1. Michael Wesch: A Vision of Students Today
I have sat in the classroom where the teacher does not know my name. I have sat in the classroom with a laptop and facebooked the entire time. I have sat in an auditorium class where there were more than 150 students. I have also been in a class where I have not attended often, but no one noticed except for probably my neighbor. This video is powerful. It posed the question what are students learning sitting in these large classrooms, the answer is simple not that much.
The video was much like my college experience when I was a freshman and sophomore at the University of South Alabama. Now that I am a Senior, the classes are smaller and the teachers care if you come to class! Also the classes I took my junior year mostly pertained to my major which made me want to come to class, because it was a course I actually cared about. So maybe in college we should only teach courses that pertain to every ones major instead of having classes that everyone is "supposed" to take, but most of the time never attend, pay attention, or read the text.
2. "It's Not About the Technology" by Kelly Hines
I really liked her blog post. She made valid points both for and against technology in the classroom. I believe teachers do need to update their techniques for the classroom, whether it is with technology or workshops. As teachers we need to thrive to be better all the time and to constantly be learning. Teachers can either chose to do that with or without technology. I totally agree that some money used on technology is wasted, because the teachers are not properly trained. Teachers need the proper tools if they are asked to use more updated technology in the classroom .
3. Karl Fisch: Is It Okay to Be A Technology Illiterate Teacher?
I do believe when a person is frustrated then the things that need to be said are then expressed without editing. I do not believe his post is offensive in the least. He spoke his mind on what he thought about teachers that are not literate in technology in the classroom. Although one thing that I disagreed with was that I am one of those people who will openly say I am not very good with computers. I am not saying that I am proud of not being good with computers, I am letting the people around me know that I will need extra help. If I am taught well then I will do well on the computer, but first I must be taught. Which is what teachers need. They need to be taught how to be technologically savvy in the classroom. I do not want to be a teacher 30 years ago that cannot read or write.
4. Gary Hayes Social Media Count
Geez Louise! I sat there and let a minute go by while I watched the Media Count change. I never thought the world to be so big and so technologically smart. I then thought about how many people were online at this very moment I was blogging and who else is actually blogging as well. This thought made my mind spin! I need to make use of the technology that is happening right now because it could help my career in the long run.
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Hi, enjoyed you post, I thought what you said about the teachers at South caring more, was true. Went here many years ago, and I had many teachers that you did not develop a relationship with. Now, it seems like that relationship developing happens more often. I really like the Baldwin county campus a lot also.
ReplyDeleteI thought you made some great points, and liked your writing style. We saw many of the same things, and had similar reactions. James Marshall
Wesch:
ReplyDeleteYou raise an interesting point with your "possible" suggestion that we should only have college courses that deal with majors. Talk about standing the concept of liberal arts on it's head! Maybe the appropriate things to do are to teach skills that are transferable rather than information which is the province of the disciplines or majors. If we move to transferable skills the context would more likely avoid burp-back techniques and emphasize project based learning. Worth discussing.
Kelly Hines:
I don't think that Ms. Hines argued against technology. Her argument is that technology does not guarantee good teaching which is critical.
Wesch:
Two comments of yours strike ma as interesting. You day you must be taught well. I would say that you must learn well. there is a big difference. We probably should ban the word "teacher" and substitute "learning coach". You are the person that must learn. We learning coaches must try to interest you in doing that and must also create a space which facilitates that learning. And "space" includes a lot of different things. The second point I would make is that we are not just talking about computers. In fact, computers as such are becoming less and less important.
Hayes:
It is amazing! Think about your future students and the tools they will already be using with great proficiency when you encounter them in two years. Will you be ready?
Very interesting. You raise a number of very important issues.