» Does Using Technology Add Value To The Classroom? In Practice - The Diigo Meta page

• 20 Feb 11
  

  Paul Basta

  • Hello,

     

    So what’s missing here is what you might *do* with the technology. I don’t that anyone has ever argued that just having access to computers makes any real difference, but tech can allow us to teach and to learn in ways that just weren’t possible before.

     

    I really agree that it is the teacher and the curriculum that make the difference — and that still nudges us to ask how a teacher’s role can (and should) change or how the curriculum can be enriched when kids have access to infinite information and amazing collaboration tools.

     

    The study that Mrferlazzo linked to is a perfect example of how NOT to use computers – -as glorified note takers — while the mode of teaching (lecture — as if the teacher is still the main source of information available to students) stays exactly the same (and in fact, is pretty outdated. Not too many universities advocate lecture/note taking as an effective instructional strategy any more, so it’s not surprising that kids found ways to distract themselves. I would too!).

  • So, will you have them do web-based archival projects as in the Primary Access Project at UVA? Or digital video projects as done in the City Visions, City Voices project at SUNY Buffalo (I’m hearing that their kids are blowing the top off of the Regents exams) ? Or have your students create podcasts or wikis or interview distant experts live via the video feed of Skype? Or collaborate with a class across the country via blogging?

     

    Or, to follow up on Amy S.’s suggestion of doing word processing — will you have them write using Google Docs so that they can collaborate/peer review/ edit/share drafts of their work along the way? Or maybe even ask a distant expert to easily access and comment on their drafts?

  • Or have them put drafts of their projects up on VoiceThread for comment and feedback?

     

    I think that if you did go in any of these directions, you’d be wise to remember that once kids start catching on to cool tools that other kids are using in class, they’re going to access those things too. Unless you get the “control” group to sign agreements to stay off the web in and out of class, you won’t have two distinct groups once kids start telling each other what they’re doing, because everyone has access to those same tools on the web now. It’s a whole different world than when kids learned mainly from the books that the school owned and controlled.

     

    Have fun with the experiment!

  1 more annotation...

• 23 Jan 11
  

  Mr. Mansour
  • A more accurate statement of my position is probably to say that it’s the “teacher and the curriculum” that are the key, not the tools
  • So, yes, I believe that an engaging curriculum without technology can work great. And, yes, I believe that an engaging curriculum involving heavy technology use can be great, too
• 10 Jan 11
  

  Eric Esterline

  Imported Bookmarks Toolbar Graduate Thesis

• 27 Apr 09
  

  Michael Richards

  Larry puts together a well-thought blog post on using technology in the classroom.

• 11 Nov 07
  

  Donna Hebert

  comments

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