benage

In response to Isabels blog on handheld computer.

http://izza.edublogs.org/2008/11/06/handheld-computers/

I agree everyone should go visit the teachertube site http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=6d119f3d95f33cedb591 what an exciting prospect this could be for us new teachers, kids appear obsessed with this tpye of technology and like the teacher siad it increase it is highly benificial for learning motivation.

Good find Isabel!!!!

http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/2007/09/is-it-okay-to-be-technologically.html 

As I read this I was fuming, I couldn’t understand how someone could win an award for a blog that was so pig headed and beligerant toward so many fellow educators for being technologically challenged, but then he added this “And let me be clear, I’m not saying that technology is the end all and be all of education. As I think I’ve always tried to say, it’s just a tool to help us teach and learn and grow – but an indispensable tool”. I have an issue with some in education who are so opinionated that they can’t see the other side of the coin at all.

Yes we have arrived at the point where teacher need to move forward with technology as a tool within their tool kit, but I cant understand that some highly educated people are getting wipped up in this digital frenzy, forgetting that they once learnt very sucssessfully without technology and some of those traditional means of teaching are here to stay.

It would be sad to think that those less fortunate student who can’t afford technology would be left behind even further. So yes the author is right to some degree with his rant on teachers who are technological illiterate, but its a very unrealistic approach to say all teacher must become technology buffs. I go back to a colleagues blogs about finding the correct mix http://benjrobinson.edublogs.org/2008/10/07/computer-overload/

Mid Semester Statement

Digital culture and e-learning has become a major point of discussion within an educational environment over the past decade and is continually picking up speed. Technology has allowed the Y generation who have “spent their entire lives surrounded by and using computers, videogames, digital music players, video cams, cell phones, and all the other toys and tools of the digital age” (Prensky, pp.1, 2001) which they have to become connected almost 24 hours a day. The questions is does this have a place within the classroom? I have some questions as to how this technology can be appropriately used in the classroom but it is unquestionable that there are huge advantages for students.

My experience teaching the “Y” generation has given me a mixed opinion as to the best methods for schools to utilise technology within the classroom.  From my second prac I gained some experience teaching with the use of computer technology. If you refer to a blog I posted http://benjaminb.edublogs.org/2008/10/07/laptops-in-the-classroom/ I have suggested some issues that I faced as a teacher. Although from a teaching point of view I found the use of a laptop very valuable, having the world wide web at my finger tips allowed me to use relevant websites to add to course work or pose as a stimulus for a class discussion, or even show a you tube video. As documented in Jeff McMullen’s article http://www.abc.net.au/tv/differenceofopinion/episodes/episode_11.htm the “Y” generation are very involved with the use of technology, by using a form of technology I felt that this assisted to engaging my students very well.

I refer to a posting by Isabel Fenwicke http://izza.edublogs.org/2008/10/07/the-digital-generation-y/ this article Isabel discusses contains my biggest concern with the use of technology. I am afraid that the “Y” generation through the use of technology has had a communication breakdown (refer to http://www.abc.net.au/tv/differenceofopinion/episodes/episode_11.htm), rather then communicating in the traditional manor face to face, the “Y” generation tend to communicate through a key board. I see this as being very unhealthy and could heavily impact the ability of this generation to behave in a social environment.

I refer to Ben Robinsons blog  http://benjrobinson.edublogs.org/2008/10/07/computer-overload. Ben makes a great point and one that I also experienced when teaching, I found that several students were unable to effectively communicate through written text at all, and I found that far too many of the students had hand writing that was eligible. Some students were even seen to use text language (eg “u” rather then you) in a written response for examination questions. This to me is a sign that these students are spending more time using a key board rather then using written text when learning.

Although it seems I have a very negative view on the use of technology within education, I actually see a huge place for technology within students learning and a particularly valuable tool for teachers. If technology is going to be a successful resource within a school, there must be restriction placed on how much usage is available so that schools don’t go over board and forget about the importance of literacy and numeracy skills.

I have just read Prensky article “Digital Native Digital Immigrants, i have no idea why the font changes throughout.

“Our students today are all “native speakers” of the digital language of computers, video games and the Internet. So what does that make the rest of us? Those of us who were not born into the digital world but have, at some later point in our lives, become fascinated by and adopted many or most aspects of the new technology are, and always will be compared to them, Digital Immigrants”.

 This is the third time i have writen this very same blog as its keeps freezing when i save it or press spell check ”i love this website”.

“they enable a transition from the occasional, supplemental use of classroom computers and school computer labs to the frequent, integral use of portable computational devices” this quote appears very simple but a teacher back in my high school days would have loved the luxury of hand help computer, if we were to use computer to facilitate our learning this was done within a computer lab which was generally booked out, meaning time was also pressed to complete the required task as it was a once of class.

  As you may understand from my past blogs I still have strong reservations as to how technology should be used as an effective teaching resource. The words in bold in the quote above from the swan article may play an influencial my opinion. As we all know there are many circumstances when student struggl for motivation, and this can make or break your lesson, as stated above using mobile computers can increase a students motivation, this is highly influencial to me and it really seems like a no brainer. If the current generation are as envolved and interested in using computers as everyone say’s then why not use it to increase their motivation to learn. Who knows students may complete task on a mobile computer without evern realising its boring becasue they are so involved in the process of using the computer. Behaviour of this kind within a learning environment may evern facilate self regulated learning particularly for those student who otherwise wouldn’t be interested in the work.

group collaboration is a very popular teaching strategie, mobile computers may facilitate this to an even greater level, group work outside of school times, across different school and even interaction with other countries. who KNows the possabilities.

I agree with Ben’s comment about finding that happy meduim, and if anyone can inform me of this happy medium i would love to hear from you.

