Chapter 7 and Chapter 8
The more I learn from
this course the more I feel using technology in classroom become a necessary
part for all the teachers. However, teaching with technology is different from
teaching in the traditional way and it will be a big challenge for teachers. Before
we use technology to teach our students, we need to make sure that we find and
select quality Internet resource.
When I created my WebQuest, I found that the hardest part for me is how to selected good websites for my students. There is no doubt that high-quality software offers strategies and opportunities to transform student learning. How to tell the difference between high-quality software and low-quality software? When I read chapter 7, I found one way to identify good educational software is to recognize what constitutes poor software. Low quality software tends to possess three main features: 1) the computer dictates the activity; 2) competition, stereotyping, or violence is present, and 3) quick reactions are favored over sustained thinking and problem solving. This chapter also discuss about how problem solving and inquiry learning is supported by educational software, apps, and learning games. Teachers need to incorporate educational software to engage students in problem solving. I want my WebQuest can become a good example in teaching history. I designed my WebQuest which I try to give my students the opportunity to use technology as much as possible. And I want them not only can use this WebQuest, but also show them how to create a WebQuest. I hope them learn what is a good technology tool from creating their own WebQuest. I still look other’s good example and try to make my future class better.
When I created my WebQuest, I found that the hardest part for me is how to selected good websites for my students. There is no doubt that high-quality software offers strategies and opportunities to transform student learning. How to tell the difference between high-quality software and low-quality software? When I read chapter 7, I found one way to identify good educational software is to recognize what constitutes poor software. Low quality software tends to possess three main features: 1) the computer dictates the activity; 2) competition, stereotyping, or violence is present, and 3) quick reactions are favored over sustained thinking and problem solving. This chapter also discuss about how problem solving and inquiry learning is supported by educational software, apps, and learning games. Teachers need to incorporate educational software to engage students in problem solving. I want my WebQuest can become a good example in teaching history. I designed my WebQuest which I try to give my students the opportunity to use technology as much as possible. And I want them not only can use this WebQuest, but also show them how to create a WebQuest. I hope them learn what is a good technology tool from creating their own WebQuest. I still look other’s good example and try to make my future class better.
There are some very good websites for teachers that I want to share with
you.
As for chapter 8, this chapter explores different ways teachers can
communicate with students using technology. I believe that it is a wonderful
way for teachers to use in the class. It is not only can teach students by
using technology, but also can help teachers know more about students. Teachers
have the choice to use emails, text messaging, teacher or classroom websites,
blogs, online discussions, and wikis to teach students. Teachers need to know
the similarities and differences between synchronous and asynchronous
electronic communication. For my own experience, I really like to use blogs to
share ideas. We need to encourage students to use different kinds of
communicative tools to share their ideas with teachers and classmates. As for class
websites, they are focused mainly on student work. It gives them a chance to
publish their work and pursue any interest they have in the subject. Class
websites provides students with information about homework, dates for exams,
and dates for school events. Teaching blogs or blogs in general provides users a
way to post information and ideas as a journal.
Questions:
1. How can teachers use email or text messaging to teach our student?
2. What are the standard and open-source software applications available on most computers?
3. How can we use WebQuest to teach our students?
I agree with you at times it is challenging to incorporate technology into instruction! I am still finding myself comfortable using tradition teaching methods, but am slowly but surely incorporating technology into project and lessons. To answer your question- I think there are numerous ways to use a WebQuest. I think WebQuests can be used to introduce a topic to students (to build background knoweldge) and also as a way to evaluate at the end of a unit or topic.
ReplyDeleteI agree, we are a society that is evolving and shifting towards a new technological era. As new teachers we are caught between sticking to the traditional method of instruction or shifting towards this new approach. In fear of observations and such we are often hesitant to embark on this new journey. I believe in the years ahead we will see a dramatic shift in the form of instruction and students practices . In regards to your question regarding WebQuests, as i was reading chapter 7 and thinking of high-quality software, I reflected back to last semester when my professor taught us how to navigate through interesting engaging social studies websites. That semester, I was able to navigate through them, but now I forgot even the website names. If we had a WebQuest with the information to these very complex sites it would have been very useful. The WebQuest, is also useful because one cannot loose it like a piece of paper.
ReplyDeleteI think email could be helpful for mostly teaching older students. However, email is a fantastic tool to contact parents of younger children. As we all know, children are not always reliable in relaying messages between teacher and parents. However, email cuts out the middle man and teacher and parents can have instantaneous communication. A few of my parents have reached out to me via email and it has all gone over smoothy. Also, this communication can be completed without awareness of the student, which is good for sensitive issues.
ReplyDeleteStephanie