Her's the history of technological tools presented and learned throughout my time at UMF:
Wiki Spaces-EDU 580 with Sue Thorson. We were asked to discuss big ideas using our wikispace.
Zotero- EDU 580 mod. 2. We used this tool to find articles on our research topics.
Blogs, Comic Life, and tagging in "Delicious"- EDU 583 with Grace Ward. Over this past trimester, I have jumped feet first into navigating around our class wiki, blogging, tagging sites, uploading pictures, putting them into Comic Life and on our wiki, linking, and much more. I've also been exposed to garage band and making i-movies.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Jenny R. Couture- Chapter 12
Chapter twelve, by J.B. Harris, was about TPCK in in-service education. I agree that teaching for veteran teachers is a combo of “careful, creative planning and spontaneous improvisations.” In-service teachers have a bag of ideas to choose from for every lesson they teach. They combine their own style and ideas with the style and ideas of other professionals. For many in-service teachers, it’s becoming clear that it’s time to start adding to our “bag of tricks” by learning and experimenting with technology. Harris makes it clear, however, that “educational technologies need to be applied appropriately in many types of teaching and learning. Technology should assist with- not overshadow- teachers helping students to meet curriculum based standards (p 252).”
Technology is meant to assist good teaching, not take the place of it. In doing this, teachers must recognize content, structure, and advantage. To me this means that we must follow the given curriculum while choosing the most appropriate (old or new) ways to teach it. If we have a technology that supports “inquiry, collaboration, and/or the re-configured relationships among students and teachers” than this may be more appropriate than a method previously used to teach the content.
The chapter went on, pointing out aspects of technological problems that we’ve been made aware of in previous chapters. Harris reiterated the “wicked problem,” of technology use by teachers, but later gave examples of ways in which technology could be used to enhance lessons. Keypals, information exchanges, telefieldtrips, social action projects were just a few excellent ideas mentioned.
One last quote that I feel should apply to both adults and to students:
“Adults need to know why they should learn something, and how, if at all, it will benefit them directly. Adults resent and resist situations in which they feel others are imposing their wills on them. Adults respond better to learning if their past experience and expertise can be acknowledged and used in the present learning act. Adults prefer authentic learning, in which direct ties to particular tasks, problems, or similar real-life situations are made (p.267)”
Giving students the same will enhance motivation and the likely hood that they will walk away realizing why it is important to be learning the lessons being taught.
Chapter twelve, by J.B. Harris, was about TPCK in in-service education. I agree that teaching for veteran teachers is a combo of “careful, creative planning and spontaneous improvisations.” In-service teachers have a bag of ideas to choose from for every lesson they teach. They combine their own style and ideas with the style and ideas of other professionals. For many in-service teachers, it’s becoming clear that it’s time to start adding to our “bag of tricks” by learning and experimenting with technology. Harris makes it clear, however, that “educational technologies need to be applied appropriately in many types of teaching and learning. Technology should assist with- not overshadow- teachers helping students to meet curriculum based standards (p 252).”
Technology is meant to assist good teaching, not take the place of it. In doing this, teachers must recognize content, structure, and advantage. To me this means that we must follow the given curriculum while choosing the most appropriate (old or new) ways to teach it. If we have a technology that supports “inquiry, collaboration, and/or the re-configured relationships among students and teachers” than this may be more appropriate than a method previously used to teach the content.
The chapter went on, pointing out aspects of technological problems that we’ve been made aware of in previous chapters. Harris reiterated the “wicked problem,” of technology use by teachers, but later gave examples of ways in which technology could be used to enhance lessons. Keypals, information exchanges, telefieldtrips, social action projects were just a few excellent ideas mentioned.
One last quote that I feel should apply to both adults and to students:
“Adults need to know why they should learn something, and how, if at all, it will benefit them directly. Adults resent and resist situations in which they feel others are imposing their wills on them. Adults respond better to learning if their past experience and expertise can be acknowledged and used in the present learning act. Adults prefer authentic learning, in which direct ties to particular tasks, problems, or similar real-life situations are made (p.267)”
Giving students the same will enhance motivation and the likely hood that they will walk away realizing why it is important to be learning the lessons being taught.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Please see Chapter 11's first blog before reading this one!
