Submitted by mwhitehouse on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 8:38am.
Children are used to doing things without reading the directions. Press enough buttons and even a parrot can place a call to London. Still the bird may not know what to say when the Queen answers.
Submitted by mwhitehouse on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 9:18am.
I think kids, unlike tha parrot, might purposefully learn which combination of keys would get them London.
No today's children are not born wired but by three years old, my daughter had been on-line numerous times, many of her toys technologically interacted with her and she regularly used the computer to play math and literacy games.
I tend to do things without reading instructions myself. If the functions are well designed, instructions are usually superfluous to most people. I think that is what you observe. Students will sit and read instructions when the instructions are accessible to them, and they need to learn the steps necessary to be successful.
Submitted by EvilArtTeacher on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 8:50am.
I am not sure that technology is the answer to making a person an intelligent, informed member of society. Technology can be used as a tool to aid a student in learning but it is not the end all of the process.
I believe that students are very tech savvy since they take to time to learn about it since they are interested in it. Give a kid an iphone and they will spend the time to learn how to use it. Give a kid a book and they will not necessarly attack it with the same vigor. Unfortunately I dont think there is an easy answer either. If we gave the same kid a new fancy Kindle electronic reader I doint think they would be interested in it at all. Social networking seems to be all that my kids really care about.
Submitted by educateme5 (not verified) on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 9:16am.
If you wish the research I can provide same, technology is helping students to learn. Why is there concern about the digital divide, which is leaving black and poor whites, and others behind? Why is Europe and other countries in a race to have their students become technologically superior?
Submitted by pallison on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 8:59am.
You have Wiles and Bondi saying :“They are wired, they are active [and they use technology in a manner that is frightening] to those of us over 10” (pp. 30-31).
Really? I'd like to meet some of those 10 year olds. Yet, there is a difference, between them and me, no doubt. Still the difference isn't so great as this quote makes it seem.
Your second slide suggest that we are failing students who have undiscovered skills, and that seems sadly the case.
The next slide? "... students are active and programmed to learn with technology." Not so quick. "Technology" isn't one thing. Maybe students these days know how to manipulate images and update their Facebook pages, but there are many other things that are just as hard for them to learn as anybody.
What?! What is learning with technology? A learning style??? This is gibberish to me. Next slide too: "Learning styles" has never helped me know what to do in the classroom.
So overall, this post pretty much leaves me cold. Finding differences between students and teachers doesn't feel all that helpful. We need to look at how we learn best, we need to understand our students cultures and language use, and we need to bridge between what they are bringing and where we think they may need to go in terms of various literacies that they will need to succeed in the world. All of this fuss about young people being so different and the focus on learning styles are two ways to distract us from just listening to our students, and valuing who they are. In their own ways, these are yet other ways to stereotype and label students (and teachers).
B) I think this argument goes to the digital native/digital immigrant model of thinking and I think that's one we need to get away from - we're past thinking like that and it is based on the assumption that adults will have a much harder time adapting to technology to students which sets up a mental barrier that is un-necessary and not true. If someone decides they can't learn something, it discourages them from trying and that's my big fear with this argument.
Submitted by wdhaverstock on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 9:04am.
We've become an entertainment society. I don't think America does anything anymore other than entertain and be entertained. We'll have a moment of silence for an entertainer before we'll have one for an educator, thinker, scientist, etc. I like entertainment. Who doesn't? But shouldn't there be something more?
Submitted by Susan Harts on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 9:23am.
One sentence you wrote that stands out for me is, "More often, the sedate learning style of teachers in academic schools is diametrically opposed to the kinesthetic and the tactual learning styles preference of wired students who learn better globally rather than analytically, and by using their body, or by moving around (Dunn & Dunn, 1999)" I think this somewhat misguided because many of the teachers in my school, particulary those who teach math and English, circulate around our groups of students. More and more students and teachers are interacting with the SmartBoards, working on group projects and expanding upon their accountable talk opportunities. Much activity has evolved since Dunn & Dunn, 1999.
