One of the things that I thought was important in chapter 3 were the 4 theories that teachers and schools organize teaching and learning. The theories are behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism, and constructionism. I think this chapter summarizes some different ways to educate students, for example online learning games, virtual worlds, and interactive simulations. This chapter states that those types of teaching ways promote critical thinking and problem solving within the context of activities students find engaging and challenging. Almost all students these days know how to use smart phones, ipads, laptops, and kindles. This is great, but the only problem is that the students do not know how to use these resources to access information. We as teachers have a responsibility to teach students how to properly use these resources. Saying that, we too need to know how to use most of these resources in ways that will benefit the students. Information literacy is the ability to use digital information, computer communication tools, and electronic networks to share ideas and start problems. I think that this is very important if we want to be successful in this new technological teaching world. Digital literacy, Media literacy, and visual literacy all include the skills needed to read and assess different types of online visual presentations. The last thing that I noticed that was in this chapter was the importance of digital citizenship which show the importance of the roles and responsibility of students for acting ethically and safely in computer and internet environment. I believe it does not get more important than this. There are so many bad things on the internet. We have to teach the students that the internet is a privilege not a right. I have read many stories and I see how dangerous the internet could be to people and they don't even know it. Grow men and women get in trouble with the internet and don't know that they are doing anything wrong, imagine some students that just started using it and don't know what they are doing. They are at risk and we as teachers have to show the students how to properly use the internet.
In chapter 9 we see how we can use multimedia technology in the lesson to teach students. I think this is a great thing to use because we can make the lesson that might not be so fun to learn interesting. PowerPoint is a tool that has been used for a while and I think that it is vital in the technology world. You can add different pictures and music to keep the students engaged while you are teaching the lesson. Another option was utilizing You Tube in the classroom. According to the book viewing videos can be a passive experience unless teachers create opportunities for students to interact with and respond to onscreen materials. The rest of the chapter gives us different activities to educate students including taking photos, creating movies, and using podcasts and vodcasts. These are all great tools that we have to utilize in the classroom to keep the students attention, and teach effectively.
What are some ways to properly teach students about digital citizenship?
What is the next big thing in multimedia technology that will find its way into the classroom?
Carmelo,
ReplyDeleteYour post definitely reflected some important issues and topics concerning the use of technology in our classrooms. I have yet to allow my students to use I-pads or laptops in my class. That is definitely one of my goes this year; however, as you mentioned, it is important that all students are aware of their digital citizenship responsibilities. I think the major point to get across to students is that when using any type of electronic or social media, anything you write or post will forever stay in the cyber space world. There have to be some creative ways that teachers can teach them this lesson within their classrooms. I haven't thought up of anything to enlighten students about the seriousness of posting and sharing things. Even though in a classroom setting students aren't allowed to post on social media, this is a huge lesson that students need to learn regardless of the setting.
See you in class!
Bianca
Hello Carmelo,
ReplyDeleteInternet safety is definitely one thing I am concerned about. While I have talked about finding reliable sources and not plagiarizing, being safe is not something I spend a lot of time of. In fact, when I did talk about safety is was usually quick and something that only popped up because of problems. Many of my 5th graders used Instagram and we did have some issues that needed to be addressed (my 10 year olds thought they were 17). I need to talk about the consequences more this year.
As to how to teach this, I saw what this 5th grade teacher did a few weeks ago. She posted a picture online and asked people to share to show the kids how quickly a picture can be spread. Needless to say... she got A LOT of likes and shares. Point made.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/ryanhatesthis/a-fifth-grade-teacher-wanted-to-show-her-students-what-happe#2mfvze7
Carmelo,
ReplyDeleteI really liked your statement, "We as teachers have a responsibility to teach students how to properly use these resources." Kids now have iPads and iPhones right at their fingertips. Most of the kids I see using these devices are playing games and not using them for educational purposes. I agree that the teacher must show students how to correctly use devices and instruct students about appropriate use of the iPads while in school. You brought up another good point about internet safety. I think some ways to promote internet safety is a think aloud. I think the teacher could use a think aloud technique when opening up browsers in front of the students.
Carmelo,
DeleteGood Blog! I think teachers as well as parents, have a responsibility to teach and show there kids how to properly use the internet and resources. My 2 years old neighbor daughter knows how to work a smartphone, ipad and a laptop. Internet safety is a good point, as future teachers we must show our students the do's and don't while on the internet.
Carmelo,
ReplyDeleteThe book is correct in regards to the statement regarding passive engagement in reference to the video. We as teachers must scaffold questions and have use the stop, pause and rewind button. I have my first lesson last week in which I incorporated a video. The teacher loved my video! She also recommend that next time I spend more time explaining my video. There was so much information within my video that I don't even think I analyzed it before showing it. My students could have just watched my video and walked away knowing everything about that lesson it was great for both visual and auditory learners. I feel like I am relating to this text in many ways even though I was born in the iGeneration, I am learning to become computer / internet literate.