There are many opportunities for children to interact globally, have discussions with people from cultures other than their own, and find answers to questions they have. Many learning styles are available to be used at the same time - audio, visual and kinesthetic. The children are very motivated and focused on computers. The challenges lay in wading through inaccurate information, inappropriate information and learning how to do all that from teachers who are not sure how to teach it or fix problems. Another challenge is the inequity of accessibility of home use.
Students have a role in deciding what to learn and this can help with motivation. BUT on the other hand, I think that the number of students who have attentional issues has increased, due in part, to the bombardment of information thrown at them, like with hyper-texts, multimedia texts and interactive texts.
It gives kids the opportunity to be in charge of their own learning. It also gives them choices and adapts to different learning styles. Online access to information and tele-collaborative opportunities allow a more global cooperative peer base which can deepen the understanding of a subject. One challenge is that students need even more well developed critical reading skills than we may have thought previously.
challenges - finding available computer lab time, not enough laptops to have whole class work at the same time, time for me to learn/prepare on-line reading lessons, I wouldn't even know where to begin
opportunities - help level playing field for disadvantaged kids, prepare kids for global competition, access to wider range of resources, perhaps draw in reluctant readers
The Third Grade content areas, particularly African cultureand the Human Body, can be enhanced on the net in ways, of course, that written texts cannot equal. Our greatest challenge is focusing the learning path--following a question through, considering next steps, and later being able to retrieve the information and transfer it.
opportunities: * Provides a variety of resources for learning (audio clips, videos, definitions, etc) * another motivator * interactive * creates personal involvement * global connections
challenges: * ability to navigate * availability * who will teach students to use this/ how will it be taught * what about the standards that are written? These standards have not been added yet.
The first challenge is that we need access to computers that acutally work. The second challenge is that our kids need to have keyboarding skills because the hunt and peck method slows them way down. Another challenge is time and professional development so that we feel competent to utilize this technology with out students. We also need an accurate assessment to show that we are meeting the standards and needs of our learners.
Some potentials of these new technologies is that they are very motivating for our learners and they are much more authentic. Our readers and learners would be writing to real people not just their teacher. They would be commenting on and reading text that would have real life implications and would broaden their understanding of the world instead of just doing worksheets that end up in the recycling bin! It is much more active learning not passive. The kids would be more in control of their learning with teachers facilitating and guiding.
8 comments:
Students can have more of a role in deciding what to learn.
There are many opportunities for children to interact globally, have discussions with people from cultures other than their own, and find answers to questions they have. Many learning styles are available to be used at the same time - audio, visual and kinesthetic. The children are very motivated and focused on computers. The challenges lay in wading through inaccurate information, inappropriate information and learning how to do all that from teachers who are not sure how to teach it or fix problems. Another challenge is the inequity of accessibility of home use.
Students have a role in deciding what to learn and this can help with motivation. BUT on the other hand, I think that the number of students who have attentional issues has increased, due in part, to the bombardment of information thrown at them, like with hyper-texts, multimedia texts and interactive texts.
It gives kids the opportunity to be in charge of their own learning. It also gives them choices and adapts to different learning styles. Online access to information and tele-collaborative opportunities allow a more global cooperative peer base which can deepen the understanding of a subject.
One challenge is that students need even more well developed critical reading skills than we may have thought previously.
challenges - finding available computer lab time, not enough laptops to have whole class work at the same time, time for me to learn/prepare on-line reading lessons, I wouldn't even know where to begin
opportunities - help level playing field for disadvantaged kids, prepare kids for global competition, access to wider range of resources, perhaps draw in reluctant readers
The Third Grade content areas, particularly African cultureand the Human Body, can be enhanced on the net in ways, of course, that written texts cannot equal. Our greatest challenge is focusing the learning path--following a question through, considering next steps, and later being able to retrieve the information and transfer it.
opportunities:
* Provides a variety of resources for learning (audio clips, videos, definitions, etc)
* another motivator
* interactive
* creates personal involvement
* global connections
challenges:
* ability to navigate
* availability
* who will teach students to use this/ how will it be taught
* what about the standards that are written? These standards have not been added yet.
The first challenge is that we need access to computers that acutally work. The second challenge is that our kids need to have keyboarding skills because the hunt and peck method slows them way down. Another challenge is time and professional development so that we feel competent to utilize this technology with out students. We also need an accurate assessment to show that we are meeting the standards and needs of our learners.
Some potentials of these new technologies is that they are very motivating for our learners and they are much more authentic. Our readers and learners would be writing to real people not just their teacher. They would be commenting on and reading text that would have real life implications and would broaden their understanding of the world instead of just doing worksheets that end up in the recycling bin! It is much more active learning not passive. The kids would be more in control of their learning with teachers facilitating and guiding.
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