This video hurt my brain even watching it. It kind of scared me to think that maybe one day there will be no real need for a teacher because of technology. I think that all this would be good incorporated in the class room but there is so much false information on the web that there needs to be more use of the teacher.
I am definitely not prepared to be a teacher of a networked student. I am not going to school for six years just so I can sit back and let the web teach my class. I am all for a student and their creativity but we also need to make sure they are getting the information that they need and that will benefit them in the future.
A 7th Graders Personal Learning Environment
I can see the pros and cons of a PLE in a seventh grade classroom. Like the young girl said, it gives you lots of freedom and you can go anywhere on the web. Unfortunately, I do not think there are very many seventh graders who can handle this responsibility. I think it would be great for the kids who had the will power to learn that way but I also think a lot of kids would get left behind.
In these two post Bill Ferritter and Mike Staton tell us why they think smart boards are unnecessary. They tell us that there are more cost effective ways that get the job done besides buying an expensive smart board. I found a web cite that focuses on why they feel smart
boards are a good thing.Article on smart boards
Personally, I feel anything that gets the students more involved is great for the class room.
Fascinating. You argue that teachers must make sure students are "getting the information that they need and that will benefit them in the future." Do you know what "information" they will need for the future? I certainly don't. Just think back to Did You Know, the first video we watched. What was the message? What we need to "know" now is not what we will need to know in the future. (Unless you said Chinese).
ReplyDeleteWe are way past the time when our job is to stuff information in peoples' heads. In my opinion an educators job is primarily to develop the skills that will ensure that ours students will be effective life long learners. The skills discussed in the Networked Student are the types of skills we should be developing in our students. Not supplying them with the information they will need during their lifetime. Most of that information does not even exist at this point in time!
"I am definitely not prepared to be a teacher of a networked student." If this is true, and remains true, then if I were a principal I would never hire you!
"I am not going to school for six years just so I can sit back and let the web teach my class. " That is not the argument made by Wendy Drexler in the Networked Student. There were lots of tasks suggested as to what an educator must be able to do in the 21st century. But stuffing information is students' heads was not one of them!
"Unfortunately, I do not think there are very many seventh graders who can handle this responsibility." If you think that way you will certainly create the result you predict. If you say "Let's see" you will probably be very surprised! Just ask Anthony about his experiences actually teaching in the 4th grade class. He is astonished at what his kids can do when provided with the right tools, great support and encouraging guides.
You write: "Personally, I feel anything that gets the students more involved is great for the class room." Really? Even PLNs, networked instruction?