Introduction and My Stance on Teaching with Media Technology
Hello, I'm Gerardo Escobar but you can call me Freedumb. I am a father, an educator, and a want-to-be comedian, but you can be the judge of that. With this blog I hope to shed some light and joyous insight to all things that peak my interest. Hopefully this will spark some thoughts and engaging conversations within our community freedumb community. As far as the role that media technology plays in the classroom, I feel that at this time and place it is a necessity. Although it may not have been so in the past, our classrooms are adapting with the times and have long been rid of the chalkboard and overhead projectors now moving towards promethean smart-boards and laptops for students at any given level. I have been a part of classrooms that have successfully put in place the use of media technology such as providing real-time updates to world events through the use of CNN 10 in the classroom. It is also useful to help prepare students to develop their skills and expectations in such a technology-run world. As a student, I had the benefit of experiencing an education without media technology; the closest I had were VHs and DVD documentaries along with Bill Nye the Science Guy, and the privilege of experiencing an education with the use of media technology where we constantly interact with the information made available through the resources on the web. However, as an educator I have unfortunately seen some of the negative effects that media technology plays in teaching, such as the possibility of distractions for children and teacher to student disengagement by the educators who rely too heavily on media technology resources in their classrooms. Be that as it may, I feel that with balance and practice, there is a real advantage of incorporating media technology in teaching.
A lot of the examples you list, such as using CNN 10 and Bill Nye the Science Guy in classrooms, was also exactly what I was exposed to as a student when I was younger as well, and I also always found those to be effective and fun for students. Like said in my blog post, I think incorporating technology in the classroom is an advantage, and your point about finding a balance through practice resonates with me, as I feel like it is the most effective approach. Technology has gotten to a point where it is almost "dumb" not to use it (or like you said, it is a bit of a necessity), and finding ways to incorporate it effectively beats out letting it be freely in classrooms unrestricted and/or not having technology in learning at all, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteGerardo, nice seeing you again in this class. It’s also always nice to have another dad in the room. The world needs a dad in every setting.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your assessment of media technology in the classroom, particularly your sentiments about it being appropriate at this time and in this place. I just don’t feel I can agree too much with Jonathan Haidt and his wanting to have students go back to a world that doesn’t exist anymore. It’s like teaching students cursive in a world where handwriting just doesn’t exist anymore. When I was learning cursive back in a 1980s classroom, we could’ve been learning Morse code, but we’d moved past the time and place for that.
As with anything, media technology can be abused, misused and overused. Just as parents must parent their kids, teachers must teach their students. Both must hold their children and students accountable and must hold them to task. And then we not only teach them, but we prepare them to, as you wrote, develop their skills and expectations in such a technology-run world.
Gerardo, or should I say Freedumb Writer, I really loved reading your perspective on things. First I think everyone either is or isn't a comedian and I would place a bet to say your are. I also think it is wonderful that as a father you have an extra perspective on the matters that we are talking about. You are able to see the negative aspects like you mentioned as an Educator and also the realities as a student and father. I agree that having technology in classrooms can allow for students to prepare for the work force they are going to enter, which will be technology driven. I also agree that there is a line as Educators we do not want to cross because it can become harmful. It makes me wonder if perhaps we should have lessons in the classroom before we integrate the technology. I believe we have to be intentional with how we connect media to our classrooms because we have to lead by example. If we show students that you can use media in positive and healthy ways, then they can take those tools and apply them to their futures. I loved your point about having students "constantly interact with the information made available through the resources on the web." I think that is where we can have the most growth, showing students how to interact with the information in a positive and healthy way.
ReplyDeleteFrom,
Hailey Pack