Monday, March 9, 2009

Unlocking the Door

About mid-way through a multimedia project I'm asking myself why I'm using old teaching methods with new technologies. It's like I'm afraid to change the bath water. There's something comforting about the Johnson's Baby Soap that makes me want to stick with it. I'm a bit frightened to switch it out for something a bit more relevant to my students. I wondering if this need to stick with traditional instruction methods stunts creativity. No one wants to be creative. Everyone wants to take the path of least resistance. I'm breeding this like mosquitoes in my classroom. Why? I'm thinking my pedogogy needs to change.

Here are three important factors to remember when incorporating technology into Learning:

1. Using technology in the classroom is a mindset, not a skill-set.

2. It’s not about the technology, it’s about the pedagogy.

3. We need to learn with technology the way students live with technology.


These are taken from a blog post by Kim Cofino.

4 comments:

  1. In lesson 7 of that class we are taking it talks about the different levels of technology: literacy, adapting and transforming uses. I really think you are well on your way to transforming but it takes time to get there. Keep up all the amazing work.

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  2. I love to unlock creativity in students. Many times I have seen them take off in their creativity, but fail to execute due to lack of discipline and skills along with the dedication and work ethic to really carry it off. Sometimes inspiration isn't enough.They need to be equipped with the basic skills necessary to the trade of creativity whatever it may be. Isn't this true of any field or discipline in which we find our "element"? I guess Toni addresses this. We all want to be at the creative level with kids, but sometimes it takes laying the groundwork that allows them to fly later on in life, right?

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  3. I'm wondering why educators are always so intent on laying the ground work BEFORE kids can fly with creativity. Why not lay it at the same time and capture the creativity we're all born with.
    It's a known fact that children are more creative than adults. I wonder if our goal might be better suited to work on the two side by side.

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