Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Chapter 1 Becoming an E-Teacher
Focus Question: How do new technologies create new opportunities for teaching and learning.
New technologies create new opportunities for teaching and learning in many ways. For the teacher, technology provides support such as classroom management, record keeping, lesson planning and presentation. New technology can always help enhance how effective a teacher would like to be in the classroom. It is important for teachers to conform and stay updated with the ever-changing technology world and expand student-teacher learning styles. A technology-based environment is an environment where students experience new and challenging things, it helps students connect with new and different people, places, and things. Technology can take us to places we have never been nor are likely to ever go. There is always something to learn with technology and it is important that it is taught effectively and in the proper way when using it in the classroom.
photo credit: ruthcatchen.wordpress.com
The transforming power of information and communication in technology makes it necessary to re-examine the way technology is used in K-12 schools. Our " tech-hungry"society demands that teachers and students expand their ways of teaching and learning. Teachers prepare, deliver and assess lessons differently while students think critically and creatively with the technology they use. Though I consider myself to be a bit an old-fashioned I believe that it is important for me to be able to use new things to face new problems quickly and effectively its almost as if we have no choice but to keep up. Educational technologies offer exciting, engaging, and effective alternatives to traditional instructional methods.
Tech Tool Link: 7 Things You Should Know About
"7 Things You Should Know About..." is a series of short, practical briefs on new and emerging technologies written by the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative. Asking yourself important questions can really give you that boost you need when getting yourself comfortable with new technology. From group texting and micro lectures to 3D painting this website really helps you to open your mind to tackle different technology forms.
The "7 Things"
- What is it?
- How does it work?
- Who's doing it?
- Why is it significant
- What are the downsides
- Where is it going?
- What are the implications for teaching and learning?
This introductory chapter really gets you deep into the core of how important technology is in the classroom for a teacher and most of all for the student. The main idea is to create a highly interactive, inquiry-based environment where students can grow creatively and be able to think critically to solve problems, communicate, and work together with others in fun and innovative ways. I'm very excited to see how even more significant technology will be in the future and in schools.
Resources: Maloy, R. W., Verock-O, R. E., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B. P. (2010). Transforming learning with new technologies. Allyn & Bacon.
Fantastic post full of good information and thought - keep reflecting on how you might use any specifics in your future classroom as a teacher. Even though you may consider yourself 'old-fashioned', I'm glad you are willing to step out of your comfort zone to see what technologies may be useful for your future students - that is so critical! :)
ReplyDelete