I agree totally with the thoughts of Mr. McHugh throughout the article, Synching Up with the iKid: Connecting to the Twenty-First-Century Student. It seems as if Mr. McHugh is trying to get the point across to everyone about the importance of technology, and even more of an importance of bringing this source in to our classrooms. With this in mind I can follow what Mr. McHugh is saying and be behind in while doing so. I feel as if technology is essential for every student and every classroom in today's society. If a school can not afford to offer computers and up-to-date technology in every classroom, then I feel as if they can do all it takes to have a small computer lab, at least. Many students do not have the opportunity to use these items in their own homes, so giving them the chance at school is a strategy and plus for everyone.
The article states that, "This new generation of digital learners -- call them the MEdia Generation -- take in the world via the filter of computing devices: the cellular phones, handheld gaming devices, PDAs, and laptops they take everywhere, plus the computers, TVs, and game consoles at home." This caught my attention, being a prosperous elementary school teacher. Knowing that most of these students are using these high-tech items at home and other places, I must too use these technical things to keep my students attention in the classroom. Most students today do not want to be lectured to, with a book, pencil, and paper, but given a lesson with excitement and fun. Bringing in a smartboard, computer, overhead, and many more items will not only help me in grasping the students attention, but more than likely give the students a better understanding of the material. Due to this issue, it is essential that teachers be properly trained on this technical devices, and that students understand what they are too.
McHugh writes that, "More than 85 percent of respondents in CDW's Teachers Talk Tech survey say that while they are adequately trained on Internet, word processing, and email software, 27 percent have little or no training with integrating computers into lessons. Nonetheless, the survey indicates that more than 70 percent of teachers at all grade levels believe computers are an important driver of student learning." If this is so why are not more teachers adamant about using technology in their lessons. Teachers and faculty need to speak up and let their opinions be known. If enough teachers at a school or district are willing to take the proper training to use this technology in their lessons and give their insight of the importance of this, I think this traning, could and will be done. It is our job as teachers to get this done, and "The key to teaching is keeping kids involved," with technology in the classroom, I feel as if students will be much more involved.
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2 comments:
Diana,
I totally agree with you when you talked about teachers demanding training on technology. If we as future teachers want to know something it is going to be up to us to push for that change. In this case training. I wonder though do you think it just gets harder to fit in things like training after a few years of teaching?
I also agree with you that we need to keep pushing to get technology in the schools. My sister teaches special needs in a public school and it took over a year of complaining for her students to even get Internet access! I currently teach at a private school where the director wants the students to be technologically proficient, yet all the sites we've learned about in this class are blocked! If there could be a way to block the sites and then unblock them for use in certain assignments, I think we could have the benefit of it for our lessons, and we wouldn't have to worry about the students abusing them.
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