Learning redifined by Technology

I guess I am going to date myself as I write this, but when I was in High School the only technology used was in the lab, when we used microscopes. The use of computers was just starting in introduction of writing programs.  That was a while ago!  Yes, technology has redefined learning.  Computers are now a necessity in every classroom, even if as in some schools, they are only used by teachers to communicate and prepare lessons.  But for those schools, which have the resources, it can be used to enhance teaching.  It is amazing how some teachers have created curriculums, using the tools of technology, to not only teach important concepts but help their students form collaborative communities that work together on projects that interest them.  A social studies class can be transformed from a place where you just learn about another country to virtually visiting a classroom in that country and interacting with students in that classroom on common projects. Click  http://youtu.be/oVni_HBCzg8  to see how Stumpenhorst uses technology in his classroom.

He has combined all the NETS standards ( http://www.scribd.com/doc/82866030/NETS-S-Standards )in developing his curriculum.  The students learn creativity and Innovation, communication and collaboration, research and information fluency, critical thinking and problem solving, digital citizenship and technology operations. Lavasseur (2011)  Says, “The teacher shifts from sage on the stage into more of a coaching role.”  Coaching the students through working as a team to learn content and develop their 21^st Centrury Skills.  If “perception and thinking are altered by the technology we use” (Lavasseur, 2011), then helping kids actually experience interactions with students from other places, instead of just reading about it, may actually open their minds and alter prejudices, and that is the end goal of education.

There are people who disagree with the idea of using technology in the classroom, and are not convinced of its benefits. Some schools, like the Waldorf School in Silicon Valley, have even gone so far as eliminating technology use in school.  Their students seem to be doing well and they have a 100% graduation rate. Rauterberg (2004) discusses the debate on the pros and cons of technology especially in the games children play.  The author states that “most of the Western societies tend to believe that the best way to a common goal is by rigorous and often aggressive dispute.” The debates are just beginning, but hopefully educators and parents can evaluate the results with proper research. The study did show that “Cooperative tasks promoted higher achievement than individual tasks in 108 studies, while 6 found the reverse, and 42 found no difference” (Rauterber , 2004, p. 54).

Cooperation or collaboration in doing a task is better than individual efforts.  This was definitely evident in the project assigned for this week’s module.  We used Typewithme to share our ideas on the pros and cons of technology use.  Click http://typewith.me/p/Technology_Titans to view our contributions to the debate.

References:

1. Video on Josh Stumpenhorst, 2012 Teacher of the Year. Retreived from        http://youtu.be/oVni_HBCzg8

2. Lavasseur, A. (Nov 10, 2011), Teaching without Technology? Media Shift.

3. Rauterberg, M. (2004), Positve Effects of Entertainment Technology on Human Behavior. Building the Information Society. pp. 51-58. R  retrieved from http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CEkQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fciteseerx.ist.psu.edu%2Fviewdoc%2Fdownload%3Fdoi%3D10.1.1.108.5480%26rep%3Drep1%26type%3Dpdf&ei=5lFKT4zxOub10gHXg5WDDg&usg=AFQjCNGiCj4lfF2G4rNAMZI4-NJFpNNqRA

Merging the two lives of Digital Citizens

We have to prepare our children and our students to be fully engaged citizens in the digital world, but in order to do this we as teachers cannot shy away from working with technology and teaching it. We also have to understand that simply expecting our students to stay focused on boring lectures instead of engaging their interest by using tools that are of interest to them, is not going to prepare them for real world situations. After all what is our purpose for educational institutes, if not to prepare students for careers and citizenship in the world.

Digital citizenship means character education for the Digital Age. It is to balance the individual empowerment of digital technology with a sense of personal, community, and global responsibility. (Ohler, 2011).  Our children should not be taught that technology has no part in their academic lives,and only plays a role in their social lives.The challenges to this approach starts with the school  itself.  In our school, parents as well as administrators feel all internet access should be blocked and any other form of technology use is not allowed except in the computer lab or if teachers are using it in their presentation of their lessons. Their fear is that students will abuse it in inappropriate ways.  In fact that is exactly what is happening.  From my research it is clear that our problem is our fear, and that fear will not help our students if we don't educate ourselves and empower them with the proper knowledge.

Click on this link follow an action plan for education students to live safe digital lives.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/82644766/Merging-Two-Lives-of-Digital-Citizens

In this power point presentation, I walk through the steps it will take to bring a community together to solve this problem.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/82126506

New Web Literacies

http://www.scribd.com/doc/80502249