Monday 27 February 2012
Teachers and Technology
Teachers are facing a phenomenon that presents a challenge to their ability to engage their students. Many children today are growing up with technological gadgets they acquired while still in the cradle. Parents may use modern gadgets that provide soothing sights and sounds for the infant in the crib. Almost as soon as they can walk, children learn to use DVD players and programmable remote controls. They often get their first iPod before they even start school and surf the Internet at will. They quickly learn to use smartphones and either use their parents' iPad or have one of their own. Parents provide 'educational' entertainment through the Nintendo Wii, an XBox, or Sony Playstation, in addition to all of the handheld devices available. Once they start attending school they expect the learning environment to be at least as engaging. Imagine their dismay when they are presented with using pencils and paper while being expected to pay attention to whatever the teacher writes on a big board at the front of the class. What is a teacher to do?
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I agree with your analysis of the situation we are in as teachers. I am "blown away" at how young kids are that have a cell phone, not to mention a smart phone. I think as teachers, we should make a bridge between reaching them with what they are familar with and still getting some of the "oldies, but goodies" in there, too. We are ministers of education. Jesus met the people where they were and told stories (made analogies)about things they were familiar with. He is our example. The greatest teacher of all time! Are we expected to do any less? It is definitely a challenge. - Wendy
ReplyDeleteThe parameters of learning are shifting, but are they shrinking, when seen through the eyes of a 20th century trained teacher it surely is! It is extremely difficult to change the measuring tools that are tried and true, because those are the tools that make us think we are educated.
ReplyDeleteAs a teacher we must never think that learning has stopped when we graduated or that the assimilation of new learning trends are limited to ours. In order to exploit the ful abilities of our students, we have to adopt to their style of learning. In closing, could it be that we are afraid to be judged by a new paradigm?