My philosophy of education is most closely aligned with that of Educational Humanism which is child centered and has the goal of producing students who question information and who can critically evaluate its usefulness. Furthermore, I believe that we should strive to actively involve students in the learning process. By doing so, the students will be more motivated and interested in the subject matter. Interested students are more confident in themselves and their ability to positively affect the world around them.
Technology’s role should be that of an aid to help involve students in the learning process, as well as to help them understand the world as it exists today. Technology can make it possible to have students experience the world in ways that were unimaginable just 10 years ago. They can now see how people from other cultures half way around the world live. They can communicate and share ideas with fellow students whom they may never have an opportunity to meet in person, but are connected to by their shared curiosity in each other.
However, technology also has the potential to be misused if it is thoughtlessly inserted into the classroom simply because the technology exists. Technology has a place only if it aids the teacher in meeting the goals of the curriculum. Otherwise it is simply a distraction that the learning process cannot afford.
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Figuring out the artful and appropriate use of technology in the classroom is one of _the_ most important "essential questions" around technology in education. I will be interested to see how your criteria for this evolves. Good post.
ReplyDeletejd
I agree with you. If used appropriately in the classroom technology may have a lot of advantages. Teachers can use a variety of methods to make learning more interesting. It is also easier to engage all students in the learning process when you use different technology. Visual learners will benefit best from seeing things (watching videos), while auditory learners retain more information when they can hear it (listening to audiotapes).
ReplyDeleteWhat you said about technology being used to aid the curriculum in the classroom seems to me to be exactly right. Aiding students in the learning process is the goal of all teachers and of all lessons. If we (as educators) can aid the students to learn the material in a specific way shouldn't we use it. Don't most of us use mnemonic devices to assist the student with the memory of something. Don't most of us as adults use calculators (or online banking) to balance our checkbook. If we use the tools available to us to complete a task, shouldn't we also teach the students how to use the tools available to them? Are we bettering our students by teaching them how to use their resources wisely.
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