Jason Hoffman’s Voice Thread www.voicethread.com/share/2299644/
The technology that is available today can be both a hindrance as well as a benefit. Sometimes the only difference between the two depends on how and for what reason the technology is utilized. Students today are immersed in technology. They have video game systems that connect to the Internet. The phones in their pocket can do as much as many home computers from any location. Even the mp3 players that they use can do many things that were unheard of a short time ago. These devices provide instant feedback in multiple formats and students have become accustomed to this steady flow of data and information. Traditional methods of teaching such as lecture or worksheet teaching simply will not hold their interest.
Social learning has been a large part of how I have mastered concepts and ideas since I can remember. It still is. Whether it’s watching older boys jump their bike a certain way, buying clothing seen on a television ad, or bouncing ideas off colleagues at a staff development meeting, we all participate in some form of social learning. Even little things, like following a crowd to the entrance of a ball game, are learned responses to observed behavior. Most human behavior is learned observationally through modeling: from observing others one forms an idea of how new behaviors are performed, and on later occasions this coded information serves as a guide for action (Laureate Education, 2011).
Most educators and students alike are familiar with social networking tools such as Facebook, My Space, Twitter, and YouTube. Countless hours are spent looking at what other people have done or created and then commenting on it or mimicking it. Technology is already being used in people’s personal lives to exchange information, form ideas, and engage in ongoing conversations. They may not always be positive, but they still fit the concept of social learning and connectivism. With all this technology available in so many facets of society, it makes sense that the classroom should utilize some of the available tools to engage students in learning. A simple tool like voice threads can enhance a lesson and help to make connections in learning that may not otherwise have been possible. Students can collaborate and build on each other’s ideas to form a final product that is much more powerful than copying definitions onto paper. In the voice thread linked above I experimented with some simple definitions since math vocabulary is sometimes difficult to develop interest in. What I found was that students visited the site from home on their own, discussed it amongst themselves, and talked about it the next day without being prompted. Integrating technology into lessons that are based on group collaboration and experience based learning not only allows students the chance to learn from each other, it builds a much stronger foundation of knowledge that may not have existed with a more traditional approach to teaching.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Program eight: Social learning theories [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Program nine: Connectivism as a Learning Theory [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Program nine: Connectivism as a Learning Theory [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn
Jason,
ReplyDeleteI agree that teachers should be utilizing technology tools to engage their students in learning. But yet we have so many teachers who still do not. Some of it is fear of using the unknown. This is where our school districts should be stepping in by making sure that teachers get training and staff development to teach them how to effectively utilize these great tools into their current curriculum.
The school I currently teach at takes the time and money to make sure its teachers are engaged in their own learning on how to use technology tools effectively. We have a monthly staff development meeting where we are learning about technology and other 21st century skills and then are required to try it out in our rooms (incorporating it into our curriculum). we then report back to the staff with our ideas and results. We also attend METC conference as a school and then share what we learned at the sectionals.
Does your school spend time training your teachers or are they on their own to figure out how to incorporate technology?
I like your idea of using voice thread for vocabulary words. I am always looking for interesting and effective ways for my students to learn vocabulary. I plan to give it a try.
I enjoyed reading your post!
Yes our county has four technology specialists for the entire county, fourteen schools. They barely have the time to repair machines, much less come around and help teachers become familiar with technology. Consequently, teachers receive new pieces of technology and simply put them in a cabinet or drawer. Some of the older teachers are just afraid to try new things and technology tends to take a back seat in some classrooms.
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