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So I know that my blogs have been staggered and a bit delayed, but I really enjoyed writing them. I apply everything I learn to a teaching environment and, at the beginning of this class, I viewed technology as an added bonus to any classroom, but not essential. Now, by the end of the course, I feel like every classroom should have updated technology and use it regularly. In my limited teaching experience, I have used computer resources, powerpoint presentations, and SMARTboards. I saw the value in all of these things and I also noted that some students were able to grasp lessons and concepts more easily when it ws presented through a technological medium. It reinforces the fact that every child learns differently and, in this day and age, children are exposed to technology in various parts of their lives. As a teacher, I feel like it is my responsibility to facilitate all types of learning, including learning about and using technology. Even when these technologies seem foreign and, at times, impossible, I feel like it is my responsibility to use all my resources to understand them. Even if those resources include my students, because I realize that they probably have a better handle on some of these current innovations than I do. I think that if I don’t jump on this technology band-wagon that I will be doing all the students I work with a great disadvantage and,a s a teacher, that is the last thing I want to do. So, YAY to this class for drilling home the value technology adds to my classroom!
The presentations for this last class were very interesting. We were introduced to the virtual space called LamdaMOO. It seemed like an interesting concept, but I found myself having many questions about it. I wondered, when Ryan asked, what I thought the purpose of a website like this would serve. Could it be harmless entertainment? A virtual ‘vacation’ destination? A form of virtual escapism? An online utopia? Or maybe a new kind of political community? After some thought, it occurred to me that this virtual space could be all of the above. People seek these virtual worlds for their own reasons. It could be out of mere curiosity or it could be for a specific reason. I cannot put down virtual space like this because it can be very meaningful for some people. It can be therapeutic, or merely recreational. Either way, virtual space like this one provides a service for people and would not last if there wasn’t some kind of a need for it.
The next topic we discussed was the representation of cultures in video games. I always noticed that the most featured race represented in video games are Caucasian. However, what surprised me was where the placement of other races was emphasized. It is disheartening to see that, in this day and age, we still depict minorities as the ‘bad guy’ and put them in such stereotyped roles. The fact that most of the people who create video games are predominantly Caucasian should not be an excuse for this stereotyped depiction.
We only had one class presentation today. The topic dealt with computer games and their place, if any, in the classroom. Personally, I think that there is plenty of room in the classroom for computer games – so long as they do not replace certain forms of learning, but enhance instead. I am also totally open to the idea of some these games to be in the classroom for purely leisure purposes. Being a strong advocate for the importance of play, I don’t think that everything in the classroom needs to have a strict educational purpose. We learn different things in everything we do, be it educational or general life skills – so why not let them play?
I also really liked the idea of the epistemic games – with no standards answer but helped bring out creativity and innovation in students. Teachers use many tools to bring these things out in their students and, if computer games are one of these tools, then that will make it easier to reach even more students. This leads me to another discussion we had in class during the presentation about the training required for teachers to see the value in computer games. My contribution to that discussion was that this kind of training is non-existent in most teachers’ colleges. I would assume that most teachers fresh out of teachers college would think to use a computer game to help their students learn spatial awareness or any other part of the curriculum. There is a lot of value in this kind of technology in the classroom, the problem is that not many people know or understand it well enough to use it.
The presentations that we had in class today were great! I definitely left class with a lot of different thoughts. One thought that stuck out in my mind was the engineering in the classroom in the LEGO robolab. I thought the concept was great! I like strategies of learning that work out of the box – in this case literally! In class there was this huge discussion about the background skills and knowledge required to facilitate this kind of learning using technology. I agree that these skills are hard to master, and even more difficult to begin to understand, however, I also know that there are many avenues to gain this knowledge and it is just a matter of finding these means to achieve these skills. We’ve gotten to a time where there is no shame in asking those younger than us to explain something we do not understand – chances are that they know a lot more than we do about tons of things – especially technology.
The last presentation was very thought provoking too. When we were talking about giving cameras to children so that they can use that technology to express themselves, it occurred to me that I usually don’t think of cameras when I think of technology. My mind goes straight to computers and the Internet, I sometimes forget about other sources of technology. I thought that all the programs that were set up to give children free reign to document their lives from their point of view were brilliant. It really makes the rest of the world see things that they might not usually see. I love taking pictures to document as much as possible… I can’t believe it never occurred to me to give any students I might have in the future to do the same.
Hello all!
