betterhighschools.org  

Tracy Gray Tracy Gray Director, NCTI Director, Center for Implementing Technology in Education Managing Research Scientist , American Institutes for Research Tracy Gray is the director of National Center for Technology Innovation and a managing research scientist at AIR. Tracy is a nationally recognized expert in education and technology and has led numerous projects in the United States and internationally, examining the impact of technology on educational achievement. In addition, she has published and lectured widely on issues related to the integration of emerging technologies into the classroom and after-school programs. She recently published The Gateway to Student Success in Mathematics and Science for Microsoft and Teacher Learning Online: Improving the Teaching of Mathematics Through Better Professional Development for the U.S. Department of Education. Before working at AIR, Tracy was vice president for youth services at the Morino Institute and was responsible for the design and implementation of the Youth Development Collaborative (YDC) pilot. That effort sought to understand the complexities of integrating technology into schools and community-based organizations. Under Gray's leadership, the lessons learned from the YDC led to the development of the YouthLearn Guide: A Creative Approach to Working With Youth and Technology and the YouthLearn Web site. Those award-winning tools serve as resources for teachers and staff interested in using technology to enhance educational programs for children. Tracy also served as the first deputy executive director and chief operating officer for the Corporation for National Service (CNS). As part of the leadership team, she helped launch AmeriCorps, which enabled more than 50,000 members working in more than 1,000 programs to serve communities throughout the United States. Tracy holds Ph.D. and M.A. degrees in education and psychology from Stanford University and received an A.B. in psychology from the University of California, Riverside. She holds a California secondary teaching credential and is bilingual in English and Spanish.

<< Back to Ask the Expert Home

Technology and Its Role In Increasing High School Success

Question 1: How can social media tools such as Facebook, wikis, and blogs be used in high schools as learning tools?

Classroom instruction is becoming increasingly involved in an essential shift from monotype lectures to the use of several technologies in delivering information. This shift can provide more dynamic and engaging sessions, as well as make available assistive learning to students with disabilities. Various types of technology, including many social media tools, are used to support and enhance classroom instruction while also evoking students’ interest in the content.  Social networks such as Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn have dramatically changed the way students communicate internationally and have become more prominent in the lives of all people. The educational community has a unique opportunity to tap into a vast audience of students who are already invested in, and motivated to use innovative technologies, by using this avenue to improve access to education for all students.

For the purpose of efficiently answering the question, I am going to define social media as blogs, networking sites, discussion boards, vlogs, news aggregation, photo sharing, social book marking, video sharing sites, virtual reality, and gaming which allow users to be active participants in a wide range of Internet activities. Although new to some teachers and practitioners, all stakeholders need to understand the power and mechanics of social media in reaching young people with information, services, and products. Social media not only improves learning experiences for students, but teachers may also boost their knowledgebase of technology by utilizing sites that are dedicated solely to their profession, such as Teacher Tube, for sharing innovative practices with educators across the world. Many schools around the country are utilizing social media like YouTube and podcasts for posting lectures and encouraging students to learn even when they are not in the confines of the classroom. Furthermore, majority of college campuses and professors commonly educate students through web sites such Blackboard, Virtual Learning Environment (VLE),  and Student Information System (SIS); a mastery of these instructional sites are essential to gaining higher education and high school students must practice learning through such innovative methods at early stages.

When social media is adapted to curriculum and content area, these tools allow students’ gained access to new information and the capacity to communicate with those around the globe. Social networking services especially engage students in new, rich, and interactive learning experiences and help them become active citizens and participants in local, national, and international affairs. In addition, to effectively use this avenue of instruction, educators must promote and create visibility and increase capacity for assistive and learning innovation such as social media; equip teachers and caregivers to harness the power of kid-driven technologies; and share knowledge and experiences with others across the nation. Implementation of technological tools at the school level requires team effort, thoughtful procedures, and guided change. The use of technology has the potential to grow into a significantly larger share of the education market and to serve more students more effectively if social media is properly utilized in the classroom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have a question? Contact the National High School Center

Site Map  |  Accessibility  |  Disclaimer