After reading the Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants 2 part article by Marc Prensky, I felt almost guilty for letting down the needs of my digitally-minded students. I feel like I need to step it up in the classroom and incorporate more technology and I intend to do just that, but I told a colleague about the article and what she said has made me think that generalizing is dangerous business in the classroom.
My colleague and friend mentioned that her daughter prefers the "lecture and give me what I need to know" approach to teaching. She doesn't like bells and whistles, just the facts. I completely understand, and appreciate, that auditory learners prefer being told rather than sifting through information and reading to find what they need. So what about podcasts or other auditory forms of technology?
After talking about that, my colleague and I recalled how much our students hated using video tutorials for Photoshop. This made me think that there's only one thing we can do-go directly to the source. Students are the only people who can tell us how they learn best and what kinds of technology they want to use. Prensky also suggests this approach. Ask the natives what they want and give them choices.
Immigrants, let us unite and work with the natives rather than trying to guess what they need or like!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Hands Off the Mouse!
One of the articles I read last week for my Concepts of Education Technology class mentioned letting students play more of an active role in technology integration in the classroom. I completely agree with the idea. Some of my students can do things with technology that I never dreamed of doing, and they teach me!
After considering all the things my students know how to do before they even walk in my classroom, I've decided to become a partner in learning rather than a lecturer. I want my students to depend on themselves and feel confident in their ability to learn things without me spoon-feeding it to them. Therefore, I am adopting and adapting the "Hands off the Mouse" approach to teaching.
"Hands off the Mouse" means not taking the mouse out of a student's hand to show them how to use a piece of software. Instead, I talk them through a process so that they are doing the clicking. This is harder than I thought. I never realized what a habit my mouse take-overs had become until I had to force myself not to do it, but I have been avoiding mouse take-overs for a week now and it's paying off.
I noticed after just two days of hands off my students are picking up processes much quicker. They are not asking for the same directions over and over, and they are also more confidently attempting to do things on their own even though they might not "get it".
Most notably, however, is the help they are offering to each other. I watched a freshman boy checking on and helping the upperclassmen on either side of him. When I told him how awesome I thought it was that he was helping his neighbors he started helping students all over the classroom! Incredible! This set off a chain reaction and the quality of the work in that particular class is far and away superior to, and more creative than, my other classes. I also noticed that when they help each other they talk each other through the process-no mouse take-overs. Interesting.
After the success of "Hands off the Mouse", I am going to try more student-centered strategies.
After considering all the things my students know how to do before they even walk in my classroom, I've decided to become a partner in learning rather than a lecturer. I want my students to depend on themselves and feel confident in their ability to learn things without me spoon-feeding it to them. Therefore, I am adopting and adapting the "Hands off the Mouse" approach to teaching.
"Hands off the Mouse" means not taking the mouse out of a student's hand to show them how to use a piece of software. Instead, I talk them through a process so that they are doing the clicking. This is harder than I thought. I never realized what a habit my mouse take-overs had become until I had to force myself not to do it, but I have been avoiding mouse take-overs for a week now and it's paying off.
I noticed after just two days of hands off my students are picking up processes much quicker. They are not asking for the same directions over and over, and they are also more confidently attempting to do things on their own even though they might not "get it".
Most notably, however, is the help they are offering to each other. I watched a freshman boy checking on and helping the upperclassmen on either side of him. When I told him how awesome I thought it was that he was helping his neighbors he started helping students all over the classroom! Incredible! This set off a chain reaction and the quality of the work in that particular class is far and away superior to, and more creative than, my other classes. I also noticed that when they help each other they talk each other through the process-no mouse take-overs. Interesting.
After the success of "Hands off the Mouse", I am going to try more student-centered strategies.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Texas Long Range Plan for Technology
The Texas Long Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020 includes recommendations for Educator Preparation and Development. The recommendations outline the current status of technology integration in Texas classrooms and the future of technology education for teachers. Included are specific improvement recommendations for state and local agencies, regional service centers, colleges and universities, and community members.
Progress in the area of teacher preparation and professional development is slow, although new teachers who graduated from college education programs seem to know more about technology integration than teachers who completed alternative certification programs. As far as staff development is concerned, I am blessed to be teaching in a school that opened in 2006 and was built with technology as a component of instruction where most teachers are eager to integrate technology. Professional development programs I have attended in the last three years have been useful, but the most helpful information comes from time we are given each week to collaborate with other teachers.
In my district, online sources of professional development are becoming increasingly popular and available. Online courses provided by the district are accessible through the district website. Courses from using Excel spreadsheets to creating a podcast are available 24/7.
It has been my experience that teachers on my campus want to learn to use technology; they simply do not have time. More time should be devoted to technology-related professional development. Technology lessons for teachers could be broken down into small segments that teachers would be more likely to attend.
Progress in the area of teacher preparation and professional development is slow, although new teachers who graduated from college education programs seem to know more about technology integration than teachers who completed alternative certification programs. As far as staff development is concerned, I am blessed to be teaching in a school that opened in 2006 and was built with technology as a component of instruction where most teachers are eager to integrate technology. Professional development programs I have attended in the last three years have been useful, but the most helpful information comes from time we are given each week to collaborate with other teachers.
In my district, online sources of professional development are becoming increasingly popular and available. Online courses provided by the district are accessible through the district website. Courses from using Excel spreadsheets to creating a podcast are available 24/7.
It has been my experience that teachers on my campus want to learn to use technology; they simply do not have time. More time should be devoted to technology-related professional development. Technology lessons for teachers could be broken down into small segments that teachers would be more likely to attend.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
