Bradshaw

Bradshaw presents a good point in her article, " A social constructivist learning approach: The value of collaborative learning projects as educational methodologies." Collaborative learning could have so many benefits if it could be implemented effectively. The idea that you could have a partner school in another country to discuss your projects with is quite unbelievable really. Being able to share this type of information is something that would have only been dreamt of a few years ago.

The idea though that the teachers will not be seen to be as valuable as they have been is plausible but I think is a little over the top. The teachers role may change slightly but they are still the ones in charge and are still presenting the work to the students in the first place. How will the class go on without the supervision of a teacher or teachers for that matter. This type of learning just allows students to engage with the work in a different way. Allowing them to be in control of their work with a different edge to it. It will also be encouraging students to take some responsibility for their own learning, which is what we as teachers are supposed to be encouraging, especially with all the distractions there are in the world today with computer games, television, mobile phones, playstation, x-box and the list goes on. Having the oppinion of a teacher is reassuring to most students, and questions they have are more easily answered and understood when a teacher is there to answer them. A teacher reinforces what the child needs to know or what they already know the answer to.

Some students obviously work faster than others and school curriculum can vary slightly as well. In this case the school curriculum would have to change, especially for the more technologically talented students or "Digital Natives" as we like to refer to them as.

Teaching nowadays is supposed to be about catering for the diverse learning abilities and mutliple intelligences that any suggestions to an improved learning environment should be encouraged and trialed. This is what we as teachers are taught and are supposed to be teaching. Bradshaw makes some relevant and remarkable points however i do not agree to all of them in the way of a teacher being absent in a classroom setting.

Computers as Mindtools for Engaging Critical Thinking and Representing Knowledge

This article, by David Jonassen is a very detailed article on the use of computers in the education system. Jonassen argues that computers and the available software are beneficial only when students work with computer technologies instead of being controlled by them. The computer should intensify the thinking and learning of the student. It should be a partnership.

Jonassen believes that there is so much available in computers and technology that we should move towards this way of learning rather than have a teacher give students his or her interpretation and consequently have the students learn from a singular point of view.

Jonassen introduces the concept of mind tools which help learners interpret and organise personal knowledge. We use mind tools automatically but the article expertly categorises our resources under headings and subheadings. Some examples of his mindtools include: record keeping systems, concept maps, description of dynamic relationships (spread sheets), simulation of real world phenomena (video based adventure games), scanning information resources (www) and conversation tools (chat rooms).

He believes students should no longer “listen and mirror one ‘correct’ view” but must participate and create their own opinions and views. He believes this technology will guide learners and help them represent what they know. This is a very valid point and I agree with his way of thinking, however some of the points he made I was not 100% on agreeing with him, as some I found were a little far fetched!

Cultural change needed to exploit ICT in schools

This week’s article “Cultural Change Needed To Exploit ICT In Schools” was an interesting article that I found raised some very valid points about the use of ICT’s in today’s society. The article starts by raising the point on how many schools would raise the debate of computers and the access, cost, training and quality involved with these new technologies. It goes on to discuss how some teacher's who are inexperienced with ICT may tend to skip over the usage of technology and not try to integrate it into their teaching, therefore not encouraging educational innovation. Due to this happening readily in many schools, Elliott discusses how there are little students who are faced with the knowledge needed in ICT.

As the article begins it discusses how teachers are lacking the confidence with technology today. The next point which captured my attention was "As real-world technology rushes ahead, many schools are lucky to have last decade's technology, let alone last year's". This really schocked me, as here we are being brought up in a very technological society, yet how are these children supposed to keep up if the technology they are forced to use is not up to date. It does make learning a lot more difficult, but even more so, teaching with this technology would have huge implications on the teacher and his/her needs to know or keep up with the rate technology moves.

One point that really stands out in the way of this article and what it is trying to say, is the motivation levels between the students and the teachers towards ICT. As teachers aren't as familiar with computers as most children, it will be hard to get the teachers motivated enough to want to encorporate ICT more into their lessons. I think that this is because once you hit a certain age, your brain tends to become comfortable with knowing what it knows, and more or new information seems to get blocked, as if your brain doesn't want to let anything new or difficult in. For children however, they are still learning, have a lot more to learn, and want to learn new things. This is why computing skills come so easily to them and before realising it, they are virtually teaching you!

Many points Elliott raised throughout this article have been very factual and i have agreed with most of them. We need to try increase the amount of computers in schools, because it is becoming a phenomenon and we need to encourage its use to students. Keeping up with the technology in schools should be encouraged, as how will inexperienced teachers teach children what they will need to take with them into the future. Computers have such a huge impact on our daily lives now, especially within a school setting. Simple things such as keeping parents up to date with current information, even newsletters are emailed to parents to encure they get to them, schools now all have a website to access current and important information such as important dates on the school calender, the list goes on and what Elliott is saying is exactly what should be encouraged.

Marc Prensky's 'Digital Natives', 'Digital Immigrants'.

Marc Prensky's article on Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants is very relevant to today’s society. The article reveals the differences between those who are (Digital Natives) those who have been brought up in an ever changing technological world and (Digital Immigrants) those entering this world, trying to adapt to the digital world!

The article did state that the biggest problem facing education today is that “our Digital Immigrant instructors, who speak an outdated language (that of the pre-digital age), are struggling to teach a population that speaks an entirely new language. This to me makes so much sense as I experienced the most horrid high school computing teacher, who relied on us students to know the answer to such questions like “Does anyone know what you click on to get into Internet Explorer?” or “How do I check my emails on this computer?”. At first we definitely thought he was testing us, but it got worse and we came to realise we were the ones teaching him.

Not only was this “Computing” teacher so inadequate but he also had very little appreciation for these new skills that Natives have acquired and perfected through years of interaction and practice. This article was not only a laugh but very easily understandable, especially when comparing most examples to my mother whilst reading. Another problem facing those who are characterised in the ‘Digital Immigrant’ world is that “learning new stuff” may be hard, but “learning new ways to do the old stuff” is even more difficult. I think as an immigrant you only want to learn it once and practise it one hundred times, understand it then not have to ever change what you just learnt. But in this digital world, changes happen so often I wonder if there is ever any point in studying so hard to remember things off by heart. Perhaps it is just better to half learn them then before you know it, you’ll be learning the new ways?

I thoroughly enjoyed this article, and could go on writing about nearly every line written. But don’t worry. I won’t.