I am already doing so many new things as a teacher assistant and personally because of my exposure to this class! The lessons have forced me to try many tools that are available on the computer which I was either afraid to use or didn't understand. The more I learned, the more I wanted to learn. Do you think the kids would feel this way about their classwork too, if we were using new technologies ? Wouldn't that be great?
Mostly I am investigating blogs, wikis, websites, webpods and people's bookmarks when I am looking for information to help the kids with papers, research, and math problems. I am passing this new information along to the students. I am also talking to everyone who wants to listen about this class, and the conversations have sparked interest in not only the class but have spurred an interest in adding technology to enhance their teaching. I have even been accused of being a computer "geek" by a friend who has known me for 15 years and knows how much I hate change.
Thank-you Lori for this new-found knowledge and for helping me get excited about my job again.
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7 comments:
I think that adding new technology to the students classroom would, for one, increase productivity sparked by new and interesting ways to learn. The avenues of learning that can be taken are endless and all we have to do is introduce as many to our students as they will accept. As far as being a computer "geek", I think we need to put as many hours in that we can just to stay ahead of the technological flow.
I agree that our excitment about the possiblities of technology in our classrooms will be passed along to students. The graphics and color that can be transmitted to students via the compter rather than paper will continue to challenge their intellect more productively that we are able to do now. I don't think we can throw a computer at a kid and they will learn more but I do think that computers will help us challenge kids and make them more employable in the global market.
I have learned so many new technologies that are available to us. I really do think the kids would be more interested in all of the subjects in the whole world if it was at their fingertips. It seems to me that the time has come to change the traditional classroom, with the students listening and the teacher teaching. There is just so much more that we can do to prepare the kids for their future professions and to teach them how to learn on their own. What we teach them today, can be outdated tomorrow. But if we teach them how to learn with a sense of drive, they can teach themselves through out their lives!
I am really excited for you Kathy, I have seen great empowerment in you since you have started this course. I can see you becoming more comfortable with computers and technology. People in our class are even asking you for help with their lessons!! Yeah Kathy and her technology!! By becoming comfortable with technology, you will help the students in all their technological needs.
I have to agree that I am excited about the class and everything we have learned. I feel that I have moved from uninformed to a competant user of the internet and its sources. I hope to stay current with all the changes that are inevitable in the future of our schools.
I'm excited too! I think that TAs will play an integral part in putting together some of the new technologies that will be the way to engage the students we work with as well as all the students in our district. I also agree that its still an uphill climb to stay on the curve as I don't even fully understand the technologies we have explored and yet they and others are evolving everyday.
I know I already left you a comment before, but I just wanted to say thank you for getting me hooked on this class. I have had so much fun blogging with you and going through the different tools. I can't wait for the next session!
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