Hey everyone!
I am sitting here pondering over a few things we discussed in class today and I can't help but feel a little confused.
We were obviously discussing how technology is becoming increasingly popular in classrooms and the "comfortable" ways of teaching and doing work are being terminated. Based on that thought I can't help but wonder:
- What happens to students that are tactile learners? Granted many students enjoy reading books online and from a screen, but what happens to those that need the book in their hands?
- What happens if there is an autistic student in the classroom and cannot actually function to use a computer?
- Will schools and books eventually disappear because classes can be taught online?
I disagree that there is nothing left in school's for students because nothing interests them. I have taken many courses in my life that do not interest me but they are mandatory and I still learned something from them. Yes we can all teach ourselves, but the only way we have even been capable of doing that is because from the beginning, someone had to show us how to. (Did i interpret that part of the discussion incorrectly?)
What I also found interesting was that we are emphasizing on how we are going to teach students to learn. Do we ourselves honestly know the correct ways to learn? Because personally, I struggled thoughout school and still tend to because I am not positive on how to teach myself. I have tried kinestetic, tactile and auditory strategies but I am still not sure what time of learner I am.
Can anyone put the pieces of the puzzle together?
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Assignment (con't)
I was very impressed to learn that many teachers had such positive attitudes when it came to using techonology in their classroom and "outside of the classroom walls." Of course we as teachers want to give our students as much research material as we can so they can learn and expand their minds as much as possible, but I was expecting some teachers to be hesitant about using technology as oppossed to chalk and blackboard.
I was fascinated by the fact that teachers could take attendence without actually having to take attendence! The books with the students names and little box to check off that they are in class is gone! The delany cards that were so small you could hardley read anything written on them - gone! So many teachers are truly loving this advanced and technology and how couldn't they? Many of them said it is more organized, less time consuming, the students love it, and it just makes more sense. What I also really enjoyed was the fact that student's would no longer be able to come up with excuses as to why they didn't complete their work. As the one teacher said, "It was on the blog", end of story! Many teachers are becoming accustomed to all of the technology they are capable of using in their classrooms and they all seem to have very positive attitudes about it!
I think the most important question that ELA teachers are faced with today, is how to use all of this technology when many school settings are not adopting all of its needs quickly enough. Still today, many teachers are very comfortable with using paper, pencils, erasers, and chalk. Unfortunatly, there are teachers that are willing to learn and adapt to technology based classroom, but the schools do not have the money or tools to provide for such material. In all of the assigned readings we had this week, each one said that the younger generations are soaring past us and I am pretty sure we all know that we really need to catch up.
I found the "Priority of Education Questions" very interesting. How can we seriously expect students to really learrn and understand the material we are presenthing them if we are so focused on how well they are learning? It does not matter how well they are learning the material, what matters is WHAT they should be learning. This issue is very close to home for me because I am horrible at math. (seriously, there is no hope) Throughout high school, I had numerous tutors and help from my teachers that always told me, "It doesn't matter how you get the answer, as long as you have a way to get it and you understand it." The focus in classrooms today should not be how well our students are learning, but that they are understanding the material and we are teaching them the correct subjects.
I was fascinated by the fact that teachers could take attendence without actually having to take attendence! The books with the students names and little box to check off that they are in class is gone! The delany cards that were so small you could hardley read anything written on them - gone! So many teachers are truly loving this advanced and technology and how couldn't they? Many of them said it is more organized, less time consuming, the students love it, and it just makes more sense. What I also really enjoyed was the fact that student's would no longer be able to come up with excuses as to why they didn't complete their work. As the one teacher said, "It was on the blog", end of story! Many teachers are becoming accustomed to all of the technology they are capable of using in their classrooms and they all seem to have very positive attitudes about it!
I think the most important question that ELA teachers are faced with today, is how to use all of this technology when many school settings are not adopting all of its needs quickly enough. Still today, many teachers are very comfortable with using paper, pencils, erasers, and chalk. Unfortunatly, there are teachers that are willing to learn and adapt to technology based classroom, but the schools do not have the money or tools to provide for such material. In all of the assigned readings we had this week, each one said that the younger generations are soaring past us and I am pretty sure we all know that we really need to catch up.
I found the "Priority of Education Questions" very interesting. How can we seriously expect students to really learrn and understand the material we are presenthing them if we are so focused on how well they are learning? It does not matter how well they are learning the material, what matters is WHAT they should be learning. This issue is very close to home for me because I am horrible at math. (seriously, there is no hope) Throughout high school, I had numerous tutors and help from my teachers that always told me, "It doesn't matter how you get the answer, as long as you have a way to get it and you understand it." The focus in classrooms today should not be how well our students are learning, but that they are understanding the material and we are teaching them the correct subjects.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Assignment
Although I did find the PEW American Life Project report interesting, I must say that I did not find it all that suprising. It is of no suprise to me that nearly four million teenagers have blogged and/or have created their own website. What does shock me though is that I am no longer a teenager and the first time I had ever heard of blogging, forget even making one, was last semester. Now I can understand the statement "I feel old".
