Thing #3: Educational Blogging
Internet in the Pocket
Wow, this gave me a lot to think about. In the pst ear, I have really began to love having the "Internet in my pocket" that one of the blogs talked about, but it made me realize how challenging it must be to teach these days when our students also have such easy access. I have been away from the campus for five years now. When I was last there, we dealt with the struggles of students having cell phones going off in class. That was the extent of the woes of technology in our schools. How far we have come in just five year.
In the blog Spies Like Us, there is a lot of great discussion and examples about the challenges that technology can bring into the school building. With all of the opportunities for students to be without supervision, especially at the secondary level where every student will have a cell phone in the pocket, there is great cause for concern. This blog discussed the importance of addressing the ethical aspects of 2.0 access. I think this is both timely and relevant and we need to be proactive, especially at the secondary levels.
Interactive Learning
The thing that I appreciate most about blogs is the interactivity and collaboration that it promotes. I really enjoyed the student blogs from this exercise.
I teach a class for TAMU-Commerce and all of our students have blogs that they use to post their assignments and comment about their learning. This has been a great tool for me to monitor their learning and to have instant access to their assignments. As well, students in the classroom can visit their classmates' blogs and make comments. If I still taught English in the high school classroom, every one of my students would have a blog, too. I think this is a great tool for teachers to use and can't understand why every teacher wouldn't make use of it.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Thing #2
Thing #2: Thoughts about Web 2.0
Technology has really exploded in Mesquite in the past 2 years. Our students now expect technology and more importantly, they "deserve" technology to be used by their teachers. By now, everyone realizes that there is a huge GAP that exists between what the students know and what the majority of our teachers know. Our students today have been raised on technology. My generation used to play in the yard after school until it was dark. Young people today seldom go outside. Instead, they are sitting behind computers and video games. They find it difficult to do homework or concentrate without an ear bud in their ear droning music into their head. A few years ago, I heard it said that our students "turn off" when they get into their desks at school. I definitely think this is true. The students today have brains that are wired differently than most of the teachers who are teaching them. This new wiring is due to the influx of technology that they experience on a daily basis. Therein lies the GAP. Courses such as this are encouraging and what everyone needs to experience to help close this 2.0 gap.
Technology has really exploded in Mesquite in the past 2 years. Our students now expect technology and more importantly, they "deserve" technology to be used by their teachers. By now, everyone realizes that there is a huge GAP that exists between what the students know and what the majority of our teachers know. Our students today have been raised on technology. My generation used to play in the yard after school until it was dark. Young people today seldom go outside. Instead, they are sitting behind computers and video games. They find it difficult to do homework or concentrate without an ear bud in their ear droning music into their head. A few years ago, I heard it said that our students "turn off" when they get into their desks at school. I definitely think this is true. The students today have brains that are wired differently than most of the teachers who are teaching them. This new wiring is due to the influx of technology that they experience on a daily basis. Therein lies the GAP. Courses such as this are encouraging and what everyone needs to experience to help close this 2.0 gap.
Thing #1
Thing #1: Lifelong Learning
I definitely believe in the importance of Lifelong Learning. I love to learn. I was definitely a school geek and loved going to school, sitting in the front row, and pleasing my teachers. Still today, the thought of learning something new is fun and intriguing.
The Habit that may be the most challenging for me will be SEEING CHALLENGES AS OPPORTUNITIES. I know that I can get frustrated when things don't come easy for me, so this may be a challenge if I struggle with any aspect of the learning. I don't always "dig" as much as I should when I need to find the answer. I am ready to move on and get to the finished product.
The habit that is most resonant to me is BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND. I always do this. I love the finished product and and I love to get there. I definitely am a "big picture" thinker and I always begin with a keen awareness of where I want to go and what I want the end result to look like.
And the habit that is always the most important is to HAVE FUN. Anytime that learning can be fun definitely makes the experience more personal and most importantly, sustained.
I definitely believe in the importance of Lifelong Learning. I love to learn. I was definitely a school geek and loved going to school, sitting in the front row, and pleasing my teachers. Still today, the thought of learning something new is fun and intriguing.
The Habit that may be the most challenging for me will be SEEING CHALLENGES AS OPPORTUNITIES. I know that I can get frustrated when things don't come easy for me, so this may be a challenge if I struggle with any aspect of the learning. I don't always "dig" as much as I should when I need to find the answer. I am ready to move on and get to the finished product.
The habit that is most resonant to me is BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND. I always do this. I love the finished product and and I love to get there. I definitely am a "big picture" thinker and I always begin with a keen awareness of where I want to go and what I want the end result to look like.
And the habit that is always the most important is to HAVE FUN. Anytime that learning can be fun definitely makes the experience more personal and most importantly, sustained.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
