Wednesday, September 30, 2009
What I hope to get from this class?
Because we are in the twenty-first century and technology is a big part of our lives. I would really like to incorporate technology more into my class, such as blogs and now wikis. I have never used either websites before and I look forward to figuring it out. I set up blogs for each of my five classes and I would love for them to blog once a week. Whether it is a response from class or response to an article that I will post, I would like them to blog. For my collaboration project I will be using wikis. They will start pretty basic using wikis as a study guide. I would also like to learn about excel. Every quarter my husband creates a spreadsheet for me with the formula to commute grades. I would really like to learn myself. I find it is easier for him to just to do it rather than teach me. From our discussion in class, I am realizing I am as familiar with technology as I thought.
Technology Proposal
For my technology project I will implement wikis into my classroom. I am creating a wiki for each of my five classes. The first time I use the wiki it will serve as a study group for the class. Normally students would receive a hard copy of the terms, people and events that they need to know for their test. I will create this study sheet on their wiki page. Each student will be responsible for a set amount of terms, people and events. They will need to identify with detail the terms for the rest of the class. If students do not complete their assigned task they will not be allowed to use the study sheet. If there are a few left I will allow students to complete for extra credit.
I would like, in the future, to use this for other projects that require higher levels of thinking. But I need to start somewhere. I have never used wikis at all so there is a lot to learn. I am trying to make each class a separate page but I am struggling. There seems to be a lot to do with wikis I just need to sit and play with it.
I would like, in the future, to use this for other projects that require higher levels of thinking. But I need to start somewhere. I have never used wikis at all so there is a lot to learn. I am trying to make each class a separate page but I am struggling. There seems to be a lot to do with wikis I just need to sit and play with it.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Becoming a Technocontructivist
On Walter McKenzie’s technology scale I would have to say I am stuck in between a Technotradionalist and a Technoconstructivist. I definitely use technology to accomplish traditional classroom tasks. I am trying to use technology to completely change approaches to teaching and learning in the classroom. I am not quite a Technoconstructivist because I do not feel I have the proper training and availability of a lot of technology.
There are many technological ideas I try to use in my classroom. The easiest to use and implement is email. When I first starting teaching I did not give my students email. I felt it was too personal and I did not want my students to contact me via email. This slowly began to change as the years went on. One of the first reasons for my change in heart was when we had a snow day on the review day before exams. My classes where going to receive their formal study guide for their exam. Due to the snow day the students never received their sheets. If I had given the students my email they could have contacted me prior to the exam. Students always seem to have these excuses: my printer broke, my printer jammed and I ran out of ink. This elevates any excuses they may arise. I tell students if there is a problem with their printer they need to email their paper to me.
All my grades are done with an electronic grade book. It is so much easier to use than the record books. When I originally made the transition to the computer, I still needed to keep a hard copy just in case. I am slowly transiting away from both. Using an electronic grade book makes computing the grades much easier. This is a great example of how technology makes tasks so much easier.
I am in the process of using online blogs in all my classes. I am going to require my students to blog on class discussions at least once a week. The blogs have all been created but have not been implemented yet. I hope to within the next two weeks. The problem is me finding the time to post a topic to discuss and time to make sure all students are blogging.
I use other tools in class from time to time. These include: PowerPoint, digital slide shows, web quests and the use of the mobile lab for research and processing. These are not used on a weekly basis but whenever possible I to incorporate them. I find sometimes it is just really hard to use them often.
My plan on moving along the spectrum is to continue my training in technology. Obviously by taking this class it is a huge step. My husband is an IT guy who could help me work towards my goal. I will ask him to teach me the technology instead of just doing it for me.
There are many technological ideas I try to use in my classroom. The easiest to use and implement is email. When I first starting teaching I did not give my students email. I felt it was too personal and I did not want my students to contact me via email. This slowly began to change as the years went on. One of the first reasons for my change in heart was when we had a snow day on the review day before exams. My classes where going to receive their formal study guide for their exam. Due to the snow day the students never received their sheets. If I had given the students my email they could have contacted me prior to the exam. Students always seem to have these excuses: my printer broke, my printer jammed and I ran out of ink. This elevates any excuses they may arise. I tell students if there is a problem with their printer they need to email their paper to me.
All my grades are done with an electronic grade book. It is so much easier to use than the record books. When I originally made the transition to the computer, I still needed to keep a hard copy just in case. I am slowly transiting away from both. Using an electronic grade book makes computing the grades much easier. This is a great example of how technology makes tasks so much easier.
