On a cynical note, This text is becoming pretty redundant and difficult to muscle through. Anyone else getting that, or is it just me? I digress.
I suppose the 2 points made during this reading that stood out to me the most were simply the ones that discussed the importance of building report and maintaining a human relationship with the students. By that, I mean this:
As stated by Brice in the text, "...I only saw it on the other side...Student-chosen tasks must be supported with appropriate instructional support or scaffolding."(44)
Now, this is not necessarily one of his main points, but what he is stating speaks volumes about using technology in the classroom. Basically, it is trial and error. In order for the upcoming generations to benefit from lessons designed to teach technological literacy, we are going to have to accept the fact that there really is no existing science to it, and that every classroom is a laboratory.
Second, I really dig Ed's perspective on things. Of the three people used as examples in this chapter, Ed is the least familiar with technology, yet it is this very shortcoming that allows him to teach his students. Ed approaches aspects of technology by "recognizing what I don't know, and by sitting next to a kid in the classroom and saying 'show me.'"
In essence, his position has changed from a teacher to a proctor, and this transition is an important one. In doing this, his classroom is no longer a place of teaching and learning, but one of mutually beneficial research.
I also like that the teacher is not only teaching the students, but vice versa. As a future teacher I'm sure there will be some new and improved technology that I won't know about and my students will have to teach me. I think that this will also make the students feel more important, that they can show you things that you have never done before.
ReplyDeleteRich and Kate, I agree-I think her point about the shifting relationship between the teacher and student is especially important. One thing to think about...even as students come to us with technological skills that we might not have, or familiarity with technologies we haven't used yet, what do we still know that we can contribute to this "mutually beneficial research" (nice phrase, Rich)?
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