A Vision of Students Today
I Agree with all of the comments. Although students of today are technologically savvy, it seems to work for and against them. They have laptops that can help them with every aspect of their college studies, they can even register with their computers. I was telling my eleven year old the other day how I registered for classes back in 1981. We use to have to get up really early and stand in a line that was a mile long. Hoping to get our first choice of a schedule and usually it would never work out.
The cost of books are ridiculous. I now go to my class for the first week to see if I even need my book. I've noticed this generation of students take for granted if they have parents that can pay for they're education. Not showing up to class or constantly dropping classes. Being older and now having to pay for my own education has definitely made an impact on my attendance and grades.It's Not About the Technology
Kelly is making a valid point about teachers must be learners. We as educators have to be up to date on our technological skills. Since technology is always evolving the students have to equally be learning since tech is constantly growing and advancing every year. I strongly agree "Learning and Teaching Are Not The Same Thing" My daughter's sixth grade teacher is always saying to her classes i don't understand why you don't get it. She tells the children that they must take ownership of their grades. Well when 15 out of 20 kids fail a test she needs to change the game plan. She shows a power point presentation on the subject. Well why not make the power point available online so the students can at least look at it or print the notes.
All my teachers are great this semester but someone in the computer department needs to show them how to use their smart boards. Like Kelly said they have all this technology available to them but they don't know how to use it. But again it's not always about the technology my teachers are very effective and interesting teachers.
Is It Okay to Be a Technologically Illiterate Teacher
Of course I agree withe Karl Fisch's post who wouldn't. As teacher's we want to at least be as good if not better at being capable on a computer. As Fisch says saying your illiterate on a computer nowadays is like saying you can't read or write. I think it's a great way to stay in touch with your students and teach your student's. Unlike my daughter's teachers in sixth grade why shouldn't the students be able to email the teacher during the week or weekend if they can't understand homework etc. Teachers , Principal's, all the administrator's of a school should be learning or taking classes to be on top of the newest technology. How can the leaders of a school not move thier student's forward in the computer age if they are illiterate themselves.
I find that for me I can say and be a lot more frank and honest on an email or text than I can be if I were talking to someone face to face. I think students who have a hard time reading a report in front of a class could flourish on a blog. Thanks to my kids I can use my word processor, download itunes, skype etc. But I have to admit I don't read as much and I don't even get a newspaper delivered anymore, I read all my news online. And again I reiterate that a computer can't provide a hug or motivation like a caring teacher but a combination of the two could be remarkable learning tools.
Kelly is making a valid point about teachers must be learners. We as educators have to be up to date on our technological skills. Since technology is always evolving the students have to equally be learning since tech is constantly growing and advancing every year. I strongly agree "Learning and Teaching Are Not The Same Thing" My daughter's sixth grade teacher is always saying to her classes i don't understand why you don't get it. She tells the children that they must take ownership of their grades. Well when 15 out of 20 kids fail a test she needs to change the game plan. She shows a power point presentation on the subject. Well why not make the power point available online so the students can at least look at it or print the notes.
All my teachers are great this semester but someone in the computer department needs to show them how to use their smart boards. Like Kelly said they have all this technology available to them but they don't know how to use it. But again it's not always about the technology my teachers are very effective and interesting teachers.
Is It Okay to Be a Technologically Illiterate Teacher
Of course I agree withe Karl Fisch's post who wouldn't. As teacher's we want to at least be as good if not better at being capable on a computer. As Fisch says saying your illiterate on a computer nowadays is like saying you can't read or write. I think it's a great way to stay in touch with your students and teach your student's. Unlike my daughter's teachers in sixth grade why shouldn't the students be able to email the teacher during the week or weekend if they can't understand homework etc. Teachers , Principal's, all the administrator's of a school should be learning or taking classes to be on top of the newest technology. How can the leaders of a school not move thier student's forward in the computer age if they are illiterate themselves.
I find that for me I can say and be a lot more frank and honest on an email or text than I can be if I were talking to someone face to face. I think students who have a hard time reading a report in front of a class could flourish on a blog. Thanks to my kids I can use my word processor, download itunes, skype etc. But I have to admit I don't read as much and I don't even get a newspaper delivered anymore, I read all my news online. And again I reiterate that a computer can't provide a hug or motivation like a caring teacher but a combination of the two could be remarkable learning tools.
Gary Hayes Social Media Count
Gary Hayes is showing the incredible speed that the social media is growing. I wonder where all these people are doing this while they are working or when they are in class. I think it will impact our career as teachers in a good and bad way. Of course as educators we can stay in touch with our students whether giving assignments, timely grades and comments etc. But it can also impede our ability to teach. How many times have your seen students texting on their phones or looking at facebook instead of listening to a lecture.
Another aspect is kids today are, I believe addicted to thier social gadgets. It's kind of unnerving for people to know where your are every minute of the day. Especially with twitter who cares what your eating for lunch or where your shopping. I find even with my daughter who is eleven she never gets away from the social scene or her friends. In my day we saw our friends at school and once in a while we would spend the night on the weekends. But today kids are talking to each other 24/7 and scheming to socialize after school every day , weekends, any time they can.
Gary Hayes is showing the incredible speed that the social media is growing. I wonder where all these people are doing this while they are working or when they are in class. I think it will impact our career as teachers in a good and bad way. Of course as educators we can stay in touch with our students whether giving assignments, timely grades and comments etc. But it can also impede our ability to teach. How many times have your seen students texting on their phones or looking at facebook instead of listening to a lecture.
Another aspect is kids today are, I believe addicted to thier social gadgets. It's kind of unnerving for people to know where your are every minute of the day. Especially with twitter who cares what your eating for lunch or where your shopping. I find even with my daughter who is eleven she never gets away from the social scene or her friends. In my day we saw our friends at school and once in a while we would spend the night on the weekends. But today kids are talking to each other 24/7 and scheming to socialize after school every day , weekends, any time they can.
Funny, I have a smartboard in my lab that I haven't used all year. I simply don't need it. While I am in an unusual teaching situation (keyboarding and digital media) I mostly used my smartboard when I taught fifth grade as a television/whiteboard. My biggest problem with smartboards is there is limited interactivity with the class. Only one or two can use it at a time. I prefer having my whole class engaged on computers.
ReplyDeleteHey!! I agree with ya!!
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you when you say teachers need to adapt to their students learning ability. They need to stay in touch with the world to show they care about their students interest.
ReplyDeleteHey Denise, I have to say i love how you include your daughter in with your post. It helps me visualize and understand how technology can really be productive in actual settings. Also i am one of those people who does not facebook, tweeter, or myspace. Some believe it connects people to the world and i believe that it in some ways shuts people off from the other world around them. I just feel like i can do more productive things with my time, and i agree who cares where you are 24/7, what you eat, and what you are doing at that exact moment! Awesome Post!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you are "hanging in there." We all have a lot to learn!
ReplyDeleteAs for Smartboards take a look at Why I Hate Interactive Whiteboards. I would rather see technology money spent to put technology in the hands of students where it belongs!
And newspapers. Is it wrong to read then on-line? Is it wrong not to read them at all?
I would suggest that you need to work on your writing, grammar, and punctuation.