I totally agree that integrating technology in the classroom is highly essential. Students should be taught simply the way suitable to their needs and nature as well. Needless to say that using technology is not an end in itself. Integrating technology is not about teaching basic computer skills or the latest gadgets, on the contrary, it involves a more profound cause. Technology in the classroom is nothing but an effective means to create and better learning opportunities. However, it demands a lot of preparation on behalf of the teacher, a lot of readiness on behalf of our students and a lot of understanding on behalf of the parents. Properly done, the students will be acquiring the essential skills needed to survive in a highly competitive society: problem-solving, collaboration, analysing and synthesizing information and a lot more. Another point that is worth mentioning is related to the discussion held in the last session about the struggling students who could be unintentionally left behind. This made me somehow think of the difference between the concept of blended learning and flipped classrooms. The way I understood it, blended learning can provide more scaffolding to struggling ones in this case.
It is really important that we as teachers cater for different kinds of learners who naturally have different learning styles, intelligence and preferences. If we cater only for one type of learner, then the others definitely will fall behind and we would never want this to happen. All students, regardless of their academic level or their learning style, are in continuous need of guidance and scaffolding. Surely this is best done by using technology. Deciding on implementing technological techniques while lesson planning is highly beneficial for both the teacher and the student as well. However, one need to point out that technology is not an end in itself; it is all about the learning outcome. The goal that you want to achieve with the aid of technology is what matters most.
I agree with you Rania that the "suitable and effective" aid of technology is what matters the most, because there are plenty of technological aids out there, but the teacher has to study that aid many times to make sure it serves the lesson objective and suites her students' need and level.
I totally agree that integrating technology in the classroom is highly essential. Students should be taught simply the way suitable to their needs and nature as well. Needless to say that using technology is not an end in itself. Integrating technology is not about teaching basic computer skills or the latest gadgets, on the contrary, it involves a more profound cause. Technology in the classroom is nothing but an effective means to create and better learning opportunities. However, it demands a lot of preparation on behalf of the teacher, a lot of readiness on behalf of our students and a lot of understanding on behalf of the parents. Properly done, the students will be acquiring the essential skills needed to survive in a highly competitive society: problem-solving, collaboration, analysing and synthesizing information and a lot more.
ReplyDeleteAnother point that is worth mentioning is related to the discussion held in the last session about the struggling students who could be unintentionally left behind. This made me somehow think of the difference between the concept of blended learning and flipped classrooms. The way I understood it, blended learning can provide more scaffolding to struggling ones in this case.
It is really important that we as teachers cater for different kinds of learners who naturally have different learning styles, intelligence and preferences. If we cater only for one type of learner, then the others definitely will fall behind and we would never want this to happen. All students, regardless of their academic level or their learning style, are in continuous need of guidance and scaffolding. Surely this is best done by using technology.
ReplyDeleteDeciding on implementing technological techniques while lesson planning is highly beneficial for both the teacher and the student as well. However, one need to point out that technology is not an end in itself; it is all about the learning outcome. The goal that you want to achieve with the aid of technology is what matters most.
I agree with you Rania that the "suitable and effective" aid of technology is what matters the most, because there are plenty of technological aids out there, but the teacher has to study that aid many times to make sure it serves the lesson objective and suites her students' need and level.
ReplyDelete