This video captured my college experience. We spend hundreds of dollars on books that end up being useless in the class.We walk into a classroom of about a 100 students and know that the professor will never know are name. College is not a personal experience for me. Its about cramming as many students in a classroom that can fit, to get a few extra dollars without having to hire more teachers. The average college student is about 20,000 dollars in debt after graduation, I am almost at that point and still have a year and a half to go. There is not anything that I would add to this video because I believe it hit the main things that make up my college experience.
Its Not About Technology
Though technology needs to be established in schools, the school system does not need to put the money up for it until the teachers our taught about the new technology and they are excited about the new ways to help students learn. Some teachers do not want to grasp a hold of new ways and this can become a problem for integrating these advances into our school. School should be about the students and what is in their best interest. Once this is established then we will reach the educational system that our schools should be at.
Is it okay to be a technologically illiterate teacher?
I loved how he said that as teachers we can not teach without first being taught as well. Learning is a continual process. We never just stop learning and that seems to be what has happened with some teachers. What they learned when they were studying for a degree in education is not the same as what I am studying right now to be an educator. I do not think they need to repeat all their courses but I do believe that teachers should have to take classes on the new technologies and how to adapt them into the classroom. They can not just learn this in a once a year workshop. This needs to be established throughout the year. With that in place, I believe our teachers could catch the fire of enthusiasm that future teachers have about technology in the classroom.
Gary's Social Media Count
Social media is something that is only going to get stronger as time progresses. Most students have a facebook or are texting all the time. This means that it is going to be harder to keep their attention when they are use to having everything happen so fast. I will need to integrate technology into my lessons to keep my students challenged and help them retain and learn the information given to them. With living in a fast paced society, students tend to be impatient when it comes to learning. This is where as a teacher I will need to have strategies to keep my students attention and to help them realize that some things take time to learn.
You have discussed what the Wesch video says about students. What does it say about how we organize and deliver instruction? Is there a message in it for you - the future educator? What is that message?
ReplyDelete"...it is the teachers fault for not making sure the students learned the material." Really? I have 20 students (out of 134) in EDM310 that have not done a single thing and a half dozen more that have only done the about me post, the Wordle and/or one more thing. And I am responsible for their not learning. I beg to differ! Is our job to create a learning environment where students can learn. But to take responsible for their not learning if they choose not to, or can't, seems unacceptable to me!
"So why aren't we teaching our students with them? " Or at least making sure the students have them!
Dr. Strange, I have to say, the situation for your class is different. You have provided the material, a student who has not completed the provided material and assignments is at fault. However, in an elementary school setting, which I believe is what is being discussed here, you cannot make a student do their homework either. After leaving the classroom, it is the students (or the student and their parents) responsibility to complete assignments. However, if you are teaching in a classroom, and a student is not understanding BECAUSE of the method you are using to teach them, it is the teachers responsibility to adjust that method to fit the needs of ALL of the students so that everyone is learning equally.
ReplyDeleteOn the Welsch video I believe that the way we are organizing and delivering instruction is wrong. We are not meeting the students needs with chalkboards, lectures, and books. Students are constantly using technology in their daily lives and it needs to be incorporated into the classroom. As a future educator, the message I took from this was to make a change. I want to broaden the ways I teach and use different types of technological devices to help my students succeed.
ReplyDeleteWhen you referred to what I said about it being the teachers fault, I feel like you didn't see my point or I didn't come across clearly. As an elementary teacher it will be my responsibility to make sure the students learn the material. If a majority of my class is not understanding the material, then I need to change my teaching style. Children learn at different speeds and styles and as a professional I feel that it is my responsibility to see them succeed. Now as for homework and other assignments it is their responsibility to complete the assignments. As for your EDM class, it is a class that is based on individual work that you are suppose to complete in your own time. This should be the responsibility of the students. But we are also talking about two totally different ages, as well.
Thank you for your questions!