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Re: Syncing up with the iKid -- Megan Hatcher, 10:00:04 10/15/08 Wed [1]
>Do you think we need to adapt to these changes, or
>will the standard multiple choice/lecture methods
>suffice?
Yes and no. I do think that we need to adapt to the coming generation where technology plays a huge part in everything we do, and I don't necessarily agree with the "multiple choice/lecture" approach, but I do think that teachers should still hold the most important role in the classroom.
I thought it was interesting the comparison the article made between American students and Japanese students, basically saying that the Japanese are better students because they put more emphasis on examining problems, analyzing, and discussing/debating with their teachers, rather than dealing with PDA's and laptops.
Personally, I think that there can be a harmonious mix of the two in the classroom. :) I think that we should embrace and USE the new technology that we have available to us these days to enhance our lessons to the fullest extent. Its our job as teachers to go above and beyond the call of duty and plan engaging, meaningful, interactive, and INTERESTING lessons for our kids, so yes, we need to adapt to our times and use what we have. That also means though, that WE as teachers have to put that effort into planning those lessons and TEACHING our students, rather than letting a computer solely do the job for us.
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Re: Syncing up with the iKid -- Billy McCoy, 19:43:13 04/05/09 Sun [1]
I think it is very important that educators adapt and embrace technological changes, to a certain extent. As the article stated, there is a large gap between students lives at school and their lives at home, which is due largly to technology. I feel that if teachers were able to use more technology in the classroom we would see a rise in student interest and productivity. Students today enjoy the technology that is available to them; it is an enormous part of their daily lives. Using their technology to incorporate lessons and learning would be very beneficial to them as evidenced by the survery conducted by the National Governors' Association that was discussed in the article. Although student's should be free to express their opinions and ideas openly, there would definitly have to be limitations on types of technology and its usage. Just as in the article, many programs would a have to be blocked, and many websites banned.
Not only is technology imperative for student interest and success, it is also necessary to prepare them for the adult world. While there are still some student who have no accesst to technology in the home, it would be great for schools to be able to teach the skills necessary to obtain employment in today's technological society.
We must adapt to these technology changes for the betterment of our students.
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Re: Syncing up with the iKid -- Lorie Owen, 14:45:36 04/08/09 Wed [1]
>Do you think we need to adapt to these changes, or
>will the standard multiple choice/lecture methods
>suffice?
I most definitely agree with the article in saying that we MUST adapt to these technological changes. We can't hold on to the old way of doing things while the rest of the world is moving forward in technology, or else, there will be an even greater disconnect between school and "real-life" for children.
We are teaching for the children, not for ourselves and in caring for and teaching the children, we must care for and teach them right where they are...and that means accepting who the culture has made them to be, whether we agree with/support it or not.
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Re: Syncing up with the iKid -- Kc Hicks (:)), 06:20:15 04/09/09 Thu [1]
>Do you think we need to adapt to these changes, or
>will the standard multiple choice/lecture methods
>suffice?
I feel that the possibilities of using technology in the classroom are endless!!! I am excited that there are so many new ways to learn. Teachers will always be the facilitators of learning but they should embrace a chance to liven up a lesson. The world is changing and evolving and so must the face of education. I believe that a good educator tries to turn everything in his or her surrounding into a teaching tool. Technology brings the world to our fingertips, with an endless plethora of information, pictures, eye witness accounts, and videos.
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Re: Syncing up with the iKid -- Barbara Anderson, 07:40:21 04/09/09 Thu [1]
>Do you think we need to adapt to these changes, or
>will the standard multiple choice/lecture methods
>suffice?
I think we need to embrace the technology as it trickles into our schools, the main part of that statement being Trickles. I have a practicum right now and the kids have trouble with technology. I was not expecting that, I expected the students to be more advanced than I am (and I am not that good). They didn't know how to format their document or how to save them on a jump drive, out of 30 students, maybe 4 knew how to do it.
My main concern with technology is that it becomes obsolete within a matter of years.So even the kids in Arizona that have the laptops for class now, in a couple of years, those will probably have to be replaced.
So, yes we should use the technology that we have to enhance the lectures that we give.
ikid blog -- Anita Shawn Baker, 09:47:59 04/08/09 Wed [1]
I think using new technology helps the teacher to grab and keep the students attention. Which like the article said would in turn cut down on class clowns, daydreaming, note passing, and also bullying.