Chapter 11- Continued...... As I finished this chapter, I reflected upon how “times have changed,” since I was a student teacher. The integration of type two technologies were never though about ten years ago. Now, presevice teachers are required to teach with technology during their student teaching, and are lucky enough to learn with their placement teachers. Preservice teachers are asked to wade through internet sources, critically questioning the data they find, and strategically incorporate it into their lessons. They must question whether direct experience, past ways, or a technology model or simulation would be the most appropriate way to increase student learning. “They are being asked to organize in research groups to conduct focussed observations and interviews in multiple classrooms where students use a variety of technologies as learning tools (p. 230).” They are questioning whether the technologies they’ve seen and used helped or interfered with the learning of the students. They are also being asked to think about using effective management strategies in order to create a more successful learning experience for the students and how technology tools might help us assess.
Since the beginning of this class, I have seen an increase in technologies being used to instruct in my school. Veteran teachers are allowing students to use smart boards, computers, digital cameras, and more. My students have taken virtual field trips, have searched the internet for information, and learned about comic life. Initially, I thought that these were the things I’d see in the future. Obviously the future is here, and our students do need to learn how to successfully use these technologies.
Although engaging students in experiences that we have not yet had is scary, it is crucial that we learn for our children and students.
Chapter 11- Continued...... As I finished this chapter, I reflected upon how “times have changed,” since I was a student teacher. The integration of type two technologies were never though about ten years ago. Now, presevice teachers are required to teach with technology during their student teaching, and are lucky enough to learn with their placement teachers. Preservice teachers are asked to wade through internet sources, critically questioning the data they find, and strategically incorporate it into their lessons. They must question whether direct experience, past ways, or a technology model or simulation would be the most appropriate way to increase student learning. “They are being asked to organize in research groups to conduct focussed observations and interviews in multiple classrooms where students use a variety of technologies as learning tools (p. 230).” They are questioning whether the technologies they’ve seen and used helped or interfered with the learning of the students. They are also being asked to think about using effective management strategies in order to create a more successful learning experience for the students and how technology tools might help us assess.
Since the beginning of this class, I have seen an increase in technologies being used to instruct in my school. Veteran teachers are allowing students to use smart boards, computers, digital cameras, and more. My students have taken virtual field trips, have searched the internet for information, and learned about comic life. Initially, I thought that these were the things I’d see in the future. Obviously the future is here, and our students do need to learn how to successfully use these technologies.
Although engaging students in experiences that we have not yet had is scary, it is crucial that we learn for our children and students.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Chapter 11
This chapter provided many ideas about what preservice teachers need to learn in gaining technological pedagogical content knowledge. I have to agree, that even today’s teachers (me) need to rethink, unlearn and relearn, change, revise, and adapt knowledge to better prepare our students and children to not only learn the content, but to think about it, challenge it, search it, explore it, and learn even more about it. Teaching is no longer just standing in front of the room giving information. It’s no longer round robin reading or asking just one to tell his or her thoughts. It’s now about guiding students to search for knowledge and make meaning from what they’ve found. Giving them some of the information and guiding them to create something more is so powerful. Teaching them to think, solve, ask questions, and self correct allows students to practice skills needed in the world outside the school.
Engaging students in experiences that we have not had is scary, but crucial for our children and students.
This chapter provided many ideas about what preservice teachers need to learn in gaining technological pedagogical content knowledge. I have to agree, that even today’s teachers (me) need to rethink, unlearn and relearn, change, revise, and adapt knowledge to better prepare our students and children to not only learn the content, but to think about it, challenge it, search it, explore it, and learn even more about it. Teaching is no longer just standing in front of the room giving information. It’s no longer round robin reading or asking just one to tell his or her thoughts. It’s now about guiding students to search for knowledge and make meaning from what they’ve found. Giving them some of the information and guiding them to create something more is so powerful. Teaching them to think, solve, ask questions, and self correct allows students to practice skills needed in the world outside the school.
Engaging students in experiences that we have not had is scary, but crucial for our children and students.
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