, such as learning based online games, children's engagement has increased dramatically, however, there are some limitations related to communication.  Students tend to suffer in social and emotional learning, but the effectiveness of content knowledge translation improves.

-Elementary School Teacher, Camden Candidate 

I think technology is still so new that people often underestimate the negative effects it can have on our behaviors and learning.  The human body has not had the same amount of time to advance alongside technology.  In 50 years, technology has far surpassed anyone's expectations.  In those same 50 years, human cognitive, social, and physiological advancements have been impacted by this surge in technological advancement.  Technology is an amazing thing and thanks to it we have seen many innovations that have helped us progress as a society, but I think the availability of it to students from a young age tends to foster negative habits of reliance and dependency, or even addiction.  I do think that teaching WITH technology has to be first introduced with teaching ABOUT technology, so students have a better understanding of the pros and cons of this groundbreaking tool we have at our fingertips.
 

- High School Social Studies, Hackensack Candidate 

The program's #edtech chat showed how truly committed our new teachers are to their own professional development, while creating a toolkit of practices and recommendations for other educators to use. The chat also demonstrated the commitment of our guest commentators to ensuring that our teachers thrive with access to the some of the best minds in #edtech. Get connected and keep growing.