Syncing up eith the iKid -- Derrick Crabtree, 09:15:12 04/08/09 Wed [1]
The development of technology is definitely having an impact on the classroom. When you have a generation of kids who are practically raised by media, it becomes difficult to adhere to those old standards of lecture and whatnot. Whether it be for the better or for the worse, kids demand that we not only hold their attention but that we incorporate technology into the classroom. There are many debates over whether developing technology is a good or an evil, but I think it is both. Technology can convey a message better than a lecture, capture students' attention, and streamline learning. On the same hand, reading has taken a big hit because of technology. Kids today do not read, because thy do not have to. They can get the same information from the internet or on TV as they can from a book. Technology is crucial to learning and teaching, but it should be used as a tool and not as the backbone of the curriculum.
Syncing Up With the iKid -- Carol Cooper, 09:13:48 04/08/09 Wed [1]
I thought this article was really good. As teachers not only are we responsible for teaching merely the subject matter anymore. We are tasked with exposing our students to values, life skills, and most recently technology. The more we can regularly meet the standard of incorporating technology into our class, the easier it will be in the long run.
iKid blog -- Chelsea Turnbo, 09:05:27 04/08/09 Wed [1]
I really liked this article. I full heartily agree that technology should be incorporated in the the classroom as much as possible. I was a old bloomer when it came to technology, and up until college I seriously was behind in technology. Our society is moving toward a technology ran world and our students should be we versed in technology. If they are behind everyone else then many jobs past high school and college will be out of reach to them.
Synching up with a iKid -- Hailey Fanning, 09:00:51 04/08/09 Wed [1]
Although I may not be the most tech savvy teacher, I believe that we need to adapt to these changes. We need to embrace technology for several reasons, but the most important reason being because our students have. Technology is efficient, fast, and interesting to youth today. We as teachers have to "keep with the times" and know what our students are interested in, and use it to our advantage. The surveys in the article prove that students today use technology more than ever, so we need to use our technology in the classroom to relate to these students.
Synching up with the iKid -- Lina Vasquez, 08:21:05 04/08/09 Wed [1]
Adapting ourselves to technology would be a good thing but to some extend. Technology can help our students in many was but they should not rely only on it. We need our children to interact and communicate with one another and the teacher. They need to know how to do math and write the old fashion way.
Synching up with teh iKid -- Kimberly Decker, 08:17:43 04/08/09 Wed [1]
I do agree with adapting with changes. The reason that children are so much into technology now is because the toys that they start off playing with as infants have to do with electronics. I think that it is important to keep up with the technology in the classroom, or "update" what we have in there today. It's important that we keep the kids in the classroom up to date with other countries that are so technology advanced so that when they get older they can compete with them. I also believe that we shouldn't go all the way with technology. Because it seems now that people have become so dependent on technology that we also need to keep kids informed with basics so that they are well rounded.
Synching up with the iKid -- Chrissi Huff (B-)), 08:13:01 04/08/09 Wed [1]
I believe that we MUST bring technology into the classroom to keep our students interested, and to keep them current. Of course, they need to know how to do things the "old fashioned way", but that should not be the only way. If all we do as teachers is lecture and hand out worksheets, our kids are going to get bored. If we keep our students reaching for new things and new ways to do things, we are going to better prepare them for the future.
I kid blog -- Melissa Harvey, 07:30:04 04/08/09 Wed [1]
I do agree that it is important to keep the kids interrest and I especially liked the ACT downloads so kids can work on that during their own time. I also like blog post as a way to initiate conversations about subjects. This can be good for kids who have a lower aditory processing abilities as well as poor memory. But I do feel none of this should be used a substitute for one on one interraction with the class, or adding to a class discussion face to face. This may be hard for shy students but it is essential for their confidence and public speaking skills. Also we must realize that this technology and fast-pace mulitasking type thinking doesn't allow time for deep thought processes and thinking things completely through. I don't let my kids have cell phones(I will give them one for emergency when they start driving) and I limit time on the computer. I think it is good for kids to bored. It gives their minds time to relax and they can use their imaginations or find other interrest. I know many people will disagree with me, but I am afraid we are loosing many potentially smart brains because of the impact of constantly having information thrown at them and being told what to think instead of learning how to think.
