I've spent the past few weeks exploring various blogs and revising my own. I've found that there are millions of them out there- on every single subject possible in the world. I found some great ones about news, literature, history and education. I also found some terrible ones on the same subjects. I learned some interesting facts about the personal details of the lives of people that I will never meet. I realize that blogging can be a freeing experience for many people and that's a positive even I think it's a bit much.
Overall, I'd say it is pretty difficult to sort through the many blogs on what I would consider pointless information to get to one that has some meat to it. But, I have found sites linked to other blogs and this is how I found many of the ones that I now find interest in. And I still am convinced in their power for educational purposes and I plan on using one in the future for this purpose. So, all in all, I'd say I had a positive experience with blogging and will return to it again.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Technology thoughts....
I just read Dana Petrouski's blog and it got me thinking...
What is too much technology? I talked with some current teachers and they had different responses. Some think there is already too much. Some think there can never be enough. Most are somewhere in the middle. I think I fall into that category myself.
One teacher said that she is totally comfortable with the current level of technology that she has in her classroom. She then went on to say that years ago, she would've thought her current level would be too much and that as time goes on, she realizes the need for more and more technology. She doesn't know where it will ever stop either.
My local school district had cyber summer school for the first time this year. This surprised me. Since the students already were struggling with the material (and potentially with putting in the appropriate number of hours needed), how is this a good idea? I would think that these students need more attention than students in the regular classroom rather than less. But, then I thought about students that have behavioral problems in the classroom. Perhaps without the distractions of the classroom, they may be more apt to achieve. And allowing the students to take breaks when necessary and work when the time is right for them could also be positives. Finally, students that do not want to appear smart and "nerdy" to their friends may work closer to their full potential if their friends aren't there to mock them. Who knows? Not everyone benefits from the same teaching style or method.
I'd like to talk to the principal or a few of the teachers that conducted these classes and see how it went for them. Maybe it will be in my next post...
What is too much technology? I talked with some current teachers and they had different responses. Some think there is already too much. Some think there can never be enough. Most are somewhere in the middle. I think I fall into that category myself.
One teacher said that she is totally comfortable with the current level of technology that she has in her classroom. She then went on to say that years ago, she would've thought her current level would be too much and that as time goes on, she realizes the need for more and more technology. She doesn't know where it will ever stop either.
My local school district had cyber summer school for the first time this year. This surprised me. Since the students already were struggling with the material (and potentially with putting in the appropriate number of hours needed), how is this a good idea? I would think that these students need more attention than students in the regular classroom rather than less. But, then I thought about students that have behavioral problems in the classroom. Perhaps without the distractions of the classroom, they may be more apt to achieve. And allowing the students to take breaks when necessary and work when the time is right for them could also be positives. Finally, students that do not want to appear smart and "nerdy" to their friends may work closer to their full potential if their friends aren't there to mock them. Who knows? Not everyone benefits from the same teaching style or method.
I'd like to talk to the principal or a few of the teachers that conducted these classes and see how it went for them. Maybe it will be in my next post...
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