As a professional about to enter the workforce, I am so excited about the opportunity to enter a classroom and build a classroom community that will work together to learn about the world around them. I am particularly interested in diversity, in collaborative learning, and in differentiated learning. These, in a sense, are all related to the concept of classroom community. Diversity - whether it be ethnic differences, learning difficulties, language differences, or physical differences - are part and parcel of a Canadian classroom. Teaching students to appreciate this will allow the teacher and the students to utilize strengths to improve the areas where growth is needed. Collaborative learning is a specific way in which to use each student's differences to work together to create something special. Differentiated instruction is an important part of this - a teacher must honor where a student is in their educational journey in order to help them progress at their own level.I believe technology can be a useful and expansive tool in all of this. This century, this decade, has seen immense technological changes that I believe will continue. This change is having a profound effect on education and educators must learn to be a wise and prudent user of this tool. To this end, I am taking EDU 331 Digital Technology for Learning. I think technology has so much to offer both educator and student, but I also believe that it can, in some instances, be a hindrance. I am looking forward to learning myself and gaining more experience in how to distinguish the difference.
Technology should be used in education to build collaboration and aid learning. It must be the meansand not the end, or it will distract from the true goal of guiding students to be educated and contributing members of society. Will technology be part of their lives? Yes. Increasingly so. However, it will be a tool... for their jobs, for their collaboration with coworkers, for their communication with family and friends. It must be used in the classroom in a way that reflects this truth and points them towards a good approach to technology. As Ron Canuel in "Technology in Education: Research Says!!" says that it is easy, in evaluating technology in the classroom, to miss the forest for the trees. He says that rather than focusing on technology as producing or not producing results, educational researchers and teachers should see technology as part of a totality of factors that come together to promote student learning. Teachers should recognize that technology can be used, in combination with other teaching tools, collaboration, other instruction strategies, and classroom environment, to promote student engagement and ownership of their own learning.
Great thoughts, Sarah! I totally agree that technology should be incorporated into the classroom, and that it will be a tool that will connect them to society for the rest of their lives. I also agree that teachers need to realize that technology should not be the only tool they utilize to guide their students through learning.
ReplyDeleteSarah, you brought up the issue of diversity in the classroom… not that it’s an issue really. But reading your post made me wonder- consciously for the first time- how our technology-saturated culture, and now our technology-saturated schools are affecting immigrant students who have never had access to any sort of technology, let alone print books. Considering that larger numbers of immigrants are making up our population, do you think we’re doing them a dis-service by using technology so heavily? Is there something to be said for having been marinated (as Dr. Belcher likes say) in books as a young child first?
ReplyDeleteThanks for your thoughts, Sarah :)
ReplyDeleteI really like your point about how technology should be an aid/tool in teaching and not ALL of your teaching. I have been in several classrooms where the SMARTboard has essentially replaced the teacher!
I also really liked how you discussed how learning technology now will help them in the future when they are literally surrounded by it. Even though they will always be surrounded by technology, we need to make sure they understand that it is only a tool in the classroom, in their present lives and in their future careers. We need to "train" them now to be tech savvy; not dependent.
Hi Sarah! I really liked the part where you mentioned that technology "must be the means and not the end, or it will distract from the true goal of guiding students to be educated and contributing members of society. I think there is such a huge hype about technology these days that that is what we are focusing on, and not the true goal. I think technology can be very useful and beneficial for the students, however, it does need to be used in moderation, and must be the means and not the end, as you said. Very well said! I enjoyed reading this.
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas, thoughts and resources. I'm enjoying see how many people are already commenting on each others' blogs!
ReplyDeleteGreat post Sarah!
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned how technology needs to be used to help students learn. As teachers we need to remember that we use this technology properly and to generate a positive outcome. Teachers need to remember that these technology devices are there for education and not for other reasons. We then need to teach how to use technology properly to our students so they become aware of how technology impacts them everyday. In the future, it will be hard not to have technology in the classroom. We need to make sure students understand how to properly use technology so they are prepared for "real life" as well.
Technology is everywhere! As teachers we need to know how to use it effectively. Great start to the blogging world!
ReplyDeleteLove the line "a teacher must honor where a student is in their educational journey in order to help them progress at their own level."! P.s your background is awesome ;)
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