As the first section of our teaching with technology class comes to an end, I'd like to devote a blog to some of the takeaways that I have so far. And because it's late, I'm distracted easily, and I like the challenge, I'm going to try and do it with a series of videos and images.
Here we go.
1.) Technology is certainly beneficial, but can definitely be misunderstood and misused.
The opportunities that technology provides are incredible. We can figure out just about anything within seconds by pulling out our phones and opening our Google apps. We can stay in touch with friends that have moved 2000 miles away; with the simple click of a button we can not only talk to them but we can see them as well. We have the power to, in our classrooms, open up a document and watch as 6 different group members all edit the same page at the same time. We can, in our history classrooms, open up Google Earth and instantly transport our classes to the Andes, the Great Wall of China or the Grand Canyon. Yet all of this must be taken with the understanding that it can be abused and misused. There are countless internet scams and the amount of propaganda and useless information on the internet may very well surpass the useful. We must understand that simply because a technology has advised us or encouraged us to do something in a particular way, it doesn't mean that we should follow the advice. Otherwise, we might end up driving our car into a lake because the GPS instructed us to.
2.) Technology has its place in the classroom, but must be kept in check.
We have been shown all of the wonderful ways that technology can aid our classrooms. We've discussed Google Docs, Primary Pads, Evernote, online assessment methods, iclickers, byod policies and more. And the potential that these resources have is wonderful, but they must be kept in check. At the end of the day, the student is using the technology to advance and enhance their learning and that is it, nothing more. And the temptation that some/most of these technologies provide to being distracted must be kept in mind.
3.) Whenever told new information, we should always consider the source and the underlying message.
This idea pertains to all means of conveyed information be it a friend telling us, a newspaper reporting on it or some other medium. It is particularly important when dealing with information on the internet though. Every bit of information is conveyed by someone who has opinions, beliefs, values and a voice. The internet has developed a reputation as a place that people take to in order to share these things; hell look at what I'm doing right now. As a result, we must consider the sources of the information that we may be gathering as well as the potential biases and opinions that may be employed to get an underlying message across. With this healthy skepticism, we can be better prepared for taking information from techonlogy.
4.) Despite what obstacles you might face, if you are on the right path you will willingly accept the challenge.
So this one has less to do with technology and more to do with the course and the program as a whole. An unfortunate, but common (and necessary) thread throughout our courses this summer was the daunting task that we are undertaking choosing to become teachers. We live in a time where standards are becoming stricter, assessments are becoming more critical, pay and benefits are being cut and resources are lacking. Despite all of this I couldn't be more excited about my future. I know that these obstacles loom like a hurdle at the end of a 3200, but I am more than happy to take on the challenge because I know that what I am doing is one of the most important things that someone can choose to do. I will be teacher, I will make a difference, and I will never, ever, ever give up trying.
Great post! Are you going to continue blogging? You're a natural: you balance informative and entertaining really well!
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering how you plan to address texting in class? I assume you won't be saying what the meme says... But do you think it would work to have a poster of that meme in your classroom? Maybe just a visual reminder not to get distracted is enough.
I enjoyed this post, thanks!
Once again, wonderful post, and wonderful use of The Office references. Your first point really resonated, because I think it covers a really big chunk of everything we've talked about. Is technology beneficial? Yes. I think we've pretty well covered that so far this semester? Can it be misused? Yes. I've never driven into a lake, but I have been known to go unreasonably far in the wrong direction because I thought I was following my GPS (though that might be user error, and not necessarily the GPS's fault...). The idea of technology being misunderstood connected in my mind to what we talked about in our last class, about teaching with colleagues who may be hesitant to adopt new methods. I think that was a really important point that we didn't talk a whole lot about... next year, we'll be the "newbies," and we need to know how to effectively but politely suggest "crazy" new strategies. It's tricky, but we need to at the very least try. Because, you miss 100% of the shots you don't take (( -Wayne Gretzsky) - Michael Scott).
ReplyDeleteDude this was a great post!
ReplyDeleteI think your visuals were a great addition to all of the reflections you offer in this post. I really related to the first point you bring up. Something I've been thinking about this whole semester is the idea of not using technology in the classroom solely because it's just there. There should be a purpose for using technology in a way that facilitates student learning. Just because you discovered a really cool website doesn't always mean that you're students will benefit from it. I'm definitely still grappling with how to implement technology in my classroom and I'm hoping our class in the fall will continue to challenge our beliefs about this technological topic!
Awesome post Casey. I second Ms. Dinh's comment, well everyone's comment really about you being a natural at this. The organization, the video supplements, and the thought provoking ideas. I was especially moved by the last paragraph in your post. It's hard for some to imagine why we would want to enter a world so full of uncertainty, but as you said, it's the most important job in the world. The most rewarding in my opinion, too. Thanks for the encouraging words. And I always love the office references. So good.
ReplyDeleteAw yiss. I think your perspective on the Internet is a really healthy one. On one hand, it's INCREDIBLE: The near entirety of human knowledge; the ability to view photographic and even three-dimensional representations of almost all inhabited places; and the potential for digital collaboration in real time -- and all of it's about three minutes away. We are the future, man. On the other hand: what a sketch festival! Scams, propositions of back-alley proportions, weirdos. I think that this is one of the many ways in which the internet, as a mainstream form of communication, differs from the one directly preceding it (that of TV). Where TV is/was screened by people who are aware that there are legal and monetary ramifications to gettin' all not-wholesome, the internet has none of these. It's a free-for-all.
ReplyDeleteThe need for us to teach our students how to operate in a safe and responsible way within this free-for-all is of vital importance. To neglect this kind of teaching would be akin to dropping a ten-year-old in the middle of New York City and saying "go!" without informing him that, yeah, the pizza's really good and all, but there are terrible people who want your parents' ransom money. We need to give our kids the same understanding that we have about the internet and are continuing to grow: that there are people who act in ways that are not-to-do, but that with a prudent mindset, the google-o-sphere can be a beautiful, hilarious, and powerfully developmental place.
In other news, I used to have a fear of hurdles ... but I got over it.
I'M OUT
Reading through this post helped me reflect on all the key points we covered throughout the summer. It was a great reminder of how my thoughts have shifted in different ways over the past few weeks as I’ve gained new insights about teaching with technology. I’m much more open to using technology in the classroom under the condition that it’s used for a specific learning goal with appropriate monitoring. I also appreciated the way you ended the post with such resilience despite circumstances – I wonder how we can encourage one another to sustain this attitude and share it with others as we start teaching.
ReplyDeleteAlso, along with everyone else, I'm loving how well you're living up to the Office theme of your blog. The clips are so well-placed! Do you have all the shows memorized? How do you find all these clips?! Thanks for such a thoughtful, comprehensive post Casey!