Friday, November 14, 2008
Embrace Change-Technology is only getting better
I thought about yesterdays class in the computer lab and realized that the technological possibilities in education are endless. I think that it is all up to the educator to try and learn the technology and embrace change. I really feel as a teacher that if you don't, you will be less dynamic in the classroom. I'm not saying that there is no use for traditional methods. I do feel that there are times that you have to lecture and be the "center" of the classroom. However, I believe that your classroom can be much more creative if you make it interactive. In my opinion from what I saw yesterday, web 2.0 has brought this interaction to the forefront and what you can do in education is really in the creative hands of the teacher. As we talked about in class, there are possibilities of online discussions, online tutoring, and even class online. I am wondering if teachers are starting to use these after school hours online resources and what some of the feedback is or would be. I would imagine that most gifted students would embrace this methodology, but most other students would reject the notion of conducting class after hours. However, if the teacher was creative in the way they handled these type of assignments, I think it could work. For example, a teacher might call online discussions for homework or project based assignments or presentations. In these instances, I believe that the students would enjoy the methodology instead of doing traditional "ditto sheets" or "page 24 odd numbers only in your textbooks". It is all very exciting to think about and as for me, I'm ready to embrace change!
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3 comments:
I think in our lifetimes, it will shatter the way "school" is done. Why do we "need" a school building with technology? We can conduct online classes, meet at a library or a museum...meet up at a restaurant to practice our spanish. The days of school only working in a room with row and a chalkboard could be numbered.....or not. Depends on how much we are willing to "unlearn"!
True the possibilities are endless and are only limited by our imaginations. However I do think there are some problems with schools without walls, especially when we are dealing with minors. How do they get to these locations?
What are the legal ramifications of having students meet in various locations. In regards to 'in loco parentis', how do we solve the problem with the fact that schools have become de-facto baby sitting services for families where all the parents/guardians work.
I know in my district parents do not like snow days or early dismissals because in a lot of homes no one is home to be with the kids.
Sorry to be such a nay say-er but I think we have a lot of hurdles to overcome. Then again if everyone is working remotely from in the future than ignore everything i said.
Professor Bachenheimer,
I completely agree that we can teach anywhere. Some of the teachers I work with have been here 30 years or more and remember the days of going to Blvd East, the park across the street or our old rec center(that doesn't exist anymore). Those days do not exist anymore due to liablities that our board of ed is concerned with which is within reason. That is why I can see that this as a hard thing to "unlearn."
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