Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Blog #1

Based on the readings for this week I would have to say that using technology in the classroom is definitely beneficial, as long as its used in the proper way, where teachers are not being replaced with computers and apps. As I read chapter one I found that many of my beliefs are supported in the text such as "all of us tend to take widely used technologies for granted, hardly noticing their technological power or the changes they bring to the way we conduct our daily lives." (p. 5) which I believe is often the case when students try to say they are using their phones, laptops, and tablets to do school work when really they are instant messaging, going on google or social media sites, and/or playing games. I feel if students began using these devices as actual learning tools and not just for their entertainment or as an excuse to get out of listening to their teacher, then maybe they would truly see what their technology has to offer them. Another quote I connected with was "more than half said technology affected their teaching and instructional support activities by making lesson plans more accurate, timely, and interesting. (p. 9). This shows that technology doesn't have to be the main focus of a lesson to engage students, sometimes a simple clip or view of a website can bring the students into the lesson. Also by limiting the technology to only a portion of the lesson it leaves the student wanting to know more and allows them to then raise questions and possibly even results in them going home to search for more. However, as I read the mention of incorporating Web2.0 knowledge into curriculums was brought up and I was wondering Do you think that incorporating technology into school curriculums would be a good idea, due to not all teachers being comfortable with having to use technology in the classroom? Wouldn't this just put more pressure on them to be forced to use certain technology? 

Prior to doing the reading one question I always ask myself when discussing the use of technology in classrooms is "What if the students begin to know more about the technology than the teacher? Will the students be at an advantage?" I was glad to see that this question was addressed in chapter 1 when discussing the "digital disconnect." It goes into the differences between the older generation who still uses instructions and likes to learn about the device before using it vs. the younger generation that prefers the trial and error approach to activating and using a new technology device. The chapter also shares how based on a survey, even when students were allowed technology in the classroom they tended to feel as if there was no change due to not having the opportunity to chose the technology and using the tools appropriately and independently. So I wonder,  do you think students should be able to freely use technology in the classroom when they desire vs. only using it when they are instructed by a teacher to use the technology for a specific activity? 

Lastly, when reading chapter 2 it was more about the actual benefits of using the technology in the classroom such as to teach using visual learning, to access and assess information, and to engage and collaborate using technology. Of these topics the one that I found most interesting was on using technology for collaboration because it would be the way that I would like to use technology in the classroom. I want to be able to engage my students while still keeping their attention on the overall lesson rather than on the fact that they will get to use technology. I feel my biggest worry is that the technology will take over and it will no longer be about the teacher and the lesson but about having fun and getting to visit a website, create a slideshow or powerpoint, or just using the technology period. Therefore, for my final question I ask, "Does anyone have any ideas or stories on how one could incorporate technology as an assistive tool in the classroom in a way that is allowing the students to really feel engaged, but is not becoming a distraction that causes the lesson to be brushed aside?" 



Here are just a few images I found that can sort of relate. Enjoy!!



1 comment:

  1. To give some input on your second question, "do you think students should be able to freely use technology in the classroom when they desire vs. only using it when they are instructed by a teacher to use the technology for a specific activity?" I believe that students should be permitted to use technology in the classroom, but only under the direction of their teacher. Many college students know first hand how easy it is to become distracted by phones and computers if they are readily available for use during class. It's so easy to get tempted to check emails, respond to text messages, or even look up something interesting from the class - but next thing you know, you've missed a large chunk of important information from a lecture that you simply cannot get back.

    Younger students are often the same. If middle and high school students were permitted to use their cell phones in class, many of them would end up doing something non-academic and possibly inappropriate. In doing so, they lose valuable instructional time and may miss out on key information or directions that would guide them through the rest of the lesson. I think it is best to leave technology use at the teacher's discretion - after all, some activities are enhanced by the absence of technology, rather than the presence of it.

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