In the blog In Touch there is an article that suggests that students become fluent in reading only because they are required to read outside of school assignments throughout their lifetimes. The author of In Touch suggests that students also be required to use technology to become technology literate as well since we live in a digital age.
I have to say I agree - students (and teachers!) should be using technology in schools. At NEB we have Promethean Boards, which is a great start. Some teachers have used Photostory, MovieMaker, and Audacity (to name a few) to help students create projects. This is wonderful :) We live in a globally digital age - people from all over the world, with a multitude of backgrounds, are free to share their opinions. Those of us in schools should take advantage of that fact and prepare our students to be a part of this world.
The mission of most schools is to prepare students to be a productive member of society. To me, this is preparing students to effectively use social and productive technologies, become discerning and critical of information presented (not just taking it at face value), crediting sources, and collaborating with others to expand our students' understanding of culture.
What do you think?
Well, I just wanted to share that last semester I took a 200 level course at Bloomsburg University that made us make a Twitter account, make a blog, and follow news through the internet. Not only did we build our own blogs, and make a twitter account and follow news, but the professor also showed us how to edit pictures and make a commercial video through editing programs. At the end at the semester we took all that we learned and made our own website! Not only was it a great class and sooo much fun! But I just wish I would have learned how to do all this fun stuff way before I was a sophomore in college. I could have used all this technology way before now. We all need to come to the reality that computers, technology and new advances are our futures, and embrace it! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Nik - I agree, we do need to teach more skills at the high school level - the big issue I see with that is finding a teacher who is willing to learn the technology themselves and then find the time to teach it!
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