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Sunday, March 6, 2011

Chapter 7 in Learning and Cognition: Cognition and Instruction

I loved that this chapter focused partly on Technology and Instruction (p.311 – 322). As a technology teacher, I have always been a strong advocate for the integration of technology into teaching styles as a means of stimulation, important 21st century skills, and engagement. My favorite sentence from the book is “Technology is not a cause of learning; rather it is a means for applying principles of effective instruction and learning.”

I am an advocate of the use of technology integration, not of technology taking over all of the teaching duties. Technology cannot be looked at as a solution to teaching problems but as a vehicle to help engage students in the learning process. For example, I do not think creating a power point presentation and reading it word for word to students is utilizing technology effectively for instruction. When have you seen technology misused in teaching practices?

10 comments:

  1. Jessica, I totally agree with you when it came to the technology section. That really had me wanting to read more and add to the information. PowerPoint has been misused for so many years, I think the more important question is when have you ever seen it used right. Either way, the only time that I have see PowerPoint used right was in my Educational Technology courses. Students are learning the correct way to create without taking from the lesson.

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  2. Good question Jessica! Right off the top of my head, I think of your power point presentation example. I agree a power point presentation should be used as a way to increase student engagement in conversation. I like to include questions in my power points. The question allows the students, and me, a break from the presentation. I also feel that it breaks the monotony of lecture. If you have a smart board, you can incorporate all sorts of interactive fun into a power point presentation.IN my blog I mentioned Learning.com. I use this pretty often in my class, but I constantly incorporate q and a sessions before and after its use. I could see how this type of program could be used in a manner that might result in a disservice to students. I have observed classes in which the teacher pretty much says "Log on" and then just sits and reads a magazine while the students complete the assignments. I disagree with this approach greatly because I feel the students facial expressions need to be monitored for looks of confusion and frustration.

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  3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbSPPFYxx3o&feature=related

    Funny Link one of my other Professors shared with our class about PowerPoint use.

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  4. I have also seen power point misused in the classroom setting. They are meant to be used as a guide. In my classes we do use power point presentations daily but they are more to display pictures and add to our lectures.

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  5. I think reading the power point word for word makes it useless for the teacher and the students. Technology should be used accordingly without loosing focus of the material. We need to focus on interacting with the students and make them learn from an individual who has a personality not a computer generated voice.Teachers need to monitor the use of technology because if it is not monitored or regulated the students will focus on other things.

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  6. I have seen power point lessons used correctly in a fourth grade classroom. The teacher incorporated it into her reading\writing classroom using a discovery learning approach. Students were invited to use the classroom computer after the project had been done on paper. Students learned to use power point during the process of putting the power point together. Once a student knew a skill well, they could help other students. Also, students were required to use the home row keys when they typed. Some teachers allow students to type final drafts in 5th grade without knowing the home row keys. This is a way technology gets misused. Also, software that teaches skills in isolation (ex. math and spelling) gets misused. Teachers need to incorporate its use as a part of the curriculum.

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  7. Response: I agree that technology cannot take over all teaching duties despite the fact that many of our leaders seem to think that it can. Teaching is an art and not just a science. As an art it requires an artist to use a process that creates a human expression of knowledge on the canvas of student’s lives or through the medium of a student life. The “touch of the Master’s Hand” brings to life the dull drab recitation of facts until it becomes a living breathing expression of all human existence.
    Only a real live teacher is able to spark the imagination of a life. Only a real live teacher is able to show the human compassion and understanding necessary to give birth to the innovation of human intellect in one who is born without the love, compassion and security that all people have a right to. Only a real live teacher can see and express the joy of discovery and the exhalations from sudden insight.
    Technology is a tool to help do this but it can never replace the sound of a teachers voice when they say, well done, good work, I knew you could do it, I am proud of you. Only a real live teacher can laugh with you and at your jokes and only a real live teach cheers for you at your game. This is what motivates students to greater success. This is what sustains them through failure and this is what gives them hope as they look back at their lives and remember that one real live teacher who one time said, welcome to my class, I am glad to have you here. No technology can replace that.

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  8. You're right! Technology should not take the place of a teacher. I usually use it to show videos on United Streaming or Brainpop. I like to create power points where the students can actually go up to the Smatboard and either write or drag pictures. I also love to use Photostory. I use it a lot for Open Houses. I take many pictures and then compile them on Photostory and the parents enjoy watching their children. I always get good compliments about that =)

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  9. I love smartboards. I had an opportunity to use them during my first two years of teaching and I adored the way my students could become engaged. But I agree with most comments - technology can never replace the teacher. The only reason why the smartboard worked so well in the classroom was because I knew how to integrate it into the lessons.

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  10. "Technology cannot be looked at as a solution to teaching problems but as a vehicle to help engage students in the learning process." I couldn't agree with you more. Technology in my opinion made my job easier. But the amount of time it takes to prep can be discouraging to many. Videos from Discovery Streaming are great tools to add to any lesson. The problem can be not to use them to much or have other issues to contend with.

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