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Re: I kid blog -- Melissa Harvey, 07:35:51 04/08/09 Wed [1]
>I do agree that it is important to keep the kids
>interrest and I especially liked the ACT downloads so
>kids can work on that during their own time. I also
>like blog post as a way to initiate conversations
>about subjects. This can be good for kids who have a
>lower aditory processing abilities as well as poor
>memory. But I do feel none of this should be used a
>substitute for one on one interraction with the class,
>or adding to a class discussion face to face. This
>may be hard for shy students but it is essential for
>their confidence and public speaking skills. Also we
>must realize that this technology and fast-pace
>mulitasking type thinking doesn't allow time for deep
>thought processes and thinking things completely
>through. I don't let my kids have cell phones(I will
>give them one for emergency when they start driving)
>and I limit time on the computer. I think it is good
>for kids to bored. It gives their minds time to relax
>and they can use their imaginations or find other
>interrest. I know many people will disagree with me,
>but I am afraid we are loosing many potentially smart
>brains because of the impact of constantly having
>information thrown at them and being told what to
>think instead of learning how to think. Also we must not forget the kids who don't have acess to this technology. You have to be carefuly not make life harder on those kids having to make special arrangements to use computers after school ect.
Synching up with the kid -- Gretta York, 05:31:18 04/08/09 Wed [1]
Being the old-fashioned type that I am, I feel that kids should stay grounded and not forget the orignal way of communicating. I know that technology is important and one should keep abreast modern technology to stay in the realm of things. It makes life easier and information more accessible, thus, making school and learning much more interesting. For example, Empire High School whose students no longer use text books but uses laptops, these students are less likely to fall behind on modern technology than students who do not opportunities such as this. My hope is that students don't forget the personal touch of writing a thank you note rather than sending an e-mail or taking the time to make a personal phone call rather than a text. There are times when a personal touch is the best means of communicating.
Digital Learners -- Tracy Smith, 03:45:28 04/08/09 Wed [1]
In the article on page three, Ryan Ritz says, "The key to teaching is keeping kids involved." At the moment the teachers I have experienced in the classroom use technology to make life easier for them, planning grade book, etc. Some are using the digital visualizers and projectors in the classroom on a regular basis and a few are using the projectors to do whole group online games and activities. The article talks about the DyKnow system that is used at Park Tudor School and other technology that the STUDENTS USE during learning. I would love to see how it works. Children today just seem to be able to use technology faster and better than people from previous generations. As teachers, if we want to be effective teachers, then we need to not only use technology but incorporate it into our classroom learning environment at the student level.
Synching up with the iKid -- Tim Jones, 00:05:35 04/08/09 Wed [1]
I think that, whether we want to or not, we will be forced to adapt to changing technology. This change is not necessarily bad, but what you have is kids that have been raised by the television and the computer and have trouble thinking for themselves sometimes. Traditional lectures might not be very effective because the student will tune you out after about 13 minutes. I also think that kids are having more trouble just reading and comprehending what they ve just read. We might use technology as a crutch sometimes but, the truth is...we need to. I think that incorperating technology to capture the student's attention and then hitting them with the information is the best way to transfer knowlege. Sometimes that information can be boring...and instead of putting them to sleep maybe technology will catch their attention.
I think it is very important that educators adapt and embrace technological changes, to a certain extent. As the article stated, there is a large gap between students lives at school and their lives at home, which is due largly to technology. I feel that if teachers were able to use more technology in the classroom we would see a rise in student interest and productivity. Students today enjoy the technology that is available to them; it is an enormous part of their daily lives. Using their technology to incorporate lessons and learning would be very beneficial to them as evidenced by the survery conducted by the National Governors' Association that was discussed in the article. Although student's should be free to express their opinions and ideas openly, there would definitly have to be limitations on types of technology and its usage. Just as in the article, many programs would a have to be blocked, and many websites banned.
Not only is technology imperative for student interest and success, it is also necessary to prepare them for the adult world. While there are still some student who have no accesst to technology in the home, it would be great for schools to be able to teach the skills necessary to obtain employment in today's technological society.
We must adapt to these technology changes for the betterment of our students.
