"Is School Enough"
The characters that were most impressive were the students toward the beginning of the film that took great interest in the technology program. This was the most interesting to me because they took the program that had already been created, and made it into their own. They did this so much so that they were able to present to a board of adults while articulating each part of the software. These students took charge of their own learning, and they were able to motivate themselves as well as others to do the same. These students are strong advocates for the software!
I do consider myself a 21st century learner solely because of the amount of time I spend using technology. It has become nearly impossible to complete assignments from any subject in school without the use of technology. However, I do not think I am a 21st century learner because I do not feel that I have complete control over the things I learn. Throughout grade school, I had no control over the curriculum I was required to learn due to state standards. Therefore, I memorized a lot just for the good grade, but I did not soak in the material. In this aspect, I did not have much in common with the kids from the video, except having the drive to learn what will benefit me in the future. However, as a college student with a declared major, I do have some control over the things I learn. I make my own schedule and I only take classes that pertain to the major I have chosen, which is Middle School Education.
As a future teacher, I plan to let the students be more hands-on in their learning. For example, I assume that most of them would rather watch more educational videos than listen to me lecture new material. I will be sure to add videos appropriately in certain parts of class time.
Technology was a huge part of the characters' lives. Without it, they wouldn't have been able to complete projects as efficiently.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Sunday, February 9, 2014
K-12
I do agree with the trends listed in the report because
technology is becoming more useful in schools. These days it is nearly
impossible for people to complete assignments and projects without the internet
being available to them. Also, teachers use technology as visual aids for
students, allowing them to a chance to actively participate in class activities
as well. While I was in grades k-12, technology was used as each of the key
terms described. For instance, in high school, my Calculus teacher used Facebook
to answer our questions about homework she had given.
These new technology trends influence personal learning by making
learning more interactive. Students are now to participate in active learning
along with their classmates while learning is still personalized.
I agree with the challenges in technology. A lot of people
view technology as a distraction in- and out-side of schools. With this in mind,
how can things ever get better for technology in education? Technology cannot
be innovated and permitted into schools if people do not believe the
transformation and help it can provide for students. We could use more digital
media for formative assessment for the students
I am interested in mobile learning the most because most
students own mobile devices that they bring to school and everywhere else they
go as well. Why not uses these devices to teach students so that they may learn
“on-the-go”?
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Personal Reflection
PERSONAL REFLECTION
Personally, I am a visual and kinesthetic learner. While listening is a key component in learning, I must be able to see the concept as well as be able to do the concept before I can say I have truly learned the new material. Therefore, I am a strong advocate for the use of technology. I believe that technology is a great visual aid for students, and it will also allow the opportunity for students to actively participate in the lesson.
Some people believe that technology is just a distraction in schools. This is because of the use of cell phones to text or check social media. However, there are even ways of implementing meaningful learning through the use of cell phones. For instance, there is an app for UGA students that allow them to answer questions in class. Since students are on their phones a lot anyway, I think this was a great way to keep students from their main distractions in the classroom by keeping them on their phones but also engaged in the class lecture.
Our society is becoming more dependent upon technology every day. So, in order for students to be able to keep up with the times and to succeed, they must know how to use them. Why not maximize learning by teaching them to use technology in school.
One problem with this is that everyone will not have the same amount of access to technology. In this case, what is the solution for the less fortunate students?
I would be sure to implement technology by using virtual tours for those trips that the students and school may not be able to support financially. This way, students will still be exposed to new things.
Personally, I am a visual and kinesthetic learner. While listening is a key component in learning, I must be able to see the concept as well as be able to do the concept before I can say I have truly learned the new material. Therefore, I am a strong advocate for the use of technology. I believe that technology is a great visual aid for students, and it will also allow the opportunity for students to actively participate in the lesson.
Some people believe that technology is just a distraction in schools. This is because of the use of cell phones to text or check social media. However, there are even ways of implementing meaningful learning through the use of cell phones. For instance, there is an app for UGA students that allow them to answer questions in class. Since students are on their phones a lot anyway, I think this was a great way to keep students from their main distractions in the classroom by keeping them on their phones but also engaged in the class lecture.
Our society is becoming more dependent upon technology every day. So, in order for students to be able to keep up with the times and to succeed, they must know how to use them. Why not maximize learning by teaching them to use technology in school.
One problem with this is that everyone will not have the same amount of access to technology. In this case, what is the solution for the less fortunate students?
I would be sure to implement technology by using virtual tours for those trips that the students and school may not be able to support financially. This way, students will still be exposed to new things.
Meaningful Learning
MEANINGFUL LEARNING
Is there anything that surprises you? What is it?
The Intentional (Goal-Oriented/Regulatory) section surprises me. The main idea of this subtopic says, “All human behavior is goal directed” (Schank, 1994). I disagree with this statement. I think there are some instances when people move on what I call “autopilot”. When your body is on “autopilot”, movements are natural and they kind of happen on their own before you get a chance to really think about the actions being taken. In these situations, there is no goal. There is just movement. For instance, have you ever done something simple and when asked why you did it, your reply was something like “I don’t know. It just happened”? Therefore, I do not think it is fair to assume that “all” human behavior is goal directed, as there are always exceptions to every rule.
Which of the skills described in this chapter are most important to you as an educator? Which are most important to comprehending and being able to apply ideas in your discipline?
I believe the section titled Authentic (Complex/Contextual) is the most important. The reading states, “…teachers and professors remove those ideas from their natural contexts in order to be able to cover the curriculum more efficiently. When they do, they strip those principles of the contextual cues that make them meaningful”. In other words, it is each educator’s job to dissect curricula so that the students can understand the concepts of the material to pass standardized testing. This is because information expected to be taught in schools is too broad and there is not enough time in the school year to teach all of it. There have been many classes where we did not discuss or review the whole book. Instead, we skipped over chapters to get to the more essential chapters, or the chapters that we would be tested on.
Is there anything that surprises you? What is it?
The Intentional (Goal-Oriented/Regulatory) section surprises me. The main idea of this subtopic says, “All human behavior is goal directed” (Schank, 1994). I disagree with this statement. I think there are some instances when people move on what I call “autopilot”. When your body is on “autopilot”, movements are natural and they kind of happen on their own before you get a chance to really think about the actions being taken. In these situations, there is no goal. There is just movement. For instance, have you ever done something simple and when asked why you did it, your reply was something like “I don’t know. It just happened”? Therefore, I do not think it is fair to assume that “all” human behavior is goal directed, as there are always exceptions to every rule.
Which of the skills described in this chapter are most important to you as an educator? Which are most important to comprehending and being able to apply ideas in your discipline?
I believe the section titled Authentic (Complex/Contextual) is the most important. The reading states, “…teachers and professors remove those ideas from their natural contexts in order to be able to cover the curriculum more efficiently. When they do, they strip those principles of the contextual cues that make them meaningful”. In other words, it is each educator’s job to dissect curricula so that the students can understand the concepts of the material to pass standardized testing. This is because information expected to be taught in schools is too broad and there is not enough time in the school year to teach all of it. There have been many classes where we did not discuss or review the whole book. Instead, we skipped over chapters to get to the more essential chapters, or the chapters that we would be tested on.
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