Currently it is very strange not to find someone who is not engage (at least in a way) to technology therefore it has now become part of people’s life, either it is daily or sporadically, people are on a web page, on a blog, on a social network, messenger, etc handling these new tools.
Nowadays that technology has progressed at a really quick pace it is important for us teachers to be updated in these advances and of course be able to manage it. On the web we can find a lot of resources that can help us improve our classes, at this time it is very rare to find someone, I mean a teacher, who has not used the web to look for some material, listening or just ideas to plan a class. And we can also integrate or encourage our students to make use of this resource not only for social purposes but for learning too. A more advance and modern teaching model may be more attractive for students and might help motivate them.
I think we can use technology in classroom in two ways:
-By having a lab in the school and controlling directly the assignments
-By sending assignments to be done on line (just like we are right now)
Of course in our country it is not very likely to find institutions with these accommodations, therefore for us it results more beneficial the second one, to work online, which by the way might bring more benefits to the students. They would be able to work on the assignment wherever and whenever it is possible for them to (of course with a due date), they are able to learn not only the subject that is being studied but the use of the computer too, they feel more motivated with a new and interactive teaching model, they learn to administrate their time (depending on the group you are working with), all these among others.
However to be honest I think the use of technology in the classroom can make things easier or more difficult depending on how well one manages it.
I totally agree with you, Fanzi. However, sending homework for students using the Internet, for example, is something that we also have to handle carefully depending on our students' possibilities. I have tried it out before (even with my college students) and most of them were reluctant to use the Internet with purposes other than having fun or chatting. I think we should first train our students on using the Web with academic purposes and make them see the advantages of that. In that way, we could make things easier for them and for us. :-) What do you think?
ResponderEliminarWell, I gotta admit it, most people refuse to use with other purposes than chatting and having fun as you say. But I am not sure what you mean when you say train them first. You mean like a theoretical class before using the web or...?
ResponderEliminar