Submitted by CHimmel2 on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 9:33am.
My reaciton to this is that schools, which means administrators and teachers still have a ways to go to accommodate all of the different learning styles which may be present in any ONE classroom! With class size as big a 34 in many cases, it becomes an exercise in grouping students by learning styles, which also depends on the learning task the kids must complete. Smaller class size is an important key to getting a handle on this issue! Do you agree?
This past year our students got so much out of using some of the Online Databases to do research and had a particularly satisfying experience with writing letters Online for the National Writing Project's "Letters to the Next President Project." But, in my library, if I want the students to stay focused on a topic or if I want to make sure that they use certain references or literary criticism, I have the students use reference books and other print materials for certain research topics. It's very easy for students, if there not being closely supervised using the computers, to stray from the assigned topic. Even though, technology offers our students a unique experience, it's not the only way for them to acquire knowledge. What about the old fashioned method of taking written notes on a topic or using the text-on-text method of responding to a reading with post-its? I still think that there are other ways that our students can learn without always using computers. How about the experience of discussing a book, an article, an issue or reciting a poem? Our students need a lot of personal attention to their different learning styles using various formats and techniques. When is the DOE going to put a priority on smaller classes? When are the students who need special services, and not just special education students, going to get the extra help that they need to succeed? Technology is just a part of the equation, in my humble opinion (IMHO.)
Submitted by educateme5 on Thu, 07/09/2009 - 3:46pm.
Slate and slate pencil was a writing tool I used as a kid. There are teachers who long to return to the good old days. Though some here may question the research, there is no way to get away from it. Everything that is now done in school is grounded in the research. The do now, high stake tests, and the decision to close an under-performing school-- a la NCLB--are informed by research. For example, NCLB require the analysis of school data; the result of this research determines if a school is reorganized.
Children are used to doing
Children are used to doing things without reading the directions. Press enough buttons and even a parrot can place a call to London. Still the bird may not know what to say when the Queen answers.
The implication is that
The implication is that there is no reflection needed to use technology, just keep banging away and one may hit the right keys?
Would such argument be taken as being anti-technology?
Are todays children born wired to use technology?
I think kids, unlike tha
I think kids, unlike tha parrot, might purposefully learn which combination of keys would get them London.
No today's children are not born wired but by three years old, my daughter had been on-line numerous times, many of her toys technologically interacted with her and she regularly used the computer to play math and literacy games.
I tend to do things without
I tend to do things without reading instructions myself. If the functions are well designed, instructions are usually superfluous to most people. I think that is what you observe. Students will sit and read instructions when the instructions are accessible to them, and they need to learn the steps necessary to be successful.
I am not sure that
I am not sure that technology is the answer to making a person an intelligent, informed member of society. Technology can be used as a tool to aid a student in learning but it is not the end all of the process.
I believe that students are very tech savvy since they take to time to learn about it since they are interested in it. Give a kid an iphone and they will spend the time to learn how to use it. Give a kid a book and they will not necessarly attack it with the same vigor. Unfortunately I dont think there is an easy answer either. If we gave the same kid a new fancy Kindle electronic reader I doint think they would be interested in it at all. Social networking seems to be all that my kids really care about.
If you wish the research I
If you wish the research I can provide same, technology is helping students to learn. Why is there concern about the digital divide, which is leaving black and poor whites, and others behind? Why is Europe and other countries in a race to have their students become technologically superior?
You have Wiles and Bondi
You have Wiles and Bondi saying :“They are wired, they are active [and they use technology in a manner that is frightening] to those of us over 10” (pp. 30-31).
Really? I'd like to meet some of those 10 year olds. Yet, there is a difference, between them and me, no doubt. Still the difference isn't so great as this quote makes it seem.
Your second slide suggest that we are failing students who have undiscovered skills, and that seems sadly the case.
The next slide? "... students are active and programmed to learn with technology." Not so quick. "Technology" isn't one thing. Maybe students these days know how to manipulate images and update their Facebook pages, but there are many other things that are just as hard for them to learn as anybody.
