Learning made fun

Although technology does have faults, the bad is far out-weighed by the good. What would society do without computers? How much MORE money would we be spending on making lessons for our classrooms more interesting?

Technology has a way of making learning interesting for the classroom in a manner that is financially friendly. Yes, I know that SMART Boards, computers and anything else techie requires big bucks, but just think; I can teach my class about different countries, concepts, sciences and so much more and still remain in the classroom. Students can interact with learning material. They can view videos, play games and even Skype with people who have lived all over the world. If it was not for technology, the only way to actually experience certain cultures, different science techniques and everything else would be to hop on a plane and go experience it for real. Don't get me wrong, I mean, this would be an excellent experience and teach our students in wonderful ways, but it's a little pricey...

As a kid, I used to wish that my classroom was only made up of 8 students and we would hop on a school bus and experience things first hand...again, it's a little pricey, and in this case, also not very possible. How sad.

However, we can purchase a SMART Board or other classroom technology and get the best of both worlds. Students can interact with their learning and experiencing new things "first hand." They might not be able to hop on a plane, but they can experience different cultures through video or online interview. Students may not be able to enter the classroom of Miss Frizzle, but they can learn about science through entering her classroom through a DVD.

Just think. Without technology, all of these subjects would be taught orally or with books. These are great ways to teach sometimes, but at other times, kids need the visual. They need the hands-on experience. And, whether we like it or not, it's how today's kids are growing up. They've learned to depend on technology. They've learned to be entertained. Had they grown up with kids 500 years ago, they would not need all of this technology to learn. 

Think about adults today. We've grown to value literature, to value creativity. Well what if we were forced to learn orally (like they did in the stone age) and only orally. No books, no pictures, no activities, just listening (I know I'd be sleeping). We've become accustomed to print and pictures. Our kids have become accustomed to graphics, entertainment, experience and technology. If we take that away, many of them would be bored and sleeping too. 

So what's the best financial option...a magic bus and plane tickets or a technological classroom with a creative teacher?

our uncertain future

http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

Check the above link out. it's pretty interesting. The speaker is a man named Ken Robinson. I've heard him speak via the web before and I've seen a number of videos that he has created about education today. What he says makes me really think. Everyone I've talk to has said the same.

He raises a number of very important issues. Issues that cause me to worry and issues that make me ask, "well, what can I do?"

One of these issues has been very prevalent in my life. My parents' generation had a number of choices coming out of high school. They could work, go to college or go to university. The same is true for today except that "work" is defined as finding employment at a fast food restaurant and really, people today are only given the option to enter college, the trades or university.

You have no idea how many people I know who have attended college or university and are working in retail, fast food or another career that does not require their degree. There are so many people who are overqualified and like Ken Robinson says, it's like inflation. Education is encouraged and relatively easy to attain. Students are told that if they are smart, they must enter university...then what? Work as a server in a restaurant after five years university and begin to pay off the $50,000 of student debt?

This is something that has been hitting me personally this year as I prepare to enter the workforce. Jobs, especially jobs in education are hard to find. I worry about finances. I worry about wasting five years of education and almost $100,000. And people say that going to university is a wise choice? Really? I long to teach in a classroom. To help children discover new things, but the educational system and our society needs to have a wake-up call!

Thankfully, I'm not my own. I've got a God who has brought me this far for a purpose. He has helped me through university both financially and academically. He hasn't let trouble come to me thus far and I trust that he will continue to keep guiding me towards his divine purposes for my life. I need not worry (although I often do) about my future. He's blessed me so much already and I know that it's his desire to keep pouring on those blessings.

I just have to figure out why he's chosen to take me on this path. Guess we'll wait and see. :)

Creativity

Is technology killing children's creativity?

What a question, and I don't think it can really be answered one way or the other. Every child is different. Every child is raised differently.

Some are naturally creative. Kids may ignore the technology and the busyness around them to paint, sing, draw and create new things. They know how to play. They spend hours playing. They create toys and mud pies. They know how to get dirty. They are not afraid of exploring and finding new creatures and spaces. They don't care if the world is moving at a faster pace. They note the small things in life...kind of reminds me of when I was a kid.

Technology has also modified the creativity of some children. Some children have those creative juices and rather than expressing them through painting or drawing, they modify their creativity. Songs and poems become blogs for others to enjoy. Painting and drawing become graphic design and playing with pictures and photoshop. Their creations are "updated" and very beautiful.