I agreed with the author when she stated that many students enjoy accessing the iternet, making their own plog pages, web sites, and journals as oppossed to doing it on paper because it is more refreshing. I think many of us can agree that we check facebook or myspace at least more then once a day, and for many students, they gain this same desire to be updated and learn more through their blogs. I honestly did not care for blogs last semester, but being able to create, customize and share anything I would like on it has made it fascinating to me. Just today I checked my blog five times (yes..i said 5 times!) I love having the option of being able to share as much valuable information with my classmates and professor as often as I like.
A few things crossed my mind when the article focused on "sharing self created content." For starters, I want every classmate of mine to know that I have looked at all of your blogs and I love them! I love the colors, fonts, style and pictures you have added. I have always been "iffy" about sharing things on the internet but by creating our own blogs, we are able to see characteristics about each other that we may never have noticed before. If this is appealing to me as a 21 year old, I can only imagine how bonkers teenagers are going over this. This has created a whole new world of sharing our art, poems, pictures and talent with each other and millions around the world! Blogging can literally open the door to several opportunities!
I am on board about everything this report revealed and I hope that more students and teenagers post their talents and skills on the blog! I agree with Savana when she said that creating our own blog was the best way to begin this class.
I can pretty much say I'm a blog addict. =x
I agreed with the author when she stated that many students enjoy accessing the iternet, making their own plog pages, web sites, and journals as oppossed to doing it on paper because it is more refreshing. I think many of us can agree that we check facebook or myspace at least more then once a day, and for many students, they gain this same desire to be updated and learn more through their blogs. I honestly did not care for blogs last semester, but being able to create, customize and share anything I would like on it has made it fascinating to me. Just today I checked my blog five times (yes..i said 5 times!) I love having the option of being able to share as much valuable information with my classmates and professor as often as I like.
A few things crossed my mind when the article focused on "sharing self created content." For starters, I want every classmate of mine to know that I have looked at all of your blogs and I love them! I love the colors, fonts, style and pictures you have added. I have always been "iffy" about sharing things on the internet but by creating our own blogs, we are able to see characteristics about each other that we may never have noticed before. If this is appealing to me as a 21 year old, I can only imagine how bonkers teenagers are going over this. This has created a whole new world of sharing our art, poems, pictures and talent with each other and millions around the world! Blogging can literally open the door to several opportunities!
I am on board about everything this report revealed and I hope that more students and teenagers post their talents and skills on the blog! I agree with Savana when she said that creating our own blog was the best way to begin this class.
I can pretty much say I'm a blog addict. =x
Technology and the Engaged Literacy Learner
Yesterday I finished reading the article "Technology and the Engaged Literacy Learner" written by Linda B. Gambrell. I found many interesting topics throughout this article and many that were controversial in my house when I was a teenager.
My mother hated the fact that I was always on the computer when AOL became the new hot thing to use. Granted she did everything to protect me by using parental controls, she was extremly hesitant to even allow me to make a screen name, furthermore "play" on the internet. Many parents today still feel this way as their children are using myspace, facebook, etc - but I feel that parents are much more lienant with their children now, as oppossed to how strict my mother was back then.
The point in me mentioning my history of using the computer is because although I think students being able to do research, explore, and blog online is amazing thing, it is still very important to make sure they remain safe (as it is mentioned in the article and in Richardson's book) The article also mentioned that one day encyclopedia's may no longer exist. Not only do I find that "insane", but a litte sad at the same time. I know we can have a ton of information at our finger tips, but i cannot personally imagine having kids and not teaching them how to look up information in texts and encyclopedias. (I guess I will see what the future brings!)
"...students who were allowed and encouraged to choose their own reading materials expended more effort in learning and understanding the material they read" (p.291) I AM PROOF THAT THIS IS TRUE! For all of us that took Eng 374, we know how very true it is that we became better, motivated and explored readers since we constantly had the opportunity of choice. I read books I never would have thought of reading before, studied authors that I had never heard of, and my desire to read has increased dramatically.
I agree with the article when it mentioned that students become avid readers after being exposed to more information on the internet and blogs. I can definitly see how that is true and hopefully more students will become more engaged in reading! I love the thought of online book clubs, discussion groups and journal writing because it is so much more accomodating for people to work with and so many more people feel comfortable engaging in their hobbies in the privacy of their own homes!
