Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Technology for the student...
The types of technology that I use in my classroom will be limited to the types of technology that I have mastered. I read Marc Prensky's article "Digital Immigrants, Digital Natives" discussing how young people have developed differently neurologically because as digital natives they have always used technology. I am a digital immigrant that grew up using very little technology and probably could have died happy being able to email until other projects pushed me to learn more. I like using the limited technology that I know how to use. I know that I will learn how to use more technology but it takes me a long time. The eToy assignment that we worked on the other night showed me a lot. Joe's picture was amazing! His drawings were accurate and very creative. Adding the movement made it an even greater picture. I still don't understand how to use the tiles for instruction. If we had not handed in that picture I would have tried to work on it all week, spending a huge amount of time on it, bothering my kids for help and it would have been as good as any other second grader's project. My mind does not work that way. The good part is that I can still teach and my students will learn. Right now I plan on teaching early elementary. It is a great age for the teacher-directed, direct instruction computer programs. At that stage, students can benefit and be entertained using drills and learning games. The computer can help with instruction and instant feedback so the students can learn facts and be introduced to new items. I like the webquests and other online information searches. The use of computers should be encouraged in inquiry-based learning. The use of computers can enhance discovery as students begin to develop their own ideas and interests. When it comes to constructivism and project- and problem-based learning, I will always encourage the use of technology and will learn a lot with and from my students. Online resources can be invaluable but if the students are going to need more involved computer-support they are going to have to go to their peers and other technology-oriented people. Part of project-based learning is discovering experts to ask for help. My students will not be cheated because I am not as computer-literate as other teachers. I will always ask for help and I will always be supportive of alternative methods, but I don't think I will ever be able to incorporate the very difficult levels of computer programs in my classrooms. I think that I will be a better teacher if I develop lessons using what I do know. I will try to encourage students to implement every tool that they can for developing projects. There is no reason we cannot learn from each other. I will learn new technology as I need it but I will need help.
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I think its great they you are so willing to learn the new technology for your students. I think often times teachers get stuck in their ways and become unwilling to change. I agree that computers and student centered learning go hand in hand. In my blog i wondered about what age level student centered learning would work the best with. However i think if you put the time into really teaching them how to use the computer and other resources maybe older elementary aged kids would do well with it. I think you have a great attitude about asking for help when you need it. My students help me with the Macs all the time because I am more used to working on a PC and it works out well. They like to help so don't think twice about asking for other teachers or kids to help you.
ReplyDeleteI agree with L. that your willingness to learn from your students is a great attitude to take into the classroom. And also to see tech-savvy students as important guides for other students. I also think that being comfortable with the technology you are going to use is very important. Better to have a small set of tools that you can use well than lots of tools that you can't! When it comes to student-centered learning, I think the spirit of it is preserving the natural curiosity and desire to learn of children. There will be many opportunities to use inquiry-based learning that uses little or no new technologies. If you can figure out the appropriate mix for you that ensures the learning of your students, you will doing great.
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