Well, since I am virtually bored out of my mind here at home and I need hours for certification, I decided to take an online professional development regarding technology in the classroom. So, I read the first set of information given and I actually agree with quite a bit of the content. It basically stated that the children of today are technology natives and all others are technology immigrants. That these kids brains are literally different from ours bc they have been so exposed to technology. Therefore, they need fast pace information and we as technology immigrants have to learn to speak their language.
I kind of see myself as a hybrid here. I mean I love FB and I can play Zumba, talk on the phone, and watch tv and keep up pretty well. I know prefer a good documentary or film to reading a history book and I read more on cnn daily than I have ever read in a newspaper. These are things my parents feel are foreign and could not imagine trying to do all at once. Having said all this, I see 2 problems emerging without any solution.
Problem 1: Children's lack of ability to think or retain information. The article wants teachers to do most of their teaching through technology driven activities(which will be part of problem 2) or through "out of you seat, moving activities". An example of this would be having the students act out the Nuremberg trials as opposed to reading them or taking notes. Well, I agree acting it out will help them retain information but there is no way given for them to get the information to act it out. They don't know what the trial is, who the people were, or why it is important. So, it seems to me this would be a great activity after a basic lecture for base info but not the lesson in and of itself.
Problem 2: I have found that my kids learn more when the lecture notes are on powerpoint with pictures and video embedded as opposed to reading or completing a worksheet. I also agree that they would probably do very well if they were allowed to do webquests and explore the Holocaust Museum Online. So, where you as is the problem. Where are these computers going to com from? (Side note for SB: It hurt to end this sentence with a preposition but it is how I would say it) People in this country do not want to fund education enough for Lee High school to have air conditioning and heat or to provide me with a computer that works much less provide every kid with a laptop or Ipad to complete classwork.
So, I feel like again, there are some bright minds out there pointing out what is wrong and what can fix it but no viable solution to put the fix into practice. It is frustrating and I wish sometimes that I had the balls to quit being a drone in the nonworking system and be a fighter for real solutions being put into place. But, I don't have those balls but I do have these bills. So, I guess I will just doing what I can with what I have and making my classroom as interesting as I can with what I have.....
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