As we know, technology is becoming
very integrated in today’s school system.
Technology may be used to reproduce the existing practices (automate) or
change the existing practices (infomate). Technology is used in the classroom
in both if these ways. Teachers are the
ones who determine how they want to use the technology in their classroom. The issues teachers have with integrating
technology are also mentioned. Some
teachers do not feel that technology is necessary in lessons that they have
already created, or do not believe that they have the time to integrate
it. They believe that including the
technology in their lesson is only a burden.
I do not agree with this because as times change, lesson plans should be
changing. In modern teaching, technology
is very beneficial and if it will enhance the lesson, teachers should make the
time to incorporate it. Teachers should
understand that they are integrating technology for the student’s benefit, not
just to make a lesson less boring.
In addition to how the technology is
used, I have learned about the different technologies that can be used. Digital pens sound extremely
interesting. I love the idea of a pen
that can write on any type of paper, which can then be transferred onto the computer. I think that this is great for students,
especially older ones because they tend to loose notes. This would be a way for the students to take
notes and upload them in an organized matter.
This will make class notes always available, without having to worry
about losing your notebook or pages from your binder.
I also find virtual field trips and
interactive videoconferencing to be amazing.
They are interesting and can teach students without the hassle of going outside
of the classroom. Some may even be
people or places that cannot be accessed outside of the classroom. I believe that many teachers do not like
planning trips because of the responsibilities and travel that come with them,
but I know for a fact students love trips and they can be very informative. An interactive videoconference is also great
because sometimes speakers are not available to come into the classroom, but
they can give the students the same knowledge through the video. These are a great way to engage the students
in a different type of learning without having to leave the classroom.
Lastly, I believe that WebQuests are
another great tool that can be used in the classroom. They are a great tool to use in the classroom
because they engage the students in electronic learning. The students are given predetermined sources,
where they have to read and access information to complete a task. They should be designed by the teacher with the
students in mind. What are the students
capable of doing and achieving? You
cannot provide resources that are above your student’s reading level. WebQuests can be found online, but teacher’s
must review them and even possibly modify them for their students. As we saw in class, the High School teacher
used an Edgar Allen Poe WebQuest, but it wasn’t very engaging or meaningful to
his students and the goals of his lesson.
Teachers have loads of information
and resources available through the technology library, but they have to know
how and when to use them. Teachers
should make bookmarks to store useful websites and to make accessing them
easier. Teachers have to be able to
explore all of these online resources and find what meets their curriculum
goals and standards. I believe that a
tag cloud is also a great way to manage information. I was amazed to see all of the educational
resources listed in Chapter 6 because I have never heard of many of them. As a future teacher, I think that I should
start exploring educational sites now so that I am prepared with sources when I
need them.
Questions:
1. Do you think that the digital divide
will decrease over the course of the next few years due to the fact that
technology is increasing at such a rapid pace?
2. Integrating technology in the
classroom has become important. What do
you do when you have one or more students who are not interested in the technology? It is not that they have not been given the
opportunity to access it, but they simply do not care for using it.
3. Do you believe that electronic
textbooks will ever become the only form of textbooks used?
hi,Kelly, to answer your third question, i don't think electronic textbooks will be the only form of textbooks used. Although technology plays an important role in education, but there is necessity to make everything related to digital technology. Some students may not be comfortable with reading textbooks in computer or pad. So I think teachers should find the way which works well with students. Maybe two kinds of books, paper-based and electronic one can both used in the classroom. Students can choose whatever they like.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you completely about the digital pen. I read about it and was immediately hooked. Students, even collegiate students, are constantly losing notes and important information so this would make information storage much more organized. Also, in response to your second question, in our utilization of technology, I think we need to differentiate instruction in the same way that we would if we weren't using technology, and be sure that we have tasks that are appealing to all types of learners. For example, if someone is a kinesthetic learner and would prefer not to use technology, we can figure out an educational game to play on the SmartBoard that involves moving around and being active.
ReplyDeleteHi Kelly, I wonder about the electronic textbooks as well. While they have so many pros to them, they certainly might not be for every learner. Some students might fair better with the actual turning of a page or recall important facts better by using a real highlighter to highlight the test. I can't say for sure what will happen although it looks like it might be headed in that direction. I feel badly for all those people who were involved in the production of textbooks because they could be out of a job one day...
ReplyDeleteDear Killy,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your intriguing response.
"I do not agree with this because as times change, lesson plans should be changing. In modern teaching, technology is very beneficial and if it will enhance the lesson, teachers should make the time to incorporate it. Teachers should understand that they are integrating technology for the student’s benefit, not just to make a lesson less boring."
That is exactly what we should do! That is exactly the purpose of integrating technology in our classrooms: for the lesson and the student's benefit, "NOT JUST TO MAKE A LESSON LESS BORING."
Additionally , digital pens, virtual field trips, interactive videoconferencing, and WebQuests are good technological tools that should be used in the classrooms. Why? Because such tools make instruction more meaningful, informative, and encourage students to be cooperatively active while learning the lesson. Also, it makes the lesson less boring :-)
Regarding your third question, "do you believe that electronic textbooks will ever become the only form of textbooks used?"
Even though electronic textbooks might become an important form of textbooks, it CANNOT be the only form. I believe that the original form of textbooks will still be the original, most popular form of textbooks, we can read them without the need of outlets, wires, and batteries, can't we.
Thanks again!
Hi Kelly,
ReplyDeleteTo answer your first question, I don't think that the digital divide will decrease as technology continues to expand. As technology is being created and released to the public, it is not necessarily becoming more financially accessible. The price of these tools makes them unaccessible to the individuals that cannot afford them and therefore perpetuates the digital divide. Just because there are more iPads in the world, for example, does not mean that the students living in more impoverished areas will be able to afford them (or subsequently, their school districts).