Michael Wesch: A Vision of Students Today
Students today are really plugged in to the information highway, in more ways than one. The tools we are learning in this EDM310 class will show us how to connect with them on a level they are accustomed to. They already have the skills, they just have have to shown how to apply it to learning.
The part about American kids having so much in relation to other parts of the world is so true. I have been to several foreign countries during my time in the military, mostly third world. The kids in the film acknowledged this fact, but I'm not sure they truly understood. Unless you have seen the plight of a third world nation, you really can not grasp their situation. I have seen children trying to learn, 20-30 per book, no building, untrained instructors. But they do the best they can with what they have. I have yet to hear a plausible explanation as to why we do not lead the world in education with the wide spread technology readily available here.
I could relate to the part about text books being required and not being used.
Karl Fisch: Is It Okay to Be A Technologically Illiterate Teacher? This post I really enjoyed. I too have had my share of technological illiterate teachers. In today's world, this is a must. Students now are using this stuff all the time and vary good at it. Why teachers are not using it more is beyond me. It seems a natural course of action.
There was a post to this blog that caught my eye by Kern Kelly. It talks about using students to help the teachers to over come technological questions. That's teaching! Nice!
Gary Hayes Social Media Count
What does this mean to me as a new teacher? If I (every new incoming teacher) does not get with the program, we will be left behind. Kids are probably 75% + of the increases. We must adapt this to a learning environment they will comprehend, and embrace. My eight year old son knows as much as I do about computers, and I label myself literate! They get it SO fast!
I entirely agree about students in America taking so much for granted. I too have seen the limited resources available in third world countries, and it is truly depressing. Leading the world in education through the use of technology is a wonderful idea. And you are very right about how quickly kids catch on to the use of computers and technology! Enjoyed your post!
ReplyDelete-Sara
One of the speakers at the Mobile School Board's annual faculty/staff development conference suggested we had fallen to 17th in the world based on student achievement because we are the only nation in the world to attempt to address both excellence and equity in the schools. He may have a point. he did not advocate abandoning one or the other. he just noted that it made our tasks much harder. My own take on the situation is that a greater emphasis on communicating with the new technologies would greatly improve the performance of students now being addressed as part of the "equity" equation. Only a guess, but it would not surprise me if i were correct. At least we should give it a try. (I do have some evidence to support my speculation.)
ReplyDeleteThe link to Kern Kelly does not work. I am really interested to see that link so let's get it working Tuesday.
One of my students last semester suggested that technological literacy depended on whom you were around. See my post "It Depends Upon Who You Are Around
Kelly Hines? She got left out of your most interesting comments. Include her. She deserves to be included!
Barry:
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, thank you so much for your comment! I see your blog is going well here. I completely agree with your comment on Karl Fisch. As an educator, we are responsible for giving our students resources to learn. But it's never been said that students can't be an excellent source for us too! What a progressively wonderful idea!