What?! What is learning with technology? A learning style??? This is gibberish to me. Next slide too: "Learning styles" has never helped me know what to do in the classroom.
So overall, this post pretty much leaves me cold. Finding differences between students and teachers doesn't feel all that helpful. We need to look at how we learn best, we need to understand our students cultures and language use, and we need to bridge between what they are bringing and where we think they may need to go in terms of various literacies that they will need to succeed in the world. All of this fuss about young people being so different and the focus on learning styles are two ways to distract us from just listening to our students, and valuing who they are. In their own ways, these are yet other ways to stereotype and label students (and teachers).
Do you have a learning style
Do you have a learning style preference?
Rather, can all children learn?
A) All children can
A) All children can learn.
B) I think this argument goes to the digital native/digital immigrant model of thinking and I think that's one we need to get away from - we're past thinking like that and it is based on the assumption that adults will have a much harder time adapting to technology to students which sets up a mental barrier that is un-necessary and not true. If someone decides they can't learn something, it discourages them from trying and that's my big fear with this argument.
We've become an
We've become an entertainment society. I don't think America does anything anymore other than entertain and be entertained. We'll have a moment of silence for an entertainer before we'll have one for an educator, thinker, scientist, etc. I like entertainment. Who doesn't? But shouldn't there be something more?
In research and scholarly
In research and scholarly writings, one is cautioned to bracket his or her biases. Does this fiaxtion on Michael Jackon suggests hating?
One sentence you wrote that
One sentence you wrote that stands out for me is, "More often, the sedate learning style of teachers in academic schools is diametrically opposed to the kinesthetic and the tactual learning styles preference of wired students who learn better globally rather than analytically, and by using their body, or by moving around (Dunn & Dunn, 1999)" I think this somewhat misguided because many of the teachers in my school, particulary those who teach math and English, circulate around our groups of students. More and more students and teachers are interacting with the SmartBoards, working on group projects and expanding upon their accountable talk opportunities. Much activity has evolved since Dunn & Dunn, 1999.
My reaciton to this is
My reaciton to this is that schools, which means administrators and teachers still have a ways to go to accommodate all of the different learning styles which may be present in any ONE classroom! With class size as big a 34 in many cases, it becomes an exercise in grouping students by learning styles, which also depends on the learning task the kids must complete. Smaller class size is an important key to getting a handle on this issue! Do you agree?
Oh boy do I!
Oh boy do I!
This past year our students
This past year our students got so much out of using some of the Online Databases to do research and had a particularly satisfying experience with writing letters Online for the National Writing Project's "Letters to the Next President Project." But, in my library, if I want the students to stay focused on a topic or if I want to make sure that they use certain references or literary criticism, I have the students use reference books and other print materials for certain research topics. It's very easy for students, if there not being closely supervised using the computers, to stray from the assigned topic. Even though, technology offers our students a unique experience, it's not the only way for them to acquire knowledge. What about the old fashioned method of taking written notes on a topic or using the text-on-text method of responding to a reading with post-its? I still think that there are other ways that our students can learn without always using computers. How about the experience of discussing a book, an article, an issue or reciting a poem? Our students need a lot of personal attention to their different learning styles using various formats and techniques. When is the DOE going to put a priority on smaller classes? When are the students who need special services, and not just special education students, going to get the extra help that they need to succeed? Technology is just a part of the equation, in my humble opinion (IMHO.)
Karen Levy, Library Media Specialist Columbus Campus H.S. 925 Astor Avenue Bronx, N.Y. 10469
Slate and slate pencil was a
Slate and slate pencil was a writing tool I used as a kid. There are teachers who long to return to the good old days. Though some here may question the research, there is no way to get away from it. Everything that is now done in school is grounded in the research. The do now, high stake tests, and the decision to close an under-performing school-- a la NCLB--are informed by research. For example, NCLB require the analysis of school data; the result of this research determines if a school is reorganized.