TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM
Karen Craig
EDU 533W Micaela Boesche
There are many schools today that are well equipped to handle a curriculum heavily based on technology use. However there are more where perhaps the best they have is a computer lab for limited student use. With such a heavy emphasis on the importance of technology in the classroom today, this can pose a problem for less fortunate students. It doesn’t seem fair to give assignments requiring computer use when some students have limited or no access.
In her article, Who are today’s Learners? Christine Greenhow offers some great advice on how to “get to know your students’ out-of-school technology access”. The price of computers has been continually becoming more and more affordable, and this trend will continue. I would guess that someday soon, all students will have a computer at home. Until then, there are many variables to consider, and I would use Greenhow’s techniques to find out as much as I could about access outside of school before deciding on how much technology to use in my curriculum. Some may have friends or relatives who would allow them to use their computer for assignments. I will make sure that any technology based assignments are manageable, and can be done in a reasonable amount of time in a school computer lab or library, so as not to impose a disadvantage. I have had some fun in this class setting up different sites for students to visit. I will have them available for students who wish to use them, but at this time I can’t say it would be a requirement.
In the article Social Justice Choice or Necessity, Swain and Edyburn point out some great resources to help schools get computers into the classrooms. As we become more and more technological in the schools, I think these programs will grow, and soon, all students will have opportunities.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Video Games as Learning Tools
Video games as learning tools
Karen Craig
EDU 533W Micaela Boesche
I believe that if a student wants to play a video game that is designed to teach, for example, The Civil War, then it would be a successful teaching tool. Just like when players have all the characters and facts memorized in the video games they are playing at home, students would learn and know all the facts about the Civil War after playing such a game in school. My opinion is that in a situation as this one, a video game that complemented the traditional educational setting would be effective. However, I personally would not like to see them take the place of traditional instruction. For many students, as with cell phones, video games are already such a large part of their routine, and to incorporate them into the classroom and perhaps replace the traditional system would be too much. I don’t say this because I am against video games. I say this because I feel that traditional school work at times can be hard work, and there is value in hard work. There is value in achieving self discipline and a good work ethic. I feel that perhaps video games are an easy, fun alternative for learning. This is great, however, there is not going to be a video game for every hurdle a student comes across in the future. There won’t always be an easy way to tackle problems and new ideas.
Gee says in his video interview, “we have de-professionalized teachers; we’ve allowed a bunch of textbooks and tests, and politicians, and schools of education to supervise them and to do curriculum for them in ways that take away their professional responsibilities.” I agree with this, but I feel video games would also take away from teachers. If we had a video game for every subject or concept, then the video game would be doing all the work. In moderation, video games designed to teach and assess, and allow teacher and student to become “partners in learning” is a positive aspect.
Video games will not be used in my classroom as I plan to teach Physical Education to younger students. In Today’s technologies, Tomorrow’s Learning, a lot is said about Social Networking. A site as this set up for a classroom for students and teachers to communicate and share ideas is terrific. For me, this will work great. It won’t be a requirement, but students will be able to give their input on different aspects of the class and I will welcome all. As in my Wiki example, I plan to ask students to play a part in designing some aspects of their routine, and search for other ways to become healthy that we could use in class.
Karen Craig
EDU 533W Micaela Boesche
I believe that if a student wants to play a video game that is designed to teach, for example, The Civil War, then it would be a successful teaching tool. Just like when players have all the characters and facts memorized in the video games they are playing at home, students would learn and know all the facts about the Civil War after playing such a game in school. My opinion is that in a situation as this one, a video game that complemented the traditional educational setting would be effective. However, I personally would not like to see them take the place of traditional instruction. For many students, as with cell phones, video games are already such a large part of their routine, and to incorporate them into the classroom and perhaps replace the traditional system would be too much. I don’t say this because I am against video games. I say this because I feel that traditional school work at times can be hard work, and there is value in hard work. There is value in achieving self discipline and a good work ethic. I feel that perhaps video games are an easy, fun alternative for learning. This is great, however, there is not going to be a video game for every hurdle a student comes across in the future. There won’t always be an easy way to tackle problems and new ideas.
Gee says in his video interview, “we have de-professionalized teachers; we’ve allowed a bunch of textbooks and tests, and politicians, and schools of education to supervise them and to do curriculum for them in ways that take away their professional responsibilities.” I agree with this, but I feel video games would also take away from teachers. If we had a video game for every subject or concept, then the video game would be doing all the work. In moderation, video games designed to teach and assess, and allow teacher and student to become “partners in learning” is a positive aspect.
Video games will not be used in my classroom as I plan to teach Physical Education to younger students. In Today’s technologies, Tomorrow’s Learning, a lot is said about Social Networking. A site as this set up for a classroom for students and teachers to communicate and share ideas is terrific. For me, this will work great. It won’t be a requirement, but students will be able to give their input on different aspects of the class and I will welcome all. As in my Wiki example, I plan to ask students to play a part in designing some aspects of their routine, and search for other ways to become healthy that we could use in class.
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