-Writing With Multimedia-
"How could we not be interested in this attempt to make sense of the world we live in?" A quote by Richard Miller on the use of technology and the networking capabilities of the Internet.
Many people are in awe or even frightened by the rapid advancement of technology and the ever growing capabilities of the Internet. I welcome technology and the Internet with open arms. There is so much that can be done that its mind boggling. Can we be changed from a reading/writing culture to a listening/watching culture? Yes it's possible. Should we shift to a listening/watching culture? Yes, but slowly. Should we completely change to a listening/watching culture, leaving behind reading/writing completely? No we should not.
I can see where some future and current teachers would be reluctant to first learn writing with multimedia, thinking it would be a long and arduous process and the time to learn it would not be worth the effort. However, it seems that writing with multimedia has so many benefits, who would not want to learn to use it? You can produce lectures, study guides, notes, pictures, video, and even bring up your produced items at the touch of a mouse button. The benefits are well worth the time and effort it will take to learn writing with multimedia. However, this tool should be used judiciously. I have had experience in classes were a professor relied too much on the technology to teach the student. The professor did not use the tech to teach, but rather had the tech teach the student. Use technology with caution! To see how not to abuse tech see the film "Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla II."
We have so much at our fingertips, and all we have to do is push the button to open the virtual door.
-Networked Student-
I suppose after watching this video I could be a teacher to a networking student. Though after teaching exactly what to follow on the syllabus my interaction with the students I (unless they have questions about how to use or download certain programs, applications, etc.) would be limited to simply a guide. I would, of course, have to learn how to use all of the materials in the course work myself in order to "teach" the student how to use them.
If I were to use networking, I promise you, I would NOT be just simply a guide, I would talk with the students, see if they are having any problems, teach them proper Internet conduct, and allow them as much flexibility as possible with their work, because I am sure the instructions for the course work would be a bit confusing, especially with students who have not had much interaction with computers or the Internet.
Networking should NOT take precedence over conventional teaching methods. Lecture should NOT be thrown out completely (boring as it may seem it helps trust me). I have a feeling that several teachers that teach networking students will make the mistake of thinking, "Oh well, they will figure it out sooner or later." This scares me, because it happens even today in classes with out a heavy technological influence. Please teachers, don't make this mistake!
-Toward a New Future of Whatever-
After watching Michael Wesche' video I find myself thinking about all of the people I have met that were raised in my generation, and it seems he is so pinpoint about the whatever/me generation, that if he were more right about it, his word would be holy doctrine. The media's suffocating grasp has had its hand around my generation's neck influencing us with sleezey reality television and so much mind numbing garbage that it has us desensitized and ignorant of all that it is around us; except for maybe ourselves and what ever badly written show we can get a quick fix of entertainment out of. Reality television and the trash that the media pumps out, through almost endless outlets, are going to be some of the reasons many of our children and future generations are going to be self-centered, ignorant, and shallow. I am being a bit radical in saying this but I have seen it all around, and frankly it sickens me.
I am glad I was not influenced as some of my peers were so easily influenced. Truthfully I have been caught in the media tar pit, but I was quick to get out of it. Go to a t.v., find a reality television show, and watch about 5 minutes, then sit back and think about what you saw. Think carefully about the show now. Do you want your child to watch it?
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I think every student entering a certain grade should take a technology class on every piece of technology used in the classroom. Then after the students successfully pass the class they are lent a laptop computer for there study until the move to the next school ( meaning they get a new computer when they go to middle school then another one when they enter high school), the computer will be returned when the student completes school. I think this help students and teacher become technology literate. I can only hope for this.
ReplyDeleteExcellent, well written post that raises some very important issues. Let me converse with you about one of them: teaching and learning. I had a student say to me this week: "Dr. Strange, I want you to teach me so I don't have to learn." Now I am not sure that is what she meant. She probably wanted me to tell her what to learn, catch her regurgitation, grade it, and then she could forget it.
ReplyDeleteThat sort of education, which is the centerpiece of American education, will not suffice in today's world. Change is happening so rapidly that every worker must be a constant learner, must be able to work cooperatively with others throughout the world, must be able to communicate using the latest technologies, and must be able to engage in self-reflection and evaluation. These are skills that are not being taught in our schools. We still dwell on facts which are available everywhere at all times. How do we change the focus of education? We cannot do it by teaching the same way as we have in the past.
My first conclusion is that if students cannot provide their own structure for learning, we must help them learn how to do it. We can no longer provide that structure. They must. Thus the changes in EDM310.
I could go on, but I will save that for later. I am eager to hear (read) your response.
ON THE NETWORKED STUDENT:
ReplyDeleteI think having books online is awesome! By having sound and moving pictures in documents, it really makes them interactive. It saves time, money, gas, and paper! When you need a book on the go, they are where the internet is. I think it makes learning easier for larger groups of people and even underprivileged people.
I really enjoyed reading your post! very well-written. I disagree with Marybeth, however, because I do not like having books online. I would rather have something I can actually hold and read in a place where I may not have internet access.
ReplyDelete@ Jessica were in the world can you not get internet access? We sent $200 laptops to remote villages throughout Africa so they could have access to information. Surely you don't mean that we can't get access in a public school in the United States?
ReplyDeleteHaving books online is great...the main advantage for students is the affordability. Sites like Zinio do digital publications and work with proffesors/publishers to produce the chapter or entire textbook at a fraction of the cost and for more profit. Meaning that school systems such as Mobile County/Baldwin county (were Jessica) may work, can actually afford to update the material students are reading each year..rather than the nine year old editions being used right now. Nine years ago...GW Bush had just came into power and the economy was strong, gas was $1 per gallon, unemployement was 2.6%, we were not at war, there was no mention of terrorists attacking the US......maybe textbooks have gone out of date also? Not the classics but in science ( a subject neglected in the US) discoveries are made all the time....relevant classification studies.
If textbooks cost an average college student $450 per semester (look it up) then the entire cost of books is about $5000 for a four year course. This figure goes up at 6% per year (look it up) meaning that in nine years from now we will be paying almost $10,000 for the textbooks.
My two questions are very simple Jessica:
1. As someone becoming and educator,Is the idea not to educate people?
2. Do you think more people will be able to afford an education if we reduce the cost to a laptop ($300 for the four year degree) and digital books ($100 per semester)= 25% of today's cost.
Now if you can afford to buy the book, that;s your preference.....but the budget is not their for the public school system or Universities.