Download and read over the full article following the link on the 524 web site for The Digital Disconnect: The Widening Gap Between Internet-Savvy Students and Their Schools. If you haven't downloaded from the website, here is the link for you.
Respond to the post initially. Then, keep referring back to the comments and respond and comment on what your classmates have offered. Each of you needs to respond to at least three other responses as well as your initial contribution. Let's keep the discussion moving forward. This is an extremely critical topic that we, as technology leaders, must be able to articulate if we are to make technology a norm in our instructional practices. Remember, this is a blog, not a threaded discussion.
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For this professional conversation and as educators who recognize the importance of infusing technology into the everyday instructional experiences of students and teachers:
- What points in this study "hit your button" in either a positive or negative way?
- Select one of the virtual metaphors and discuss it in relation to your own practice.
- Possible solutions
As you form your responses to the above items, consider the following:
- How does this directly apply to your own practice?
- Has your work at APU assisted you in the integration of technology into your professional work?
I have read this article and the one thing that pushed my buttons was, "teachers and parents affect how the internet is adopted". Yes that is true to an extent but students have to be willing to learn as well. I can create the most fun activity to do with the computer but if the student does not want to participate, then everything is out the window. I believe the teacher has lots of work on there hands and we need some support too!!. However, I really like how the article stated, "Internet savvy students are coming to school with different expectations different skills and access to different resources." that is wonderful! Even my 2 year old can navigate through pbskids.org. Its whether the parent decides to work with the child or not. Let's start taking some of the pressure off teachers and placing it back on the parents and students.
ReplyDelete• What points in this study "hit your button" in either a positive or negative way?: According to the article, the digital disconnect (2002) by Levin and Arafeh, students think that the way they use the Internet for school is one thing and the way they use the internet in class is another. This point pushes my button and makes me think about why. Students point out that teachers’ preferences for Internet use make a lot of difference when it comes to class assignments because teachers decide on whether homework will require, allow, or forbid the internet use. And students say that there is a big difference among teachers in terms of attitudes toward the use of Internet. While I was reading this section, it came to mind that the different attitude that teachers have toward the Internet represents ‘previous me’ and ‘future me’ as a classroom teacher. Previously, as a health education teacher, I was in a position to prevent students from spending more than 2 hours on the Internet. I did so because I assumed many students was wasting their time surfing the net while not doing homework or studying. In the future, as an educational technology and learning major, I will be in a position to encourage students to use the Internet as an independent and collaborative learning tool. Previously, I never used the Internet during the class time and never recommended students use a website for further learning. But I know that I will aggressively use the Internet in a positive way in the future. I think one of the reasons that some teachers are not willing to use the Internet as a teaching and learning tool is that they do not realize how much educational potential the Internet has and do not understand how to integrate the Internet into their teaching practices. I feel like I have made a transition from one extreme to another when it comes to incorporating the Internet into teaching practices. So I fully understand the comment of students which says that students experience varying attitudes that teachers have toward the Internet.
ReplyDelete• Select one of the virtual metaphors and discuss it in relation to your own practice: I use the Internet as virtual tutor and study shortcut as a student now. In particular, I was forced to be an independent learner as I had to take two online courses last semester. I had to build up a class website using a Dreamweaver, which I had never experienced. I was not able to get a help from a scratch because I was taking a online course. Consequently, I watched a lot of video tutorials on www.linda.com and YouTube to do my homework assignments. In a way, online courses forced me to become a independent learner and use the Internet as a virtual tutor and study shortcut.
• Possible solutions: It seems like the digital gap between schools, teachers, and students is big because many teachers and administrators including me did not grow up with technology. On top of that, it is hard to accept that today’s students are totally different from older generation in terms of how digital natives learn, how they use the Internet and what they value in their life. Many teachers just wonder today’s students do not pay attention to what I am teaching while not realizing that their teaching methods should be changed. I was one of those teachers and still remember yelling at my students because I failed to attract their attention. One of possible solutions which I think can reduce the gap is a digital literacy training for teachers. Teachers need to first realize that the times has changed and today’s students are no longer students who can be taught in a traditional way.