Syncing Up With the iKid -- Amber Chavez, 19:22:41 04/07/09 Tue [1]
The article was very interesting. They talked about things that I would have never thought about doing in the classroom. I think that using technology in the classroom is definitely a good idea. My mentor teacher teachers Kindergarten. They use a Basal series. Every story that they read is on a cd. The kids really seem to listen when she plays the cd. It's kind of like they are focused on the book more because the teacher's mouth is not moving. There is nothing to distract them from the pictures in the book. She also uses a flexcam when they are doing worksheets. She shows the worksheet on the screen so they can see a larger image of it and how to do it. They get right to work when they come in the classroom. They don't ask a lot of questions either because they have an example in front of them. I really do think that technology would be a very fine addition in any classroom. Some teachers may feel that the technology is doing the teaching for them, but it isn't.
Synching up with the iKid -- Jennifer Weis, 19:04:09 04/07/09 Tue [1]
I liked this article a lot. I feel that we need to incorporate more technology into the classroom. Kids anymore can sit down and do more on a computer than I ever think about doing and they get bored with everyday book work and a lot of them cannot concentrate and sit still listening to a teacher lecture they need more hands on. I feel that we should all try to integrate more technology into the classroom.
Synching up with the iKid -- Dylan Richards, 18:18:36 04/07/09 Tue [1]
The article was very good in describing the ability the teacher had to get the new technology in the classroom. This day and time students are looking for a more exciting way to learn, as others have stated. The simple take notes, and lecture type of learning is a tougher way for the students to take in the material needed. By integrating technology in the classroom, the teacher has found a more exciting way for the students to embrace the subject matter. As we go a long I believe we will continue to see this grow in the classroom setting.
Synching up with the iKid -- Jake Kiser, 15:24:19 04/07/09 Tue [1]
I think that we should push more to having technology based lesson in the classroom. Kids know about computers and how to work iTunes and things of that nature. I agree fully with what was said about the teacher who use the computer based lesson, then the old pen and paper method and the compared the too. Kids take in more about a subject their learning more when they are hands on and fascinated by it and than listening to a teacher talk about it and bored to death by it.
Synching up with the iKid -- Ashley Martak, 12:47:34 04/07/09 Tue [1]
I think the article was great! I think technology in the classroom is important. Students now have cell phones, ipods, and computers at a young age. I think the article is right about having the technology to keep the students interested in learning is important. I remember in school when we took notes on paper was boring and my attention span did not last very long. I think students that can be taught with different technology and can keep it interesting is very important.
Synching up with the iKid -- Cathleen Humphrey, 19:40:43 04/06/09 Mon [1]
I think the articles were great! I think that it is important for teachers to use more technology in the classroom. I think using different types of technology would get the students more excited to learn.
I don't think we should get rid of textbooks completely, though. I just think we should use technology to extend on what is learned in the textbooks.
Synching Up With the iKid -- Heather Singleton, 18:41:27 04/06/09 Mon [1]
I think the articles were great. I totally agree with the idea of using technology in the classroom more with children now days. I personally am going to have to work on my knowledge of how to use technology, but the articles were absolutely correct in stating that children now are way more technology savvy. I think that technology today holds more students' attention spans and there are more lessons and activities that make learning fun.
Syncing up with iKid -- Christina Dooley, 14:46:03 04/06/09 Mon [1]
I think the iKid article is a great artilce because it explains to teachers how easy it is to use technology in the classroom. Technology is easy once you learn how to use it, it is a much more exciting method to use with students, and it catches the interest of students. With the help of technology students will learn a lot more because it is interesting, and they will keep the material that they have learned in their mind a lot longer. There is a downfall with the use of technology-rapid change. All in all, I strongly think technology should be incorporated into a classroom to make it less boring and more exciting!
Synching Up With The iKid -- Scarlett Slatton, 11:07:51 04/06/09 Mon [1]
The article has several great points about changing society and new programs of study for students. These students grew up during a time when technology was sky-rocketing, and it is only going to continue growing from here. I think it is absolutely important to maintain an up-to-date classroom; however, teachers and/or school administration cannot require students to wholly participate in activities which involve technology use outside of the classroom. Teachers may make technology-incorporated lessons and assignments, but they must provide ample opportunity for students to finish them at school. Too many students haven't any access to such technologies except at school.
