Collaborative environments:
These are already in place in many of the higher education environments and social networks. These environments allow individuals to work together towards a common goal. These environments are being touted because they can model how companies work together towards a common goal. Students can work together either at the same time or at different times on a project and other group work. Collaborative environments can also be set up for students explore situations as a group to learn new content and skills.
Online communication tools:
These are also more prominent on the college level. These tools allow students and teachers to communicate with each other rapidly outside of school. Chatrooms, instant messaging, skype and email allow for fast communication and opportunities for instruction that occur outside of a traditional classroom. Some of these tools can be used to store information and recordings of various types that students can access later.
Mobiles:
Research is suggesting that individuals will receive the majority of the web content via a mobile device. Mobiles are also becoming more powerful, being able to run outside applications, take pictures, recording video and audio. Outside applications have the greatest chance to increase the use of mobiles in classrooms, as the options for content delivery with these applications are numerous. Mobile applications are taking the place of other tools, such as personal response systems, making these systems obsolete or unnecessary as their uses are being replaced by mobiles.
Cloud computing:
Cloud computing occurs when many computers are linked together to function as a unit. They share network space and processing power. This allows information to be accessed anywhere that the network is accessible. Teachers and students can use these networks to store information that individuals can access. The primary hindrance to the use of these clouds is the restriction of access by school districts. Many school districts restrict web access, and this makes it difficult for teachers to take full advantage of these clouds. For these to become more prominent in schools, restrictions will have to be lifted.
Smart Objects:
Smart objects are objects that contain technology that possess knowledge about themselves and possibly about objects that surround them. Smart objects are slowly becoming more prominent in every day life. These objects sometimes can connect to the internet, interact with other smart objects, and provide information to the user of the object. These will need to be developed more before they become more prominent in the classroom.
The technology that could be a potential boon to teacher is online communication tools. Students spend a significant amount of time online, and can be instructed outside of classroom time. When students are most interested in a subject is the time for instruction, which may not necessarily be when the student is in the classroom. This will also increase the workload for the teacher, in terms of quantity of time spent working, but will also increase many aspects that are beneficial to the student-teacher relationship. Students will also learn more.
The technology that could present the greatest problems are the use of mobiles. Cell phones present greater complications within the classroom than benefits. Rampant cheating and distractions from instruction come to mind immediately. There are other tools out there that do similar things that outside applications on cell phones do, and do not present these complications.
Thank you, John! I agree with John that the technology that will most likely present the greatest problems in the classroom is the use of mobile devices. Cheating and distraction would be my two main concerns as well. I have been observing sixth grade this semester, and they have a hard enough time staying focused and on task. They also do not fully understand why cheating is wrong yet. I cannot imagine adding cell phones to the mix. New Kent currently does not allow any cell phones, and students caught with cell phones have the phone taken away for 5 days. In middle school, I think cell phones could cause classroom management chaos.
ReplyDeleteThe technology that I think would have the greatest benefit in the classroom is collaborative environments. I might be biased because I am a social studies person, but I think the opportunity to interact with other students and people around the world is an invaluable classroom tool. Part of my teaching philosophy includes the desire to teach students about how interconnected our world is today and to give them an appreciation and tolerance for other countries and cultures. What better way to do this than with collaborative learning environments such as ePals or International Virtual Collaboration Space. This type of collaboration makes learning fun and exciting while also teaching students about the REAL world around them. I think that there is a lot to be learned from interacting with different types of people outside of one's classroom, home, and community, and until now, this has been expensive and logistically difficult.
I had the same concerns about the use of cell phones in the classroom. It would be hard to prevent my students from texting one another and goofing off rather than doing their assignment. I know that students who want to be distracted will be regardless of whether or not they have technology to help them, but there are so many things that they can distract themselves with on their phones.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that technology offers some great opportunities for collaboration. I had the benefit of working with students in nearby counties on different group projects using web cams and remote telecasting. It was a lot of fun, and since our teachers were vigilant in keeping an eye on what we were doing, I pretty much stayed on task. As a future English teacher, I am especially interested at the possibility of connecting my students with students in England, who will have a different insight on British literature. I also like the example on the Horizen Report of using blogs and podcasts to connect students around the world.
I agree with all of you that cell phones and other small, personal electronic devices can be a problem for the classroom. Luckily the class I'm in at New Kent effectively blocks all wireless cell and internet signal, so this hasn't been an issue in my practicum. I'm sure that will not always be the case, and knowing how hard it is to keep students' attention during class without competition from cell phones, I can only imagine the odds stacked against teachers when these devices enter the mix.
ReplyDeleteThe problem seems to be more basic than this and is related well in the article in the trends section when the author writes about personalization of technology. With communication, news, video games, and social networking becoming more and more instant and personalized, I can see how some people might be afraid our society is currently raising a bunch of narcicists. While this is an exaggeration (I'm sure every generation thinks the next is going to be a mess), it does pose a problem for the classroom when competition for students' attention is ever-present. If the teacher is not doing something entertaining or interesting, why pay attention? And while we all strive to keep class engaging, exciting, and hands-on, sometimes we need to lecture, read, or drill.
On the other hand, the possibilities technology offers in enhancing communication, both online and in the classroom, are enormous. With the high degree of interactivity and flexibility of tools like the Smartboard, webpages, digital data organizers, etc., teachers can do more with students faster and in a variety of different ways. By increasing our skills with these tools, we can work to negate the worries of cell phone distractions and technology-fueled self-centeredness by fighting fire with fire. If the students want information instantly, give it to them. Meet them at their level. At the very least, no one can say you didn't try...
I am excited about the possible use of mobile devices as an enhancement in the classroom. Like Jessica, I am not fond of the use of cellphones inside class. However, I think it was near the turn of the century that Elementary School student parents were encouraged to get kiddie phones and attach them to student backbacks, teach the kids how to use them, and to consider this as a safeguard against child predators.
ReplyDeleteIn the high school setting, I may get really annoyed by the use of cellphones in the class. Currently, my CT has a student that has a phone that buzzes or rings occasionally in class, and annoyingly, she does not turn it off right away. This I see as a hindrance to learning.
However, as technologies develop, more and more academic functions are becoming available on the cell phone. Currently, email is available and standard in most cellphone plans, some feature internet, and now there is a Mobile Docs program in which a phone with a good memory card can hold word documents, excel files, power point presentations, etc. So at just the tough of a phone and your USB cord, you can display a powerpoint on the projector screen and you're rolling.
This warrants further investigation as you consider the heavy load students are already carrying.