The three concepts I am going to reflect upon re. Chapter 1 and 2 are using laptops as a technology device, expanding the use of technology in the classroom, and integrating technology into the classroom.
The first concept I reflected upon is using the laptop as a technology device. Their size, weight and long battery life make them a very useful tool. (Maloy, 2014, p. 7). The laptops are used at the school that I work at for research, typing letters, and power points. I just recently took a college class that was taught at the college and not online. I realized how much my classmates depended on their laptops. Not only for research but more for taking notes as the professor lectured. I was the one in the class taking old traditional notes with pen and paper. Most of my classmates took notes on their laptops. I realized how important that typing class was that I took for granted. They were able to type faster than I was able to write which made it much more convenient. They did not have to worry about losing their work because it would be stored on the computer and not in a notebook like mine would be.
The next concept is ways to expand your use technology in the classroom. One creative way that I thought was good was creating a wiki page so that students contribute resources they find for studying key ideas and concepts in language arts, math, social studies, or science. It also talked about letting students visit places and observe processes that cannot be seen without electronic system. (Maloy, 2014, p. 14). I think this is a brilliant idea.
I think the third concept integrating technology into the classroom is great. I am still having a difficult time understating the right time to do it so that there in a balance. The text also talks about the amount of curriculum requirements. I find it hard to integrate technology into the classroom when the state has put so many state mandated requirements on school teachers these days.I think teachers are more worried about the reflections a student state wide testing will have on their performance eval than they are concerned about teaching technology in the classroom. (Maloy, 2014, p. 32).
Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Great reflective blog post on three very relevant and important concepts. :) It is amazing how integral and ubiquitous technology has become in our lives. I do think that sometimes people put the blame on technology for some negative consequences, but it really is about the humans controlling (or not!) their use of technology...and the key is purposeful balance! I also think that when teachers learn to use technology in an effective and efficient way to transform learning, the pressure of testing decreases significantly...after all, technology should not be an add-on, but interwoven to the threads of good teaching.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, you included the important ethical responsibility of properly adding your resources. What is lacking is some type of visual/multimedia enhancement - check out the screencast links on 'how to' in Module page on Creating Blogger. :) For future blog posts, continue what you started here with the addition of appropriate and cited images/videos as well as a web 2.0 digital tool that you create and embed (or link if embed code is not available).