Chapter 3: Transforming Learning with Unique, Powerful Technology

Chapter 3 really breaks down teaching to a science which is very helpful when trying to establish the best method to teach students. This chapter delves into certain cognitive and behavioral learning skills and shows the best way to teach using those methods.

I really thought that Behaviorism was a very important subject matter that can help further my techniques of teaching to reach out to my students. It showed me the science behind teaching. "Learning is a process if memorizing, demonstrating, and imitating."(Molay 49) Behaviorism also boils down to the students preforming tasks then receiving a reward. This will make the student want to earn that reward again which will make them complete the assignment.

In the text it discusses teacher-centered and student-centered teaching.I personally believe that class rooms should primarily stick to teacher-centered teaching methods because you can not always rely on the students wanting to learn and understand the course material on their own. So for a majority of the time, the teacher has to be the driving force in teaching and have the class move at his or her speed. I am not saying however that student-centered teaching should not be in the classroom. Group projects are a intricate part of learning and gives the students a way of learning the information their own way.

                                       

I found the topic of metacognitive thinking to be really intriguing. It discusses how students need to evaluate their own learning methods.Once a students is able to question and reflect on their own learning then they are capable of understanding a topic fully using methods that work exceptionally well for him or her. I will try to have my future students use these methods to understand what kind of learner they are."metacognitive skills work best when they are overlearned and can operate unconsciously."(Metacognitive Skills)

Works Cited

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

"Metacognitive Skills." Metacognitive Skills. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2015

Blog Post 2

Chapter 2 had a lot of very informative topics but I found Rogers innovation curve to reach out to me. Basically what it talks about is that when a new idea is formed usually a majority of society is against it. But over time people begin to be more familiar with it and slowly start to accept the new idea. I find it very funny that even in education, people do not like change even if it is something to improve education as a whole. It shows how close education and the rest of society are to each other.

Another topic that I found interesting was that many teachers try to keep technology out of their classroom because they believe lack of access is a issue that can not be resolved. Because they throw this up as a barrier they are not teaching to their fullest potential. Also, "as of recently there has been a constant squeeze between need for expanded technological capabilities and declining educational budgets have forced schools to curtail their technology goals."(Transforming Learning with New Technologies,31)

Also in this chapter it discusses how technology is not distributed evenly throughout students and can be a very big problem. It is called a digital divide and can be easily remedied. You have to give the students as much time at school to do the project. But nowadays many schools have computers that students are allowed to have access to so these divides can be shut.

Resources

Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc

Blog Post 1

Chapter 1 was a very informative section that taught me many new things. One being the iGeneration. The iGeneration starts with children who were born in the late 1990's. They are labeled the iGeneration because they were the first generation to always have internet access and grew up with a cell phone nearby. These children have a luxury that no other children have ever had before.It really shows how teaching has to move on with the times and apply technology to reach out to the students. I find it very informative considering I am part of this generation.

Now since education has moved on to using technology it allows for technology-based learning environments. This is essential in today's society. It allows teachers to extend the classroom and teachings beyond the forty-five minute classroom time. This allows for a new entirely different type of learning. This way it lets students have access to their in-class material at any time. This truly extends the class all the way to the students home. This is completely essential for classes nowadays.

Digital Identity as a teacher is extremely important when it comes to the classroom. It is have competent a teacher is in using technology based aids in the curriculum. If a teacher does not have a good digital identity then the students will not be able to learn to their fullest capabilities. Technology is no longer optional for classrooms, it has become necessary. Teachers need to understand how to use certain tools for students to have a complete understanding of what the class has to offer.

In conclusion, this chapter has made it known that technology in the classroom is very important for the students. It gives them access at all points in the day and make the topics easier to understand. Technology is the way of the future.