EDIM 508 - Creative classrooms: A perspective from someone three decades old

This week's post ask us to conversate with students about creativity in the classroom.  Being summertime and working far from where I teach, this task would be challenging, but I had emailed a student that I have deemed as 'mini-me' thinking that she could get back to me on short notice. But, I assume she is out having fun this summer and not checking her email :) so our email exchange did not take place.  In the spirit of thinking creatively, I gave the assignment a nostalgic twist and turned to my sister.  Her first degree is in sociology, is a technical writer, and has recently enrolled in communications classes online.  She discusses where old meets new and here are her adaptive perspectives:

I first asked her what she valued in her new online courses and how has technology allowed you to be creative.
"To be honest, the online class that I am taking now leaves a lot to be desired regarding the use of technology.  I do, however, believe that the assignments are open ended enough to allow me to be creative, but the technology doesn't aide in that.  The one good thing about an online class is that I do the work when I want and I don't have to sit in a classroom, although I think I would learn more if I were in a more traditional classroom setting." -L. Gebhart

Sometimes I feel as if it is overwhelming to create meaningful content myself that implements a high use of technology.  I find that many educators, and at all levels, struggle with the changes and growth of technology and deem it easier to do what they have always done instead of adapting.  However, this does not prepare anyone for the unforeseeable future and does not really tap into students' creative abilities.  Technology has such a great span of resources, and ways to create that deeper meaning in the classroom.  Check out Edutopia's article on Integrating Technology Across the Access Spectrum.  They have very interesting ideas for all types of classrooms based on the amount of technology available to the classroom.

This led to me to my follow up question: if you could go back in time (back to high school) would you want technology in the classroom like it is today? What is one drastic change that you would make?
"If I could go back in time…. that would be wonderful, no bills!  I digress, I'm not sure that I would have learned better.  I’m glad that technology has progressed enough so today’s students don't have to deal with an overhead projector and the boring outdated teacher to go along with it.  I guess not having to lug around a bunch of text books would be great. So the use of a kindle-type item would make things a lot easier, especially when you left a book in your locker."  - L. Gebhart

This last phrase allows me to think nostalgically about high school.  Many times I find it hard to relate to the problems that my students have, unlike a textbook left in a locker, and I forget just how far we have come as a society.   I find their 'teenage problems' are irrelevant because I just cannot relate to it due to the upgrades that technology has made. I find that their problems outside of school tend to be a bit more real than mine ever were at that age.  Not only is creativity good to create a deeper sense of meaning, but it is an outlet for many students.  When students apply their creativity they are able to feel free and forget about the things that bother them.  So why should we not provide the environment for them to do so?

Images Credits:
http://www.outofoffice.co/
http://www.svencreate.blogspot.com/
http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/can-an-ereader-replace-college-textbooks/