Michael Wesch: A Vision of Students Today
That was a great video. Most all of that is very true and but only some of that applies to me. I get, on a good day, about 7 hours of sleep, but usually no more than 5 or 6. Then, while in class, I do not usually pay complete attention to the lecture, as I surf the net more often than not. I most definitely have never had over 100 students in any of my classes though. I have yet to read a single book in its entirety much less 8 of them. Most academic literature I use come from the internet. And about 80% of my teachers know me and my face quite well. Also, I manage my personal life and extra curricular activities pretty well. However, I will greatly agree that most of the things that we learn in college will not help us on the paths we plan to take, nor will they help us deal with the largest issues to deal with in society, such as war, internet predators, or natural disasters, among millions of other issues. And I'm not entirely sure if technology is going to save the students, but it will definitely make things much more convenient and help them through it all.
This video actually made me consider how trivial college is. There are teachers who would forget you just as fast as you arrived. There are issues that people go through everyday that the classroom will never be able to prepare you for. Then, in order to be well energized to go to these classes that don’t really help them, students try to get as much sleep as possible after dealing with all of the homework given to them, leaving them with about 4-8 hours of rest a night. It would have been better if the producer allowed a couple of the students to speak about their experiences. One of the last camera angles where it showed the web of issues the girl would go through was rather difficult to read. Other than those very small obscure issues, everything else was clear, accurate (in most cases), and absolutely brilliant. It was a fantastic and well made film.
"It's Not About the Technology" by Kelly Hines
I completely agree with Parts 1 and 2. In order for trends to evolve, teachers must also evolve the way they teach. They have to motivate themselves to do something creative with the class, because if they rely solely on the text, the students will lose interest and that is where they will start to fall behind in class. Then, once a student falls behind, they will learn less and if they learn nothing, then we have failed as teachers.
Though I will agree that you do not NEED technology to be an effective teacher, I must say that technology will most definitely make your daily routine much simpler, as it can help one plan their curriculum, create lab sheets, and electronically connect the instructor to their students so that can contact them with any concerns they may have. The primary thing that you need above everything is to be creative and innovative during your lectures, that way the students can find ways to relate what they already know to what you are teaching.
Karl Fisch: Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher?
I must say that, though that was rather harsh, Mr. Fisch had his points and he made them. It is without question that, with the trend of technological evolution at the rate it is going, every instructor should have, at least, basic knowledge of computer literacy. In this day and age, an instructor who is unable to create a spreadsheet, record grades electronically, or even print out a test has little to no future in the educational industry, ESPECIALLY those teaching the younger, elementary level students as their lack of ability and passion to learn how to effectively use a computer puts off a bad impression on the young students and may give them the impression that computers are more of a luxury than a necessity.
Hopefully, all people of this day and age understand that computer technology is more than just a convenience, it is a tool to maximize productivity. Everyone should realize that the faster an individual can work, the more they can accomplish. No one can argue that printing out a single test 30 times, enough for every student in the class, is a much more efficient use of one’s time and energy than to write down the same test on 30 sheets of paper. At the same time, a person cannot look to find someone who knows how to print said test every time they need it. It would be a much better use of time for everyone if the person just found out how to do it themselves. Much like reading, computers are becoming the new norm of everyday life, and the sooner teachers can get on the ball, they better it will be for those the students as well as themselves.
Gary's Social Media Count
That was trippy. However, as I observed it, I couldn't help but feel that it was an automated counter. So, I read more into the blog, and found that I was correct in my assumption as it is a Flash Application that simulates online activity. Although, had it been a truly active counter, that would have been extremely interesting. That meter would have to stop some time, right? As an instructor, this shows that, though the blackboard is where the classroom learning is, the technology and internet applications will eventually become the best and most efficient way to teach. Branching out to iPhones, blogs, and YouTube will become, if it isn't already, a great way to teach not just your own students, but also any curious mind who becomes interested in what you may have to say. How interesting.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Wow! Great blog, I agree with what you said about Hines' video. Teachers do need to think of other ways to teach than solely relying on the text in order to keep student interest which will in turn lead to learning. I suppose technology combined with a creative teacher will be the ultimate solution for this issue. I also do think that Hines has an underlying theme that there needs to be a balance between technology based instruction and non technology based instruction (actual teaching), this point I agreed with and still find a little confusing as to how one accomplishes this in the classroom. I also found it interesting about how you shed light upon the subject of computers maximizing output. This is right on the money. If we want to be effective in the classroom we have to be efficient and maximize our output to best benefit our students, technology help us do this. Great posts!
ReplyDeleteYou blog a lot better than I do, you get your ideas across better. I also thought that the counter was automated - it would take too many resources and constant browser refreshing to accurately count all of those posts. And I agree a lot with your ideas. I think that teachers should have a good basic knowledge of computers, but students can learn rather effectively without the use of computers.
ReplyDeleteVery well put, Cuong! I didn't know that the counter was automated, but that makes sense. I wonder how well the counter reflects the actual numbers.
ReplyDeleteI have never been in a class with 100+ people either, but I would imagine that it is very stressful on the instructor as well as the student. It must be difficult to cater to 100 students needs.
Technology allows you to capture data instantly by sharing it rather than sending it, so the count may be right.
ReplyDeleteAs for the 100 people in the class the same applies; send a test with possible types of answers (you will see this in Google docs under Documents, New, Spreadsheet) and you will have instant results when the test is over. Graded ready to go and maximizing both your time as a teacher and lack of expense with supplies.
You could actually have live feed or recorded class lectures going out covering an entire degree program and students could take the course from anywhere at anytime and (other than ethically) finish a course in six months or ten years for one cost. That way education is accessible and affordable to all. Those who prefer to have class discussion can attend if they wish. You said it "80% of the time you are surfing the web and wonder what is being taught."
I can attend Cambridge University, Harvard lectures,M.I.T., and various schools all over the world right now for free because of technology. Distance learning is a experience offered to almost all graduate students, but the university does not offer this to undergraduates. Why am I being limited?
Most of the professors see this as a way of the future but also a definite threat to job security; I see it as a way to attain job security.
Very true. Those of us who are able to master and adapt to the ever evolving world of technology will become more likely to gain and keep their jobs because the changing technology will bother us less because we find it less of a threat and confusing issue, and more of a chance to learn something new. Excellent point Jim.
ReplyDeleteSo the meter caught your attention and raised questions. While most classes don't. Interesting. And your point about Ms. Hines comments is well taken. Yes, you can be a good teacher without technology, but you need to use the technology to be a good teacher in the context of the technological world in which we live.
ReplyDeleteA comment on Jim's comment. Wow. A constant network. I hadn't thought of that!