Still other children have had their creativity robbed by the busyness of life or by the option of technology. It's only "natural" for children to choose to turn on the tv or log into the computer after a long day of school. It's how they socialize today. It's how kids unwind. You really can't blame them. It's not like many kids have a choice when they have a backyard the size of two cars. Where can they explore? Where can they be kids?

Technology and social networking is how I stay in contact with my family and friends. We have an extended family facebook group and it's so great to plan get-togethers through this medium because no one is left out and everyone is involved in planning. It's not telephone tag any more. Facebook makes life easy.

I've become more "dependent" on TV too. I love just unwinding with friends or my husband by popping in a chick flick or a season of Chuck. It's easy, effortless and after a busy day/week, unwinding is needed.

But what would I do without TV, internet or technology? Sure, I'd probably read more, but what else would I do. I have a list of things I'd love to do or make. I love to create new things to make my home modern yet cozy. In a way, technology robs me of my time and my creativity. Without technology, I would be more motivated to create new things, spend more conversational time with family and do new things. I would go on more walks, start gardening and try cooking something new.

In times when technology is not the centre of my life and when I am at home away from the busyness of school, these areas of my life do take precedent. I love these times and I love spending real, quality, time with friends and family. When I'm at this point in my life, I forget that Facebook has not been checked for several days.

For some reason, this area of life is hard to attain when I am at school. Maybe it's because school is in the city, away from my family and all of my work is completed on a computer. Maybe it's because I stay in contact with people or maybe it;s just because technology is my only source of entertainment that I've found in this world of school. Maybe it's because I've invested my time in getting to know the people and places in my small-town and because I don't plan to stay in Ancaster or the Hamilton area all of my life, I don't put the same effort into getting to be familiar with this area. I'm not entirely sure.

That's not to say that I spend all of my time interacting with technology at school. Just much more time. I love talking and hanging out with friends at Redeemer, but as far as creativity goes, all of my creative juice goes into school and projects and there is not much time for anything creative that I enjoy.

I believe that a combination of technology and busyness has made us less creative. I am thankful that I have the time and the space (sometimes) to express my creativity. I sometimes fear that I will be too busy to garden, to create new things for my home or to experiment in the kitchen.

It's all about priorities. I need to ensure that I keep recreation and creativity near the top of my list.

I'm currently working on my project for this class. It's on the Generation Z - the kids born after 1990. These kids use technology to learn, for entertainment and for information. This is all very exciting and innovative, but the amount of time that they spend on it is ridiculous. It's sad. It makes me want to go back to the days when I was a kid. When I played outside, made mud pies and fed cookies to ants. Do kids ever explore anymore? Do they ever play or do they just have toys that play FOR them rather than WITH them. I know it's not as extreme as I'm making it out to be, kids are still kids after all, but I can see that society is changing at a rapid pace. It scares me that kids will forget how to play, that they will have poor social skills because, frankly, they have few opportunities in which to practice them.

Maybe I fear it because I can see this happening to myself. Granted 90% of the work that I do on the computer is school related, but the amount of time I pour into using technology is daunting. My phone, TV, internet, social networking sites - it's my life during the week. Our world is so technologically driven that I really can't get out of it...not if I want to complete assignments and stay in contact with friends.

Our first class

This evening, we had our first "Computers in the Classroom" class. We discussed a number of exciting and important topics ranging from new technologies that can be found in the classroom and how to use these technologies effectively. I am excited to begin this course. I know that I will benefit greatly from it and be able to make my teaching more interactive and exciting.

Much of what we discussed centered around how we must teach children how to learn, find and obtain information. We should not simply be the resource for all information and expect students to memorize it. Rather we should give them the tools and skills that they need to accurately search for and find factual information. We also discussed how children need to strengthen skills such as group collaboration and responsibility to prepare them for their future vocations. 

Although a highly technological classroom does scare me in a way, I think that it is the future of all classrooms. It is vital however, that technology be used in an appropriate manner: not overused but used as a tool for interaction and discovery. Our world thrives on technology today and children are using technology more than ever. As teachers, we can use this technology to help them learn. It is important that we maintain traditional ways of educating as well. Books, community building through face to face interaction, physical activity and art are just a few things that we need to examine by stepping away from the busyness of technology and remember a time when life was simpler.

We also discussed a number of helpful websites which we will examine in later classes. There are so many sites that offer lesson plans, classroom ideas, sites to engage learners and sites to help teachers create lessons and other classroom material. With all of the new demands put on teachers, this is one area that I am thankful to have. I am thankful for the collaboration of ideas and creations such as lesson plans. This not only makes my job easier, but provides for a richer, more thought-out lesson plan for students.