Journal 6 - Student Voices for Change

McClintock Miller, S. (2011). Student voices for change. Learning & Leading with Technology,38(8), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-august-2011.aspx

'Students Voices for Change' stressed the importance of student influence in the classroom. The voices of the students are the most important influence in the educational arena. Students from the Van Meter school presented the influence of technology in the classroom in front of members of congress and educators. This was the first of many presentations given by these students about the effectiveness of technology on student understanding of classroom material. In the article, students said that their education was 'changed through creating'. Many different programs have been installed and used at Van Meter such as virtual reality, Prezi slideshow presentations, youtube videos, and blog pages. Students used technology to connect with other students and educators outside the classroom. Through creativity and technology, lines of communication were opened.

How could student voice be effective in California?

California legislatures have no problem cutting the budget for education. If students went in front of our legislation like in Iowa, maybe there would be more of an impact on decisions made about the school system. I don't feel as though there have been enough people standing up to politicians making their voices heard.

How did the new technology in the classroom effect student learning?

 Students became more creative in their projects because of the greater number of options available to them. Students became more passionate about their work. Students were able to connect and share with one another inside and outside the classroom. Their ability to connect and share their work and experiences allowed deeper understanding of the material.