I have had a filtering post bubbling about for awhile. I think this may be a week for griping about idiotic technology choices. Filtering and firewalls will come later. Today, I present to you, ignoring half of the argument in favor of making yourself appear right. It’s called balance; let’s find some.
One of my students in the Library 2.0 Leadership Institute I am teaching sent me a New York Times article on technology in the classroom. I hope Samuel Freedman never has to teach a group of any humans, especially a group of engaged and wired people, age not withstanding.
Mr. Freedman’s opinion piece seems to center around the vilification of the use of technology in the classroom, not by the teacher, but by the students. He completely ignores all the good uses of tech in the classroom.
What about teaming up the students so that every team has an internet enabled phone and asking which team can find a factiod on the topic you are studying or see which team can find the most recent research article on the topic. You would have students who were engaged, using the devices Mr. Freedman thinks should be banned from the classroom, and there would be learning occurring. In the same room with cell phones! *gasp*
From someone who has been known to Twitter and surf during meetings, I have a newsflash to teachers who are dismayed by distracted students.
Some of your students will always be distracted, but banning all technology from your classes is not the answer. Doing that will accomplish nothing more than alienating your students farther. We should try to engage them more and integrate the items they are already using into the class structure. If your students were actively learning, they would not need to facebook through class.
Not all multi-tasking is good, but as educators, we need to stop blaming technology and step up to the plate. Be an educator. Reach your students in new ways. Stop being afraid of technology and make it make your class better. Learn and evolve. It is what you ask your students to do everyday.
–Jane, education and collaboration go with technology like spring and flowers