Benjamin thats a great call “class get off your compter and exercise” what more needs to be said.

http://benjrobinson.edublogs.org/2008/11/04/29/

This is a youtub video from our UTS online literature that explain the importance of the digital media for teens in today’s busy world

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-PT3vEjw5g

When i first watched the clip it was obvious how important being “connected” is to these kids, they would be multi tasking with several site operating at the same time, talking or communication through text to all kind of people at the same time.

Image: ‘CIMG1941.JPG‘
www.flickr.com/photos/85827196@N00/110673757     www.flickr.com/photos/30429110@N02/2880077346 

for these kids they feel that if they are not connected at all times then they can’t not survive in today’s digital world.

A sub title in the clip was “are learning environments changing?” its very obvious that they have changed dramatically even from when I was a student in high school, our lessons revolved around a text book, these students didn’t even use text book all there work was from computer based.

From my prac i can see a huge advantage to using the net for research but surely a text book would be an advantage, if only to assist reading and writing skills.

I found this video very thought provoking, yes the younger generation are eager to be connected but how can this be used be used within the classroom to promote learning, while still creating positive communication techniques. I am still unsure of the best methods to do this but In the video suggested discussing this with the students and producing   programs collaboratively that are more in touch with what the native want out of their learning, I see this as a great idea as it give some control to the learner with will help active engagement, but still give ultimate control to the teacher if they feel outcomes are not being met.

Obviously some topic in every KLA need to be covered but I see this as the way of the future in education for the generation who need digital media to feel connected.

Use students interests to actively engage our students!!!!! 

I have just read over an article discussing the steps to understanding the net generation, see link below.

http://www.educause.edu/IsItAgeorIT:FirstStepsTowardUnderstandingtheNetGeneration/6058

In reading the introduction I came across some disturburing facts as to time spent accessing technology in the daily lives of our students.

“Exposure to IT begins at very young ages. Children age six or younger spend an average of two hours each day using screen media (TV, videos, computers, video games), which nearly equals the amount of time they spend playing outside (1:58 hours versus 2:01 hours). Both significantly exceed the amount of reading time (39 minutes). Half of the children in this age group have used a computer; among 4-to-6-year-olds, 27 percent spend over an hour a day (1:04) at the keyboard. “It’s not just teenagers who are wired up and tuned in, it’s babies in diapers as well.” While earlier generations were introduced to information through print, this generation takes a digital path.^3“

^{Combine this with the average 3.5 hours watching TV for 17 year old.}

^{If you are able to read this and not be disgusted and tremendously worried for our so called “native generation” then I am concerned. If this is the case then it’s no wonder Australia is classified as the fattest nation in the developed world. http://www.theage.com.au/national/nine-million-australians-are-a-ticking-fat-bomb-20080619-2tjv.html?page=1 this article from the age news paper was published in June when the latest stats were released about our “Fat bomb” in this country. Along with poor diet, sedentary behaviour (inactive) are the influential factors in obesity, when you consider that the native generation is spending so much time utilizing technology you have to wonder if some of this time was spent exercising would our fat bomb detinate or would this cut the blue wire.}

www.flickr.com/photos/37126954@N00/83608029

                                                                         www.flickr.com/photos/73416633@N00/331466953

^{Now I understand that due to the fact I’m a PDHPE major I’m going to feel more passionate in relation to this topic but I would hope that you all see the implications that  sitting at a computer for hours every day is really not a great idea, particularly at such a young age. we need to kick these habits now, befor the bomb exploses in our face.}

^{Fat nation: “Our girth is plain to see”}

i have just read one of Mathew Kearney’s blogs on Video Medium http://learningconversations.edublogs.org/2008/10/17/use-of-video-medium/

and I like others was amazed to see how many different uses video can be used as a resource within the classroom, although i didn’t understand most of the terminlolgy he was using it di get me thinking about how I as Student and  PDHPE teacher veiwed and now use video in the classroom.

when I was a student video format learning for more for an information base exercise, another teaching strategie for the teacher to get information to those who may learn in a more visual mannor. This was and still is a very useful strategie and one that assited me in my learning and one that I also found helpful when teaching. On my prac i used Several video’s that followed factural powerpoint of class discussion, students then combined their knowledge to answer work sheets or facilitate a more knowledgable discussion, both of which i found effective.

I also attended a perfessional development day, where we were showen how to use Clickveiw a video based pragram. This program allows you to cut and paste peaces of video’s into any lesson, or put together the most important parts of a video or video’s rather then watching the entire video. I will take this into my teacher as a very handy tool.

A blog that julie posted  http://juliepark.edublogs.org/2008/10/30/use-of-video-medium/ suggest a very usefull way of using video within assessment tasks. she discusses a video she made in her school days, this may be a productive method for some students to present information to their class. possible a good idea for students who are not confident with public speaking. An activity such as this gives students the freedom to learn and discover at their own level, as well as increasing the students ability with technology.

Video can be used in many different forms and I feel it can be used in all classroom and all KLA’s.

I have Just read a very interesting article by Miss Park see this link http://juliepark.edublogs.org/2008/10/30/interactive-whiteboards/

Interactive white boards are also very foreign to me, and after reading julies article i would love to have a go myself, within my prac I was heavily involved in using computeres within my teaching. I would it increadibly painful to continually move the projector screen to write something on the board and within PDHPE where mind maps and diagrams are regularly used this was very frustrating. Interactive white boards would have alleviate this issue within my classroom

here are some of the benifits that julie found through her research and I see these as influencial peaces of evidence if i was looking to introduce interactive whitboards into my school.

At the end of the day i see the benifit of interactive whiteboards in the name “interactive”. Very important part of any teachers classroom.

good stuff!!!!!