And so it happens . . .
The last post of the term.
But do not fear, fearful ones . . .
The Digital Hall Pass will return . . .
Maybe.
Depending on whether I am curricularly forced into maintaining it.
But for now . . .
It will make one last final dance of the summer . . . and a glorious last dance it will be.
(Whenever I saved this blog post, I was forced to think of Julia Stiles).
Sooo, I was reading Abby G's post and something she said about one of the former sMACers going to Ghana reminded me of something else she said.
She said that one of the things she learned while in Ghana was that you don't need much to be an effective teacher. This is something I also believe and I imagine will always believe. Now, this is no bash against technology - as it create possibilities for learning opportunities that otherwise would be missed . . . But basically, I believe it is superfluous - however it is a superfluosity that should be used as often as it can enhance learning. And it can enhance learning - greatly. It just isn't necessary for highly effective teaching. I suggest all who are interested more deeply in my thoughts along these lines to check out my podcast. It speaks to my belief in human relationships and their importance in the classroom. I state that one of the main benefits of technology is how it can connect people.
But people can still make connections without technology, clearly. We haven't yet reached the world of surrogates.
I don't believe that high tech savvyness is not extremely high on the list of desirable teacher traits. I think creativity is high up there and a creative teacher can make connections and get their point across through several different means - including potentially through the use of tech.
Speaking on the second part of class, let me just say that I fully trust Jeff and Kristin to guide our class and the content that
we cover. I'm happy to have learned what I have and I feel confident that
what I haven't learned is because class time was spent covering what two
ed tech experts have deemed to me more important.
I don't know about you, but I've definitely enjoyed 504. J & K 4eva.
Yes, I too trust Jeff and Kristin. While technology is not necessary to make a good lesson, it does help in motivating children and getting them interested. The problems I have seen with technology in the classroom is when the technology starts to overshadow the substance of the course. Smartboards, ironically enough, I feel are often guilty of this. Essentially teachers or students think that the piece of technology will be a crutch for a lesson instead of legitimate support. Yes, writing on a smartboard might be more fun for the children, but it's such a minor improvement over a chalkboard. The focus should first and foremost be on what is being taught, not how...
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