Blog Post #1
Don't panic...it's disco time. My name is Kate Martinez, and this is my blog. I think technology plays a huge role in teaching and development in the classroom, and should be integrated in all grade levels...to certain extents. For example, Kindergarten could have a screen in their classroom for the teacher to put their daily slide shows showing visual aids of letters, colors, and numbers. Then, in grades like grade 12, you can have the students of an English class record, edit, and post a modern day "movie" of a Shakespeare play to show their understanding in a visual and team work level. I can speak from my own experience when it comes to "witnessing" effective use of technology in a classroom setting. In 8th grade, my district was introduced to Chromebooks for the first time ever, and we used Google sites to create our digital portfolios to show to student led conferences, which used to be on paper. This not only helped me in my creativity skills, but also allowed me to get proficient in tools such as Word, Presentations, and website creating. I haven't witnessed any negative effects of technology in the classroom, if it has been used for education purposes only. For example, one would think that music could be distracting for students trying to get work done, but studies show that classical music can help students get their brain moving and functioning in order to focus on the task at hand.
Have a Dr. Pepper today,
Kate.
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ReplyDeleteI like your example regarding the usage of screens in kindergarten, I agree that such visual aids can enhance learning, especially since a part of the population (including myself) are visual learners. Despite this, I do believe that it is, to an extent, unnecessary. In fact, I could argue that having physical "props" of letters and numbers for students to also physically interact with can be "more" effective, but that's for another time. There was a study that a previous professor of mine mentioned to the class, where it was found that people retain information less if it is read online vs when it's read on paper, but I don't know how accurate it is or how well it was conducted, if such at all. That's just food for thought though, I do agree with what you're claiming. I will say that a downside to technology being used in classrooms is that it can be a hit or miss with some students, but to be fair, that's with any type of teaching/learning. I've had teachers give some not so stellar video examples to compare to what we're learning, and it just fell flat since it was unnecessary, for example. On top of that, sometimes it is too supplemental or overly excessive (not concise) and it drags on when students get the point. This can also be said for any type of teaching, but some students simply don't learn well from technology and might even not need it, and my experience with technology in school is that you must do it for a grade. I don't mean to counteract your points, again, I do agree with you, but I wanted to provide some counter points/examples to characterize it in a more nuanced way if that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, technology can pander to people who learn best from visual, and even video aid. I personally understand how being physically shown step by step how to do something, or seeing how something looks and not having to rely only on my imagination, can help with deeply understanding and getting a grasp on what you need to know. I appreciate the idea that technology when used educationally is usually effective, and I do believe that this is mostly true, and which is why I also think technology should be incorporated in education as well!
DeleteHi Kate!
ReplyDeleteI just have to say I love the name of your blog. I agree with your insight on technology. I remember using media in high school as a way of presenting the topic at hand. I think the use of technology and media is inevitable in classrooms no matter the grade. I clearly remember watching Bill Nye videos in high school, now I can tell that the teacher just needed a break from teaching that day. Creating a healthy balance is important. Personally, I love listening to music while getting work done. Im sure studies show classical music is the best but I've come to realize its to each their own. I personally will zone out and begin daydreaming with classical while another would thrive. This is why I plan on having students bring headphones and also providing them with headphones, if they do not have them, to give them the option of working with music rather than silence. I've never had Dr. Pepper but I'll try it today!
Hi Kate, It’s nice to see your name as well. If I recall correctly, I think we took a different course together with Professor LOverman, right?! I’m so excited to hear your brilliant discussions once again! :) I really enjoyed reading your blog post! I agree with you when you say that technology plays a huge role in teaching and development in classroom settings. I loved you gave the readers an example as to how technology can be used in a kindergarten setting because I do not think I would have thought to use it the way you mentioned. It is definitely a great visual aid for them and it will help them to retain the information faster. I think the way you gave this example showed me that you have a teacher mindset and how we can tailor these sources to different levels for each of the education level. Your personal experience being mentioned in this post proves your case as to how effective technology really is in classrooms. It helped you develop skills earlier on for your education career in the future!
ReplyDeleteStella Chun