ANYWAYS
So in the beginning of the Fall semester we were given a Tech Survey. The survey had a large array of choices to think of....NONE which match what Ypsilanti High School contained/used. I mean, why didn't they just ask the simple questions of "Does your school have a board? Does your school have a computer?" I felt like the questions asked I had no choice to say "No." I felt a bit concerned for my school because I couldn't answer the questions. But Ypsilanti High is not THAT bad. There are ELMOS and MAC labs and large MAC desktops for teachers and overhead projectors and portable projectors....thats a lot of tech!
My mentor teacher is a big fan of using the ELMO or Projector to make students copy guided notes or the answers to worksheets. I really think she likes this because the lights get turned off,the students are too busy and focused copying what she is writing and everything is quiet. My mentor teacher likes it quiet, as opposed to heavy chatter...but who doesn't?
HOWEVER, although this is nice...I grow concerned for its effectiveness. I mean, yes, students mostly do what they're told, and when they copy down notes they copy down the notes. But does the information stick? Their quizzes and tests show that they stick only an average of 70% of the time (the approximate grade average in chemistry).
I think in the next year I'll try to get STUDENTS using the tech. I really hope I can push for students to use their cellphones for Polls. I love love love the polls that you can text, and I think students would love it too. Like students walk into the classroom on their phones anyways...maybe we can use them for Bell work!
We shall see!
As always, I enjoy your enthusiasm for all things education. I think what I like best about the blogging assignment is that we can write like we talk which you do very well because you’re extra awesome forever. Anyways, I especially like all your pretty pictures of technology. I’m boring and didn’t think to add pictures of cool things on my blog like other humans.
ReplyDeleteI like that you mentioned the ELMO. It always makes me think of Sesame Street. Elmo was my favorite, but he’s too much now. They went way…overboard with Elmo, and it makes me angry inside my soul. So, now Cookie Monster is my new favorite. Back to non-monster ELMO, I find it amusing the fascination with the device. I feel like it’s a glorified overhead projector, but people go nuts over them. Sure, they’re cool and I want to use one, but why all the rage? Whatever, I guess it’s cool that you don’t have to make transparencies.
I agree with concerns about note taking. I too fear that students are not truly learning. But, I think about myself as a student, and I loved taking notes on lectures. In any case, regardless of your technology usage, I know that you will be an outstanding teacher.
I have mixed feelings about guided notes. My mentor teacher uses them as well, and while the students diligently fill in the blanks (for the most part), I don't think it leaves much room for discussion. Taken to the extreme, students may just doze off and wait for the "magic word" to put in that blank -- which I've actually seen people do when I was TAing in grad school. On the flip side, guided notes really lay things out for people who have trouble organizing the crazy amount of information in some classes.
ReplyDeleteAs for the supposed lack of tech at your placement, I don't think it's too much to be concerned about. Yes, you guys might not have SmartBoards or the latest iPad model or whatnot, but you have the basics. In addition, the tech you DO have is relatively straightforward to use, so nobody is wasting class time trying to figure out how to turn on the SmartBoard or get the computer to unfreeze itself so you can move on to the next slide. I think it should be a balance between the two. Be prepped to use technology, but also be prepped to have a backup plan (or something) in case the technology flunks.
I have a similar issue regarding tech in my placement. I am concerned about the lack of variety in terms of how my mentor uses the SMART board that we have access to. It is primarily used as a tool for projecting PowerPoints, which, in my opinion, is a waste of white board space that is otherwise being occupied by a SMART board. The same task could be accomplished with an LCD projector and we would have more (precious) white board space to fill with student work and class related material.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who loves working with primary documents, I also find the ELMO to be an important tool in the classroom. However, I like to think of it as a tool for modeling behaviors rather than a tool for guided notes. Like you, I would like to use the ELMO as a medium for student presentations at some point during this year but I will have to find the right assignment or situation for this to be appropriate.