This article shows more ways how technology can be used in the classroom. The good thing about it is that a subject that once was boring can now be interesting by using some form of technology. The bad thing to me about it is students should not think that they should ONLY use technology to help learn a boring subject - having the right teacher can change the students view of a subject.
This article shows more ways how technology can be used in the classroom. The good thing about it is that a subject that once was boring can now be interesting by using some form of technology. The bad thing to me about it is students should not think that they should ONLY use technology to help learn a boring subject - having the right teacher can change the students view of a subject also.
Syncing up with iKid -- Jessica Gibbs, 08:53:53 04/06/09 Mon [1]
Technology is rapidly changing everyday. I think that we do need to update our classroom technology to some degree, but I do not think that everything needs to be one hundred percent technology. A happy medium between the two would be the best in my opinion. It really amazed me that in Japan they did not use technology in their schools like I assumed they would. Teachers do need to learn how to use technology in order to keep up with the students.
Laptops are a really good thing to have, but what happens if a students' just dies in the middle of class? Then what do you do. Plus what happens when the software and computer are outdated? It does not take long for things, especially technology, to become outdated.
Syncing Up With the iKid. -- Justin Brown, 23:02:49 04/05/09 Sun [1]
I think as teacher we should concentrate on moving toward the technological approach. I do believe that as generations pass and technology increases, those new generartions are just going to become more and more bored with the older teaching methods. I also think that if the research shows that students not only learn more with new technology, but actually work harder and enjoy school more, (which the article states numerous times) then you have to use the technology thats avaliable to you.
If you are a teacher who is old fashioned and likes the old school, simple teaching methods, thats fine. You can use those too, but you somehow need to figure out a way to integrate the new technologies that make the content as interesting as possible for the students. Find a way to make them both work if you have to. As a teacher you need to remember, you are there for the students. So you need to make their educational experience as good for them as you possibly can.
Syncing up with iKid -- Leslie Letterman, 18:21:56 04/05/09 Sun [1]
I agree mostly with the article. I think technology is important in all aspects of education. Teachers are using it for hands on lessons, grading, attendance, you name it. I think technology will be used more in the upcoming years in schools and I also think it will be beneficial. Of course there are some problems with using computers or technology full time but with textbooks you have that as a back up plan.
iKid Blog -- Julie Gouge, 06:53:44 10/22/08 Wed [1]
I definitely think teachers should adapt to some of the changes mentioned in the article. It is essential for students to graduate now knowing how to do more on a computer than just emailing. Many employers will not hire someone without computer knowledge and experience. In order for students to make it in this world, they need someone to teach them not only the basics, but more.
Also, this article states that many counties that “have supplied laptops to support curricula…have cited dramatic improvements in student engagement, reduced absenteeism, and fewer discipline problems.” If integrating technology in the classroom will help students and teachers, there is no reason it shouldn’t be integrated.
Synching up with the iKid -- Samuel Boshears, 05:54:38 10/21/08 Tue
Do you think we need to adapt to these changes, or will the standard multiple choice/lecture methods suffice?
While technology is rapidly developing and permeating more and more of our culture and lifestyles, I don't think it would be appropriate to wholly endorse a complete move to a more electronically-savvy classroom. I do think that we need to embrace technology, but only to an extent. Students need to be familiar with a paper and pen just as much as they do a keyboard and screen. Embracing technology too closely would be a defeating strategy. I had a math teacher in middle school that used to make us write papers out by hand (papers in a math class!?), he always stated, "People are losing the ability to write, all they can do is type!" I used to think him mad, but in recent years I can finally see the wisdom in his words. To some, the thought of a hand-written assignment is archaic - no spell check, quick revisions, or multi-tasking with a sheet of paper. But again, I do think that we need to, let's say "update," technology in the classroom, but too much would be detrimental. Technology makes things easier, simpler, faster, better, but also makes us lethargic and lazy. In this case, too much of a good thing is a bad thing.
Re: Syncing up with the iKid -- Megan Hatcher, 10:00:04 10/15/08 Wed [1] 
Re: Syncing up with the iKid -- Kc Hicks (:)), 06:20:15 04/09/09 Thu [1] 
Synching up with the iKid -- Chrissi Huff (B-)), 08:13:01 04/08/09 Wed [1] 
Synching up with the iKid -- Cathleen Humphrey, 19:40:43 04/06/09 Mon [1]