Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Blog Post Number 3

A Vision of Students Today
I have been shown this video before in one of my previous classes. I think that it is overwhelming what is expected out of college students. When the classmates were showing statistics, it all averaged out to be 26.5 hours of work a day. I know for me personally every hour of my day is filled with something. If it isn't school than it is work. Since this semester has started leisure time does not exist for me!
A way that this video does not relate to me is when they showed a sign that was suggesting spending a lot of money on books that they don't even crack open. Personally, I wait until after my first time in a class before buying books that way I know whether it is actually needed or not. Another way that I find myself different from the "average student" is the sign that stated something about a few hours to watch television. The only time my TV is on is when I am going to sleep, but even then I don't watch it! Overall, I think this video does accurately represent the average college student and their day to day life.

It's Not About the Technology
I think that the most important point that Mrs. Hines made was teachers must be learners. People are constantly learning and in order for someone to be an effective teacher they must be the front runners in the learning aspect. Just because teachers were taught a certain way when they were going through school doesn't mean that they have to continuously teach in that way. This is mainly important because the students of today are growing up in a different way than children did 20 years ago. Most always have access to a computer and know how to use these as learning tools, so why not use these effectively in the classroom?
Another important point that Mrs. Hines made was that learning and teaching are not the same thing. She is very right about this. Just because you are teaching a student something does not mean that they are learning it. If the teacher realizes that the student is not learning what they are trying to teach them then the teacher needs to take a different approach to the way they are teaching. The teachers need to form their teaching methods to each student as an individual. I agree 100% with what Mrs. Hines says in this blog!

Is it Okay to be a Technologically Illiterate Teacher?
In this post, Karl Fisch discusses why it is not okay to be a technologically illiterate teacher. Having computers in the classroom are there as a learning tool, not to replace the teacher. I think some teachers don't want to change their ways, but times and technology continuously changes and they need to. Being technologically literate is all for the learning of the student, and teachers should want their students to succeed, right?
Karl Fisch and Mrs. Hines have a lot in common with the way they view technology in the classroom. I agree with them both and think that every teacher should start using it, and make a change in the way that they teach  their students. After all, these students are our future and we need to train them in every way we can!

Social Media Count
Seeing these numbers change so rapidly amazes me! This is evidence that technology is advancing continuously. I know that as a teacher, I will need to keep up with technology even when I get older because that is what the people around the world use as a connection to society.
I think as a whole teachers need to stay connected to technology in order to stay connected to their students. To be able to be on the students "level" will allow them to gain more respect for you and for them to trust you with what you are teaching. Times are changing and so is the way that students are learning.

3 comments:

  1. "Times are changing and so is the way that students are learning."

    You got it! What class presented A Vision of Students Today video to you?

    Keep up the good work-- looking forward to seeing more great posts from you.

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  2. What does the Wesch video say about the nature of instruction in colleges today? You hit on the personal aspects. What about the institutional learning aspects?

    "I ... [think] teacher should start using [technology], and make a change in the way that they teach their students." Yes, new teaching techniques are called for. You will watch/listen/read about these later in EDM310.

    Very interesting.

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  3. Emily, I agree with you 100 percent when you say if it is not school, its work. I work full time and take a full load of classes. It is work and those statistics in the A Vision of Students Today video are extremely true. In Mrs. Hines blog is so accurate in saying how teachers are most definitely learners. I think it is so important for teachers to be learners! I like how you said the students are our future and we need to train them in every way we can. Teachers are responsible to teach students in every way possible.The Social Media Count is overwhelming but gives awesome facts.

    Sarah Nelson

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