I feel my background it technology is at an adequate working level. I understand how to work most programs, and if I am not sure about something I know where I can find the information I need. I think my real education of technology started to take off when I went to college. This introduction spanned from learning how to use more advanced office programs and building simple web-sites throughout the mandatory 101 computer class; to more informal learning through the start of Web-sites like Napster and My Space. The social expectation at the time that every student have their own computer created lots of time for tinkering around the Web. My level of being technologically savvy has stayed pretty consistent since then.
Throughout middle school and high school I remember just listening to the teacher and/or other students go around the room and read aloud out of the text book while the rest of us took note after note after note, simultaneously counting down the minutes until the class was over. Technology and the creative ideas that can be spawned from it seem to have the ability to get us out of this rut. In the video, Learning to Change - Changing to learn, as well as in all of the articles there were current themes that were stressed. Critical thinking, problem solving, and information literacy through technology are valuable lessons I agree students need to be exposed to.
I am happy to see the movement towards information literacy and critical thinking through technology is already in progress. For example, Susan M. Allen and Karen M. Dutt-Doner advocate for the use of digitized historical documents so students can come up with their own ideas of what the documents stand for instead of just solely taking the text book authors interpretation. Also, Rona Frederick discovered that even teachers in under funded areas started using technology to not only engage the students but try to reshape the curriculum standards in her area. Rona Frederick stated, “Jones used the Internet and graphic technology as a way of finding liberating stories, disseminating those stories, and encouraging her students to develop their individual voices.” Altogether the video and these articles show that technology and education can provide a very exciting combination and endless possibilities bringing the fascination of learning back to educators and students alike.
This is my first experience with an online classroom. My expectations for this class are to learn how to use and become comfortable with an online class in general so I will be able to sign up for other online and hybrid classes throughout my tenure at MSU. I also look forward to making some contacts with my classmates so we can become available to each other as a support network during our studies here.
It is very encouraging to read your philosophical view of integrating technology in the classroom. I think technology is under utilized and there is a need for individuals like you to foster learning models that increase intelligence through the use of technology.
ReplyDeleteThis is my first experience with an online classroom as well. I have to admit I was a little nervous at first, but like you, I would like to become comfortable with taking online classes so that I can do it more it the future.
ReplyDeleteYou hit on some important topics - information literacy and critical thinking. We will explore these in more depth as the semester moves on.
ReplyDeleteGreat discuss on what you gleaned from the article and video.
It's funny how you commented on how you remember listening to teachers speak all day as the students took note after note - this is exactly how I remember my entire school career! With the exception of a couple college classes, I absolutely dreaded sitting through class for this reason. I extremely familiar with the Microsoft Excel and Power Point applications through my experiences working for a bank. I would like to think that if I went through school again in today's technology driven society, I'd be better fit.
ReplyDeleteJust like you and Anthony, this is my first online class. Based on reading the comments above, as well as your blog, I feel that we will be able to become more comfortable with this class through our similar goals (I remember those read-around-the-circle classes and disliked them as well) and our ability to work within our cohort.
ReplyDeleteI too am new to online courses, but I have blogged and created wikis before. I really liked your integration of the article into your discussion about implementing technology in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI think that technology is a great way to promote critical thinking! Webquests and doing actual research is an excellent way to expose kids and help them use technology as well as to show them how to find information, a skill much more important today than just "knowing" information.