So sorry about the mass post of all my blogs… hopefully, it’s never too late to get on track;-)
Our first presentation looked at the idea of gaming and technology. I always wonder what role computer games have in the classroom. Personally, I think that video games are also another form of play and there are definitely skills that children can benefit from through using some of these games. However, one of the main problems I see with these games is that some of them are too graphic for children. In class it was mentioned that, oftentimes, these games replace parents and teachers for these children for short periods of time and that this is where children find the fun that they may not be getting from other sources. This makes sense, except that, censorship is usually missing. Children become immersed in video games, where they learn strategies and are challenged to do their best. It is when these worlds become more than a six year old should ever have to encounter that I begin to worry.
Random fact noted in class, “On average, children spend approximately 6 hours in front of media a day” … WHAT???? This is where my issues with technology really come through, and we talked about it in class too. It is when people replace real life and real people with a computer and/or television screen. Unfortunately, I see this too often. We’ve been hearing it forever, “things are good in moderation”, unfortunately, people are forgetting to moderate. I am definitely a big fan of technology, I would love to be able to incorporate it into every classroom I ever have. However, I think that I would be jumping on the technology bandwagon more freely if so many people didn’t abuse its use.
Today I learned a new word – Edutainment. I was even more surprised when I typed it into my computer and a squiggly red line didn’t appear under it. Turns out that it was word that described a concept that has been around for quite a long time. An interesting discussion around this arose in class, where we were trying to see if these technologies were belittling play by depicting it as beneficial only when there is specific learning involved. I think that it’s just a marketing tool used to drag parents into the hype of the next new fad. I think that there has been educational value in certain games for many years, but more recently, the market (which is comprised of parents) is demanding educational value.
The idea of teaching with technology instead of teaching about technology was fascinating. I like the idea of teaching children about the value of the technology and not just the by-product of it.
We also had a presentation about Neopets. After we got a look into their world, there were mixed reactions to it. Personally, I think that it was a very interesting world. I liked the idea of playing games, earning points and being able to feed your Neopet. For children, I think that it gives them a sense of responsibility and I feel like people invest more than just their time in these worlds. I didn’t particularly like the idea of spending real money to dress up the pets, but I like that there was a sense of playing well to earn what you needed.
Our first presentation was about the songchild project that Danny and Jason are working on. We saw clips from various sources that showed young people expressing themselves through music and the responses to their music. We examined websites like youtube, myspace, and scratch. It’s fascinating to see how people find ways to express themselves for all to see – fascinating and scary all at the same time. I see the advantages to this technology, but I also can’t help thinking about how easily these technologies could be used for harm (eg. Facebook trying to own the rights to whatever is uploaded to their site). The next presentation was about the One Laptop Per Child Project. There was some really interesting conversation around the OLPC. We discussed the value of a project like this. When I first heard about this project, I thought that it was a positive experience. However, after some discussion around the topic of cultural imperialism, I can’t help but think a little differently. Are we trying to say that the only way these children can get the right education through technology like laptops? Are we presuming that this is the kind of help that they want? What about all the other things that these children in developing children need? Shouldn’t we work on movements to provide the basic necessities first?
In class today, the presenters discussed the idea of the availability of technology and peoples personal stance on the use of technology. The class was asked to identify their comfort levels with various forms of technology and how much they use it. Online courses were an example of a topic that was discussed. The class seemed divided on their feelings towards this topic. Some felt that taking online courses was a great experiences, and others explained that they avoid online courses for a number of reasons. My personal stance on the issue is that technology has it’s place in education. I feel as though it is an important enhancement tool for learning, however, I feel that it should not be depended on too strongly. In my experience, I have seen educators use technology as a substitute for teaching and learning and I think that this is done too often. I place a great deal of importance on technology in the classroom to keep students up to date with society. I also feel that it is important to keep some traditional learning and teaching styles intact so that development by means of technology are not the only means by which development can happen. This class also made me re-evaluate my attitude towards technology and it’s importance in my life and career. It also lead to me making my final decision about what I would like to research for my annotated bibliography and my final paper.
In today’s class we discussed play and constructionism. Coming from an ECE background, the importance of play has been emphasized through most of my post secondary education. I also remember the great times I had playing throughout my whole childhood. I played a lot outdoors and with my siblings and my parents were not big fans of the television. They were raised in India, where children spent every spare second outdoors engaged in play. The question that I thought about in class was; have parents forgotten how important play is? In this fast-paced world we live in, are caregivers forgetting to pencil in some time for free play? Has it become more important to go to soccer practice, swimming lessons, piano lessons, etc? And then I wonder how I was able to get all these lessons in as a child and still have time to play. The discussion and presentations left me with a lot of questions about childhood in the past to what childhood has become today. Not thinking that one was necessarily better than the other, but that things have changed dramatically.