My mother hated the fact that I was always on the computer when AOL became the new hot thing to use. Granted she did everything to protect me by using parental controls, she was extremly hesitant to even allow me to make a screen name, furthermore "play" on the internet. Many parents today still feel this way as their children are using myspace, facebook, etc - but I feel that parents are much more lienant with their children now, as oppossed to how strict my mother was back then.
The point in me mentioning my history of using the computer is because although I think students being able to do research, explore, and blog online is amazing thing, it is still very important to make sure they remain safe (as it is mentioned in the article and in Richardson's book) The article also mentioned that one day encyclopedia's may no longer exist. Not only do I find that "insane", but a litte sad at the same time. I know we can have a ton of information at our finger tips, but i cannot personally imagine having kids and not teaching them how to look up information in texts and encyclopedias. (I guess I will see what the future brings!)
"...students who were allowed and encouraged to choose their own reading materials expended more effort in learning and understanding the material they read" (p.291) I AM PROOF THAT THIS IS TRUE! For all of us that took Eng 374, we know how very true it is that we became better, motivated and explored readers since we constantly had the opportunity of choice. I read books I never would have thought of reading before, studied authors that I had never heard of, and my desire to read has increased dramatically.
I agree with the article when it mentioned that students become avid readers after being exposed to more information on the internet and blogs. I can definitly see how that is true and hopefully more students will become more engaged in reading! I love the thought of online book clubs, discussion groups and journal writing because it is so much more accomodating for people to work with and so many more people feel comfortable engaging in their hobbies in the privacy of their own homes!
Group Meeting
Hey everyone!
My group (Ashley, Lindsay, Nichole and I) are working on making a pod-cast for our project. The first part of it will be auditory and then second part will be a slide show. We will basically be breaking down for the class what exactly a pod-cast is, what its benefits are, how to use it, etc.
Not only are we looking foward to presenting our project to the class, we are eager to learn about the pod-cast as well being that none of us have ever used one before!! It will be interesting!
Kris =)
My group (Ashley, Lindsay, Nichole and I) are working on making a pod-cast for our project. The first part of it will be auditory and then second part will be a slide show. We will basically be breaking down for the class what exactly a pod-cast is, what its benefits are, how to use it, etc.
Not only are we looking foward to presenting our project to the class, we are eager to learn about the pod-cast as well being that none of us have ever used one before!! It will be interesting!
Kris =)
What experience?!
After reading the NCATE/NCTE standards, reality kicked in. Granted I know how to download music, use youtube, and have facebook, it turns out that I do not know much about technology. Although I was not nervous about taking 307 because I am interested in learning about technology, I would be lieing if I said I knew what a podcast was or how to create my own blog prior to today's class. Professor Sterns brought up a good point during class: "What would happen during an interview if you were asked about your experience in technology?" The chances of me getting that job would not be likely.
This will be my first experience with technology that requires me to do more then sign on to AOL, IM someone, or check my webmail. Hopefully I will be able to reach these standards more likely after successfully learning from this class. When I signed up to take this class, I was questioning why this class was a requirement and what it had to do with English. Professor Reeid made me aware of the fact it largely has to do with communication and how we communicate.
Almost every one owns a computer and an ipod so it is very important for me to be aware of the resources out there and furthermore, how to teach students how to use it. I would prefer taking a course like this as oppossed to sitting in a classroom and listening to a professor lecture. I enjoy "hands on" work and this class is giving me the opportunity to do that!
Kristin
After reading the NCATE/NCTE standards, reality kicked in. Granted I know how to download music, use youtube, and have facebook, it turns out that I do not know much about technology. Although I was not nervous about taking 307 because I am interested in learning about technology, I would be lieing if I said I knew what a podcast was or how to create my own blog prior to today's class. Professor Sterns brought up a good point during class: "What would happen during an interview if you were asked about your experience in technology?" The chances of me getting that job would not be likely.
This will be my first experience with technology that requires me to do more then sign on to AOL, IM someone, or check my webmail. Hopefully I will be able to reach these standards more likely after successfully learning from this class. When I signed up to take this class, I was questioning why this class was a requirement and what it had to do with English. Professor Reeid made me aware of the fact it largely has to do with communication and how we communicate.
Almost every one owns a computer and an ipod so it is very important for me to be aware of the resources out there and furthermore, how to teach students how to use it. I would prefer taking a course like this as oppossed to sitting in a classroom and listening to a professor lecture. I enjoy "hands on" work and this class is giving me the opportunity to do that!
Kristin
This is where I belong!
Hi! I'm Kristin Mark and I am a senior at SUNY Cortland. I was a Speech Pathology major before I became an English major and I am very happy that I made the switch!! I am excited about taking English 307 because I enjoy doing tactile work in the classroom. I am happy to see many familiar faces in the class and looking foward to meeting new classmates. I do not have that much experience with technology, but since I am capable of already making my own blog, I figure I can't be too bad at it. I hope everyone has a great semester!!
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