I am in the process of using online blogs in all my classes. I am going to require my students to blog on class discussions at least once a week. The blogs have all been created but have not been implemented yet. I hope to within the next two weeks. The problem is me finding the time to post a topic to discuss and time to make sure all students are blogging.
I use other tools in class from time to time. These include: PowerPoint, digital slide shows, web quests and the use of the mobile lab for research and processing. These are not used on a weekly basis but whenever possible I to incorporate them. I find sometimes it is just really hard to use them often.
My plan on moving along the spectrum is to continue my training in technology. Obviously by taking this class it is a huge step. My husband is an IT guy who could help me work towards my goal. I will ask him to teach me the technology instead of just doing it for me.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants
“Today’s students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach.” Students today will receive jobs that are not even around today. So how can we prepare our students for their jobs when we have no idea what the jobs will entail?
While reading this article I really struggled to determine which category I fit into; Digital Immigrant or Digital Native. I do not feel that I fit into either one. I do not consider myself a Digital Immigrant because I am pretty savvy with computers, videogames, cell phones and I-pods. While I do not consider myself an expert, I am definitely knowledgeable enough to benefit from these gadgets. After being in the company of my students and younger family members, I feel I am not a Digital Native. Digital Natives are more hands-on and process information much differently then the average person.
I find it vey interesting that when you learn something later in life, scientists tell us, it goes to a different part of the brain. So digital natives will be learning technology as their “first language” and will be able to "talk the talk" much better than digital immigrants. Digital Immigrants will always struggle with this foreign language.
I agree that students need fast response and gratification but I do not agree that students do not learn “slowly, step-by-step, one thing at a time”. I feel no matter who is learning, when they are learning something new, he or she needs to go slowly and step-by-step for them to retain and really understand what they are learning.
Prensky says, “Digital Immigrants don’t believe their students can learn successfully while watching TV or listening to music, because they can’t.” I feel this depends on the student. Some students cannot concentrate with any noise in the background, while other students work their best listening to music. I think this depends on the type of learner.
I agree with Prensky that Digital Natives cannot go backward to learn the old ways. So that leaves only one option and that is for the Immigrants to learn the new language of technology. Pretty soon our teachers will be Digital Natives, born being experts in technology. It will only take time for this evolution to take place.
There needs to be a balance between “legacy” and “future”. While I feel the ethics and politics are important, one cannot forget the basics of our educational system. Before a student can learn the “future” they need to learn reading, writing, arithmetic and logic. A great teacher is someone who can find the balance and teach the students both the “legacy” and the “future.”
While reading this article I really struggled to determine which category I fit into; Digital Immigrant or Digital Native. I do not feel that I fit into either one. I do not consider myself a Digital Immigrant because I am pretty savvy with computers, videogames, cell phones and I-pods. While I do not consider myself an expert, I am definitely knowledgeable enough to benefit from these gadgets. After being in the company of my students and younger family members, I feel I am not a Digital Native. Digital Natives are more hands-on and process information much differently then the average person.
I find it vey interesting that when you learn something later in life, scientists tell us, it goes to a different part of the brain. So digital natives will be learning technology as their “first language” and will be able to "talk the talk" much better than digital immigrants. Digital Immigrants will always struggle with this foreign language.
I agree that students need fast response and gratification but I do not agree that students do not learn “slowly, step-by-step, one thing at a time”. I feel no matter who is learning, when they are learning something new, he or she needs to go slowly and step-by-step for them to retain and really understand what they are learning.
Prensky says, “Digital Immigrants don’t believe their students can learn successfully while watching TV or listening to music, because they can’t.” I feel this depends on the student. Some students cannot concentrate with any noise in the background, while other students work their best listening to music. I think this depends on the type of learner.
I agree with Prensky that Digital Natives cannot go backward to learn the old ways. So that leaves only one option and that is for the Immigrants to learn the new language of technology. Pretty soon our teachers will be Digital Natives, born being experts in technology. It will only take time for this evolution to take place.
There needs to be a balance between “legacy” and “future”. While I feel the ethics and politics are important, one cannot forget the basics of our educational system. Before a student can learn the “future” they need to learn reading, writing, arithmetic and logic. A great teacher is someone who can find the balance and teach the students both the “legacy” and the “future.”
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