Our group has two stories about technology, one positive and one negative. The positive story from one group member is when she was in elementary school using technology. Her teacher would let the class play an English game on the computer if they finished activities. The game required an individual to do an activity in each room of a haunted mansion. In order to move onto the next room, the player had to pass the game in the room. Each game taught a different type of grammar. Once you had passed the games in all rooms you had all the clues to solve the puzzle. This was great because it allowed the students to do a fun activity with their free time which not only taught them grammar but also encouraged them to get their work done early. This was a great use for technology in the classroom.
The negative story was also in elementary school. Our group member remembers having computers in her classroom, but no computer lab. The computers were a reward for finishing their work early. Unfortunately, she hardly ever finished early; therefore, she never got to use the computer. It made her hate computers because she thought it wasn't fair. Once the first three students went to the computers, she couldn't even focus on her own work. It wasn't until she got her own computer in her house, that she fell in love with technology. There were so many better ways that this teacher teacher could have handled the use of the computer, but she was probably afraid of them herself!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Letting students use a computer for educational activities (at least, that is what I hope the activities were) once they have completed assigned work is only one way to integrate technology into the classroom. That computer could have also been used by students who needed extra work on assignments, or used by a rotation of children during homeroom (something I did in elementary school). The computer could have been part of a stations activity too.
ReplyDeleteAll of these changes would help make the computer part of education and seem like less of a reward for only the fast/smart kids. Being someone who did not usually finish math problems quickly, but did do them accurately, I can see how the original situation could make students resent anything or anyone who was seen to be constantly given rewards. It could have also encouraged kids to finish faster, regardless of accuracy.
I remember using many educational interactive computer games when I was in Elementary school, especially Math Blaster. This is a great piece of technology because it encourages the learner to have fun and engage in learning or practice a concept.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the students who did not have access in the classroom, I feel for her. I don't think that it is fair to only reward certain students for computer time. If I were the teacher in this situation, I would create a rotation during center time that would allow different students to use the computers each day. I would also speak with the media specialist at my school and try to get access to more computers, so that my students had free time to go to the computer lab. It is unfortunate that some students don't have equal opportunity, and they should have equality and open opportunity for all students to learn.
I think that allowing students to use the computer as s reward is a great thing for a classroom teacher to do. Being able to use the computer for educational purposes is a great way to get students involved and excited to learn. It is a gret motivator for many students.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately for those students who may not finish as quickly as others, they may not get this opportunity as much. I think it would be a good idea to incorporate technology and computers into a center for play time and to let those students who may not work as quickly choose their center first. This gives the other students a chance to be able to use technology just as much as the rest of the students in the class.
I agree that using a computer is a great reward. Not only that but it is a good activity students can do when they finished their work early. This could supplement whatever the students are learning. Some students would be able to get on the computer more than others so as a teacher you should make sure each student gets a chance to use the computer at some point of the day/week.
ReplyDeleteMost of the schools that I have visited for observation do not have computers in the classrooms, or there may be one on the teacher's desk. It seems really frustrating to me to be learning ways to integrate technology into the classroom and knowing that I probably will not have the hardware to use what I am learning.
ReplyDelete