Picture courtesy of bu.edu
My next blog topic is on technology and blended learning. Here is a post I wrote in January of 2013
As many of you may know, I am active on twitter. I recently saw a tweet requesting that the educational community no longer refer to educational technology as “Ed Tech”, but rather just “education”. I completely agree with this sentiment since technology is not something extraneous to education. If used in the proper way, technology , it should be PART of education Just as we go about our everyday life utilizing technology to enhance access to our surroundings, so too technology, if used in the proper way, should be improving our children’s education.
@AngelaMaires a noted educator and author offers the following acronym to highlight how technology should be used in the RIGHT way.
R-Real: Technology must make the learning real
I-Impact: Technology must have an impact on our students
G-Global:Technology allows learning to be global and reach beyond the classroom walls
H-Honor: Technology allows our children to be passionate about their learning
T- Talent: Technology allows students who may struggle with traditional academic approaches to show their true talent and shine
Below are some of the ways that technology should and could be used to make it RIGHT
1. Learning is not confined to the classroom, but students connect to the outside world in ways never before possible. As an example skyping with the author of a book you just read.
2. Not only do student connect to the world, but they experience things through technology which would not be possible otherwise. Imagine exploring the surface of the moon through your web browser, swimming to the bottom of the ocean, or exploring the Temple.
3. Technology allows for opens lines of communication between administration, teachers, parents, and students.
4. Multimedia can enrich the overall learning experience. Math curriculum provides the students with hands on, interactive math lessons. Students record themselves reading as they read a story on the iPad downloaded on "audionote", student replays and judge themselves whether or not they used expression and how long it took them to read. After listening to the recording, students reread the paragraph and try to beat their initial time
5. Technology allows students to publish their work rather than just handing in a report. Students created a "Homophone Pictionary" in Publisher. To do this, the children merge language arts skills on homophones with hands on computer skills.
6. Technology allows students to take ownership of their learning and individualize their learning goals
7. Technology is a fundamental component of our world and our children are learning the relevant life skills to help them become contributing members of society.
8. Technology also allows children to engage in important traditional lessons such as increased collaboration and creativity. Setting up a classroom blog is another great example.
Our primary focus needs to be that ensure the well being of our students, to maximize our children’s learning, teach them to respect their peers and to expose them to the wonders of the world in which we live. We must remember that technology is simply a means to that goal.
My next blog topic is on technology and blended learning. Here is a post I wrote in January of 2013
As many of you may know, I am active on twitter. I recently saw a tweet requesting that the educational community no longer refer to educational technology as “Ed Tech”, but rather just “education”. I completely agree with this sentiment since technology is not something extraneous to education. If used in the proper way, technology , it should be PART of education Just as we go about our everyday life utilizing technology to enhance access to our surroundings, so too technology, if used in the proper way, should be improving our children’s education.
@AngelaMaires a noted educator and author offers the following acronym to highlight how technology should be used in the RIGHT way.
R-Real: Technology must make the learning real
I-Impact: Technology must have an impact on our students
G-Global:Technology allows learning to be global and reach beyond the classroom walls
H-Honor: Technology allows our children to be passionate about their learning
T- Talent: Technology allows students who may struggle with traditional academic approaches to show their true talent and shine
Below are some of the ways that technology should and could be used to make it RIGHT
1. Learning is not confined to the classroom, but students connect to the outside world in ways never before possible. As an example skyping with the author of a book you just read.
2. Not only do student connect to the world, but they experience things through technology which would not be possible otherwise. Imagine exploring the surface of the moon through your web browser, swimming to the bottom of the ocean, or exploring the Temple.
3. Technology allows for opens lines of communication between administration, teachers, parents, and students.
4. Multimedia can enrich the overall learning experience. Math curriculum provides the students with hands on, interactive math lessons. Students record themselves reading as they read a story on the iPad downloaded on "audionote", student replays and judge themselves whether or not they used expression and how long it took them to read. After listening to the recording, students reread the paragraph and try to beat their initial time
5. Technology allows students to publish their work rather than just handing in a report. Students created a "Homophone Pictionary" in Publisher. To do this, the children merge language arts skills on homophones with hands on computer skills.
6. Technology allows students to take ownership of their learning and individualize their learning goals
7. Technology is a fundamental component of our world and our children are learning the relevant life skills to help them become contributing members of society.
8. Technology also allows children to engage in important traditional lessons such as increased collaboration and creativity. Setting up a classroom blog is another great example.
Our primary focus needs to be that ensure the well being of our students, to maximize our children’s learning, teach them to respect their peers and to expose them to the wonders of the world in which we live. We must remember that technology is simply a means to that goal.
I think the advancement of technology in education is what makes #1 more and more true. "Learning" is not the sole domain of the K12 industry any longer.
ReplyDeleteThis is good news if you do not maintain a scarcity point of view. Teachers who think there is only so much to go around may be frightened by this. Those who embrace it can leverage it to their advantage.
Nice thoughts Akevy!
Penny
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment
In my opinion, technologies already are incorporated into education. Think of computers. A computer is a technology. http://skywritingservice.com/blog/future-of-technology-influence-on-our-education Learning is not about staying in the classroom walls anymore. One is able to study wherever s/he once there is an internet and a wifi connection.
ReplyDelete