This article provides excellent arguments and evidence for why and how technology should be incorporated into the classroom. The article discusses how "Teaching in the 21st century has shifted from the notion that teachers are the sole source of information for students, evolving into teachers as guides for students who actively participate in the technology integrated, collaborative learning environment." A variety of examples are provided such as one teacher using Skype with her class to talk to her sister who lives in Jordan to learn about the Middle East. Other teachers collaborated with classrooms in other countries such as Haiti and had the students working together. Furthermore, the article mentions how cellphones are/were not allowed in schools but now teachers can incorporate the use of phones, iPods, and iPads. "More technology in the classroom provides more avenues for teachers to present information to students who learn in different ways." They also mention how failing rates dropped from between 20 and 30 percent to 10 percent in one year. This decline in the failing rates they believe is a direct correlation to the incorporation of more technology into the classroom. Finally, the last major point the article makes is that simply having technology and hardware is not enough. It is imperative that we "find ways to expand upon the software to create a more efficient learning environment."
- The article mentions online learning for high school students. They want to make high school more like a college. Do you agree with the idea of allowing high school students to take classes online?
- If you were in front of the school board, what argument would you present for the need to incorporate more technology into the classroom?
- "It hasn't changed teaching strategies, it's just that teachers have a new medium and platform to present information." Do you agree that new technologies in the classroom haven't changed teaching strategies?
I don't think it would be a bad idea to try out each student in their Senior Year of Highschool having ONE online learning class. I think this would fit in with preparing students for college. A lot of classes in college are being offered online, so why not prep them for it?
ReplyDeleteIf I was infront of the board I would just simply explain how we live in a Technological Era and this is how the 21st century student is learning. There are more "distractions" in their lives but this is what they know, they learn through these "distractions." Distractions meaning technologies. I would explain how we need to embrass their learning modality which would be visual stimulation learning. If we can meet the needs of the Kinestetic learning or the Inter/Intrapersonal learner why not the need to the visual stimulated?
Of course there has been a change to the teaching strategies. I would say there has been a new strategy added, the old concrete ways of using teaching strategies still need to be used in the classroom, along with incorporating technology to further explain and meet the needs of all students.
I think Online education could be effective if done correctly. I think perhaps a hybrid class that meshed together online learning and classroom interaction. I understand that we need to prepare out students for college, but I also feel that a lot can be lost when a student is working on their own. I think if the teacher has proper training on how to run online courses, it could work well. My main argument to my school board would be the whole college preparation idea. Students will be doing this when they are in college so it is better to expose it to them while they are still in a more guarded environment.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of technology changing teaching strategies, I think it absolutely has. I think that my teaching has completely changed with the implementation of technology. How can it not? You have the world at your fingertips when you are using technology.
Nanuet has proposed this online learning to be a huge part of the students education process. The problem is that we are dealing with students that are 14-18 years old. I don't know about you but around those ages I didn't want to do anything, and if no one was their holding me accountable I simply wouldn't do it. This is why parental involvement is so important in education. Students need to be accountable for their actions. It is a lot easier not to e-mail a paper but actually seeing the disappointed on a humans face makes an impact for some students. On-Line learning is a great idea, but there are just some students that are not ready for that type of responsibility. What do we do with those students?
ReplyDeleteSince colleges offer online classes I think it would be good to allow students in highschool take online classes. but it should be maybe a combination of in class lectures and on-line classes. If I were to give my take on why we would need to integrate this type of technology, my reasoning to the Board would be that everything we do in our lives is technology based and if teachers don't apply it in the classrooms, students will not be able to effectivly use the many advantages technology has to offer. It might even make students to bring out their creative side.
ReplyDeleteNew technologies have definetly changed teaching styles but it is up to the teacher to keep up with this change so that they can effectivly teach the students in class.
I do believe online learning in high school will be more prevalent in the future, just as there are so many more AP level courses offered in high school than in the past. For some reason, we have decided our children need to start college in HS in order to succeed. Allison brings up an important point about the age of HS students. Some recent brain research is asserting that there is a change in adolescents' brains that occurs in the later teen years that allows them to comprehend more abstract concepts like those in Calculus or Organic Chemistry, for example. So perhaps it is not such a good idea to push our students to take on these subjects until they are in college.
ReplyDeleteIf I were trying to convince a school board to invest in technology, I would try to be armed with statistics that show its effectiveness when used properly.
I also agree that teaching stategies have changed as a result of using technology. Lessons are now more student centered and more interactive. The goal is the same but the methods have changed.