In Chapter 12 of Curriculum 21, Jacobs talks about how technology and a student's "ability to gather information" (pg. 197) are seeking a change in the classroom. When I was in elementary school, we had old mac computers and the only thing we could do on them was draw pictures and print them out. That is the only form of technology we really had. Now, students have smart boards, iPads, laptops, LCD projectors, and many other technological devices at their disposal. As Jacobs mentioned, choosing a tool to use and how to integrate it may take some extra thought.
Before TV and other multimedia tools, teachers taught the curriculum to their students through textbooks, pictures, maps, and other instructional strategies. Many teachers still teach this way today. this seems like a problem to me. Students are demanding a change in the way that the curriculum is brought to them. They have so many ways to gather information so teachers really need to create new ways to implement the curriculum. As Jacobs said in Chapter 12, "It is crucial to begin looking at what is truly driving change in the 21st century classroom: the students" (pg. 199).
Maybe we are coming at technology from the wrong way...trying to "incorporate it" when what we really want to do is use it in some useful way. Just like teachers have always done with maps, textbooks, pictures, and the like. So, maybe we shouldn't choose a tool, but rather decide what we want kids to do and how we want them to respond.
ReplyDeleteUsing our assignment #2 as an example...many people responded in written form...but others made podcasts and one person submitted a Prezi. They all did the same thing...focused their thinking on the questions I asked, but in different ways.
What do you think, A?
We also need to address how the parents and communities look at education. There needs to be some educating there as well as to what is available and our expectations. Many parents still expect that students will be taught the way that they were.We are finally making progress in the area of report cards, but now the actual instruction and assessment need some time invested. A great way to do this is through a classroom website where you can post the projects for parents to see and interact with. The biggest issue that I have right now, as a kindergarten teacher, is that I am introducing my students to a lot of new technology, but they aren't at a point in their thinking where they can "brainstorm" how they will present the information using technology.
ReplyDeleteI dont' think teachers should try to add or incorporate technology into lesson plans just because it is available. Teacher really need to look at what is being taught and see if any of the available technologies will benefit the content. I also remember creating stick pictures on the computer, I'm not sure what we should have gotten from that lesson, but it seems to me that would be a good example of the technology leading the content, which doesn't seem very effective.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Ed, that we should focus more on using technology in a way that is useful instead of incorporating it, like you said Rachael, just because it is available.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Kathleen, working at the early elementary level is tough in terms of technology because we can expose these students to the technology but the students can't always use it in a way that makes sense for their learning.
I agree, Ed, that we should focus more on using technology in a way that is useful instead of incorporating it, like you said Rachael, just because it is available.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Kathleen, working at the early elementary level is tough in terms of technology because we can expose these students to the technology but the students can't always use it in a way that makes sense for their learning.