This quote from today’s reading grabbed my attention and made me think:
“Learning while mobile sees learning as happening across contexts, people, and digital tools that are both mobile and static. It focuses not on learners and technologies, but on the interactions between them, emphasizing that learning is a social process.”
-Mark Van ‘T Hooft
I think that currently, educators (in general) are focused more on the technologies. I am guilty of it too. A new gadget comes out, we rush to get it, and then we force it into our curriculum even if it is not really a good fit. Before jumping on the bandwagon of the latest technology, we need to stop and think about how our students are going to interact with it. Are students going to be able to access the content more actively with this new tool? Will this gadget promote higher order thinking skills? Does this gadget support collaboration? Collaboration should not be limited to just students. Will teachers, administrators, and members of the community be able to interact with students in a meaningful way with the assistance of this new technology?
In the reading, Mark Van ‘T Hooft also mentions that mobile learning bridges the gap between classrooms and society. I think that some professionals in our field fear this bridge. Society is not always a safe place and it would be foolish not to be cautious but I agree with Van ‘T Hooft when he says that utilizing a mobile connection between the classroom and the rest of the world gives students an opportunity “to learn how to navigate their world in safe, ethical, and productive ways”. Students are going to use iPads, cell phones, Smartphones, social networking sites, You Tube, etc, so why not teach them how to use them in a meaningful way while at the same time making the content more interesting and applicable to their lives.
I LOVE this quote! One of my big things is cross curricular integration. Why not talk about science in reading, social studies during reading, or even integrating math into just about any subject. I really do think I was born to be a teacher because any time a new gadget comes out or something strikes my attention I think, "how could I implement this in my classroom?" As you know from reading my blogs, I'm very cautious about what I introduce my students to mainly because I want to make it meaningful and successful. I think for me, who has to learn the hard way, it will take getting my own classroom and seeing what technology is offered at my school as to how much I will use. It will also depend on the needs of my students.
ReplyDeleteI think it is very important to find that balance between content, pedagogy, and technology. I am a big believer in focusing on hands-on and interactive lessons. I think students need to have hands-on lessons in order to stay engaged in their learning. I believe technology can enhance the hands-on aspect but as teachers it is important that we find the balance between hands-on lessons and lessons that mainly focus on the use of technology. We need to focus on the content and pedagogy and add technology if it will enhance the content of the lesson.
ReplyDeleteI also liked that quote, and I think it really is something that many people fail to think about. The questions you ask in the post are ones that we should all be asking ourselves and thinking about as we plan lessons. I think that is one thing that I am looking forward to doing in my own classroom because I know I need practice with it. I have seen many cases of people just sticking technology into a lesson without making the technology meaningful. I too am guilty of it at times and asking myself questions like that to get me into the TPACK mindset would really be a good place to start.
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