Unit 5: Rigor and Relevance

The rigor and relevance framework seems like a framework that schools should try to adhere too.  For a very long time, we have been trying to follow Bloom's Taxonomy, but unfortunately that is not the only thing that is important.  I have many conversations with my technology coordinator, who also spends some of her time focusing on technology integration into the curriculum, and we always talk about how education has not kept up with technology.  The vast majority of the teachers are not properly trained in technology applications and it shows in their lessons.  I think one of the most interesting things that I read in the one document is the statement about how education has not kept up with technology.

When looking at how I can use the framework and implement it into our school, I realize that the staff I have in my building needs a lot of professional development in order to be prepared to implement the technology that they should into their curriculum.  In addition, I think a few of them need a major shift in understanding what our goals are in education.  Coming from a history major, it makes little sense for the majority of the work that we would have done in class to focus on the dates of the battles of the Civil War.  However, it is much more important for the students to research how the Civil War shaped the nation and applied some of the situations to what is going on today.  Remembering and understanding is important, but application is necessary.  We need to use technology in enhance the application of what the students are learning.  How great would it be for a middle school social studies class in South Dakota to zoom with a middle school social studies class in New York City and compare and contrast things they are learning in their classes.  That would be an easy way for the students to use some technology to see another perspective on certain situations.  

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