Technology in the classroom

noreply@blogger.com (Mr. Sanchez) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 18:36:00 +0000

As a teacher, I do a lot of reflection. The classes are so dynamic and different from one another that my teaching styles vary from bell to bell. With all these intricacies involved in teaching today, I find myself asking myself questions such as, “Am I doing the lesson correctly? Are they learning?” and “What could I add that could help them learn more?” After watching the video clips of Sugata Mitra’s “Hole in the Wall,” I started to ask myself, “How far behind is my classroom in terms of technology?” and more importantly, “How do I prevent myself from being invasive to my students’ education?” The moment I realized that despite everything I do in the classroom, and in contrast to all the hours I put into each lesson, I might be the biggest obstacle to my students learning. As a teacher, I have to wonder "How can I prevent my teachings from hindering their curiosity in the classroom?"

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PODCAST "technology-in-the-classroom/"

In the video, Sugata Mitra experiments with a computer placed in the side of a factory in a slum in India. The findings of the experiment are incredible and as a teacher, I found them relevant to my own teachings. The kids formed groups and learned from each other. They formed systems and developed roles so that they all learned. At the very end of the video, Mr. Mitra says that “the absence of a teacher formed its own pedagogy.” This is an abstract thought that all teachers should contemplate.

Tech teach

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This is a great link to read more on this topic and hear what some experts say.
Ted Robinson Says Schools Kill Creativity

I believe that teachers should survey the students and see what technologies the students are familiar with and like to use, including all necessary websites and software. With this survey, the teacher could add these things to the classroom and let them form groups. The lesson would be presented in as invasive as possible. The lesson would be more student centered and some peer-to-peer teaching should take place. This would allow the kids to learn from each other and form the pedagogy that Mitra mentioned in his findings. This should give the students the freedom to explore and let their creativity come out.

Resources

Norris, C., Sullivan, T., & Poirot, J. (2003). No access, no use, no impact: snapshot surveys of educational technology in K-12. Journal of Research on Technology Education, 15-27.

Robinson, K. (2001). Mind the gap: The creative conundrum. Critical Quarterly, 41-45.

Ted Conferences, LLC. (2010, July). Sugata Mitra: The child-driven education. Retrieved August 29, 2011, from TED: Ideas Worth Spreading: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/sugata_mitra_the_child_driven_education.html

Sanchez, D. (2011, September 20). Teach-tech. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/coolhanddav/tech-teach

Podcast

Technology in the Classroom

Technology in the classroom