As I learn and blog about teaching with technology, my main goal is simply to cultivate my own interest in the topic. I believe that, like habits and personality traits, interests can and should be actively cultivated. Although imagining we have total control of our lives is a dangerous illusion, I believe that if one wants to be a person with a passion and skill for using technology, one can make intentional choices to make it happen.
On that note, I must confess that I have taught in a room with a SMART board for 4 semesters and haven't taken the time to figure out an interesting way to use it in my Educational Psychology class! When I took stock of how much time had passed without learning about a technological tool right under my nose, the fear of becoming an old fogey in the classroom kicked me in the pants and right into this class!
However, I tend to believe that the most important characteristic needed for learning is a warm and caring relationship between teacher and student. Unfortunately, as many of us know from family dinners spent in front of text messages, Hulu, and iPads, technology is often used to separate us from each other and from our true selves. So I must admit that I'm starting out this journey with some skepticism about the usefulness of ever-increasing amounts of technology in the learning process.
The science of when and why certain tools work for certain purposes in conjunction with certain teaching philosophies will be a good starting off point for me. I'm ready to evaluate my Teaching Perspectives Inventory score, re-read my Teaching Philosophy and start digging!
We have a SmartBoard at the Carn. Haven't used it all that much, either, but I know it does some cool things. And students LOVE it. PS. Love the look - and the font!
ReplyDeleteI love technology but I even have my doubts about Smartboards.
ReplyDeleteHopefully we can both figure out which classroom technologies are useful for teaching and which ones are just cool and novel.
Smartboards are so cool! My students in a Duke TIP program had showed me how to use it. Students at very young ages are using tons of technology in the classroom already!
ReplyDeleteLove your metaphor, Sarah! I am not much of a gardener, although my MIL has not given up on me yet. I am somehow amazed that she forgives me so easily when I lose a plant. "Oh well," she says. "That plant just didn't work in that particular bed, so we can try it again somewhere else." This fits with technology, too. If blogging doesn't work with one group of students, maybe it will take off with another. Or, like all plants are not fit for all zones, some technology may not work for your discipline.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to following along this term. And one last note...bless you for using "myriad" properly. Misuse of that word is one of my pet peeves!
I completely agree with you Sarah, that technology frequently separates us from each other. My fiance occasionally comments on how much he hates my laptop (I'm on it WAY too much, especially since we got wireless internet at home). Although I would like to say it's because I'm always working (which is often true) there are times when I'm on Facebook or just checking my e-mail or playing a game. So on the one hand, when it comes to using technology personally I don't want to get sucked in too much. But, on the other hand, I feel like technology could be this amazing, unexplored tool in the classroom for creating really meaningful learning experiences. So, I'm trying to also be open-minded, especially about technologies that I have tried to avoid in my personal life.
ReplyDeleteActually, your point about how technology can often separate people is one of the reasons why I have begun to - in recent months - steer clear of social networking sites and spending time online less generally. Just in time for technology class! The point is well taken here. Though I do recognize that smart use of tech can really spice up class.
ReplyDeleteI have a smart board in my classroom and I have never touched it. Now, I feel like I need to get some lessons on it!
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