Argumentative Essay: 10 Tech Skills Every Educator

Technology is always evolving, so it is our responsibility to adapt and learn the latest technological skills. Technology can be difficult to grasp, so some people choose to not learn. In, “10 Tech Skills Every Educator Should Have,” Greg Thompson talks about the basic skills educators need to know. 

The first skill talked about is how to effectively and efficiently search the internet. This is a very critical skill that should be taught to educators and students because it is very easy to waste time trying to find credible information and sources. Knowing keywords to use when researching will make it quicker and easier to find information. In school I was not taught effective ways to search the web. If only I knew keywords and targeted searches I could have been researching more effectively. Another skill discussed is working Microsoft Office and Word Processing. Understanding how to work these applications is very useful because they are a great way of communication and presenting information. These applications are not going away anytime soon, so I think it is very important educators learn how to use them. I have been using most of these applications since middle school, so I feel very comfortable and experienced with them. Technology can be difficult to learn depending on the skill; therefore, I think being willing to learn is very crucial. I have never been good at the computer science aspect, but I do like learning how to work other aspects of technology. 

Having a social media platform is a great way to communicate with students and families  through posting information and announcements. It is instant communication and the educator would be able to reach more people at once than having to individually email or call whoever they are trying to reach. However, I don’t think it is a necessity to have a social media platform, but it does make it much easier to communicate.  In addition to these other skills, the article also mentions collaborating through YouTube and Blogging. I think this would be a fun way for students to interact with each other and their teachers. I do not think it is a necessary skill to have, but it is a creative way to get students involved. I have a little bit of experience with YouTube because I created school news videos for my high school. Another skill in discussion is mobile devices. I think teachers should use devices given to them by the school district, but personal devices can cause more distractions. I know from personal experience my phone is very distracting when I am in class or trying to do homework. Email and organization of files and documents are a few skills talked about in the article. Barb Podkowka stated, “Organization and filing is important. The less time you spend looking for things the more productive you are. Organizing/filing documents and other information into readily accessible folders is crucial” (7). I think it is essential that all educators know how to email, attach documents, and organize efficiently. I communicate with many of my teachers through email and love staying organized. 

I think educators should be skilled in presentation technology because it is an interactive way to get everyone involved. I did many projects through PowerPoint and many other screencasting applications. It is also an easy way to be creative. Understanding how to work apps through Google is a very useful skill that educators should know. It is a great way to organize documents, presentations, spreadsheets, and so much more. I have experience with Google because it was my main way of doing assignments in high school. Lastly, Google Drive, Microsoft SkyDrive, Pearltress, and DropBox are other ways to easily access any documents or work related files. This is an excellent way to stay organized and store all documents in one location. I used Google Drive throughout high school, so I am very comfortable using these types of storage.