Sonnet shakespear style!

http://p138825.blogspot.com/2013/12/sonnet.html

How technology has changed the way we learn

For centuries the learning experience has hardly changed; if you moved a tutor from one century to another, they would probably cope with little change. However, if you moved someone from at least forty years ago to present day, then the experience would be worlds apart. In thirty years the whole learning style has evolved; with the introduction of ICT the blackboard and chalk has been retired and replaced by interactive white boards with mobile devices. Technology has expanded to learning to the masses; a tutor can potentially have an interactive class of infinite amount. The World Wide Web allows instant access to resource material that is in depth and broad. Modern day learners tend to rely on the internet, could this potentially have a negative affect? An exasperated French teacher keeps telling her pupils “Google cannot speak French; it hasn’t been to school and learnt!” (Jones, 2013), the use of translators cannot deduce meaning to a word, resulting in a nonsensical sentence. Technology has radicalised the way we learn and teach. We constantly have to adapt to advancements and keeping current is now the big consideration. We are where we are now with technology but where will it lead us in another thirty years...

A winter warmer!

Hopefully you will get the idea of my seven page story!?

A winter story! from wilddt

Useful resource.

I found another interesting website with links to teacher websites and resources that can be of use.  "Every single teacher is concerned about his/ her teaching practices and the skills involved in this process. How many times have you wondered about a better way to teach the same lesson you have delivered to an eariler class? How often have you used technology to engage your students and improve their learning ? These are some recurring questions we keep regurgitating each time our teaching skills are put to the test"  A quote from the website.

 

Please click on the picture for link!

 



Barriers to the effective use of technology in education.

“Pupils should be given opportunities to apply and develop their ICT capability through the use of ICT tools to support their learning in all subjects”(ICT curriculum, 2012)Is the first line from the government’s ICT curriculum, it clearly states their view in supporting the use of ICT teaching and learning to current and future pupils.  There are a few barriers that I would like to discuss:-

1.    Teachers – A fundamental part of the process and how adaptable to change are they.

2.    Cost – How cost effective is ICT?

3.    Disadvantages.

Teachers

Transformational leadership is how I see a good leader and this can also be applied to a teacher/lecture/instructor/coach.  How many “fossils “do we see and know scared or intimidated by change.  Evolving and educating the teacher is probably the main priority, a review from The National Commission on Education in 1993 had the foresight to realise the future in technology. “Teachers...need training and support to adapt successfully to flexible learning, managing independent learning, involving people in the community and making full use of advanced technology.”  (Education, 1993)

Cost

Cost is not just for the initial outlay of equipment; but the constant updating of technology and software to coincide with evolving products and resources.  A certain amount of the cost has to be set aside for the training of the people delivering the academic material, and again, this is a constant outlay due to change of staff and technology etc.

Disadvantages

Do we lose the interaction and the chance to engage with the students where technology supplies for the masses?  The learning environment would change from a personal classroom relationship with peers and tutors to a cyber based relationship losing the basic communication and socialisation skills humans cherish.

These are in my opinion some of the barriers that could be faced with technology in education, they may seem bias and I am sure there are many more. I have not discussed students and their barriers, particularly in further education as there is possibly an age and ICT confidence issue.  But as harsh as this seems, they can overcome their issues and reluctance and I am testimony to that!   I have also not covered the positives or the advantages...maybe another day?

Education, N. C. (1993). Learning to succeed. London: Heinemann.

ICT curriculum. (2012, 02 12). Retrieved 12 03, 2013, from Department for Education: http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/a00199693/use-of-ict

The value of mobile technology in teaching and learning.

We now live in society that seems to need and demand instant access to information (and everything else!).  Gone are the days of when i was in school having an hour a week playing on a BBC computer and not having a clue what i was doing, in fact nothing much has changed for me in over 25 years!

 

With the introduction of the World Wide Web, students could access data from the comfort of a school computer suite or a personal computer at home.  Technology has now moved on and devices are smaller and more powerful than the ever (and continually evolving!), allowing an individual instantaneous access anywhere. Mike Britland states “The best teachers that I have seen using technology to aid independent learning are the ones who have embraced the power that is already in the pockets of students.” (Britland, 2013)  We all like our creature comforts, so for a younger student the chance to interact on their course using their personal device might actually promote an increase in interest.  United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization have embraced the mobile technology and can fully see the potential and benefits to learners, within their policy and guidelines they write “Learning can unfold in a variety of ways: people can use mobile devices to access educational resources, connect with others, or create content, both inside and outside classrooms.” (Kraut, 2013)  Mobile Technology is a way a multitude of learners can gain access throughout the world to study through a relatively cheap source.

Recourses:

Britland, M. (2013). How has technology transformed the role of a teacher? Professional developement , 1.

Kraut, R. (2013). Policy guidelines. Retrieved 12 01, 2013, from United Nations: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002196/219641E.pdf

My review on Tedtalk.

Ted talk...”What on Earth is that?” I thought when we were set the task to review one! To be fair it’s like youtube; as in you start in one area and two hours later you have gone through a time warp and finished watching something completely random at the end, be warned!

My review is on a talk by Sir Ken Robinson on “How schools kill creativity”. He is a natural speaker who delivers the content in such a way that it is almost sublime. Using dry humour to convey the points could be a dangerous strategy, however, he delivers his talk making me feel uplifted and enlightened. I found a comment on one of the links to him saying that he has been viewed 21.5 million times, and I can understand why! There is also some good feedback left by the viewers about his talk that could also be of value. Sir Ken’s talk is definitely thought provoking and the subject matter is a potential can of worms. He makes some very interesting points to arrive at his conclusion, I don’t want to comment on them all or give too much away (just enough to hopefully entice the reader to watch the clip). The concept of creativity in an academic environment has been lost as we progress in life from Primary school onwards. The chances to explore our creativity diminish with the fear of mistakes and failure. Very few scientists or inventors found their optimum goal on their first attempt, so maybe we should instil and promote that from an early age like the story Sir Ken tells about Gillian Lynne. If creativity was promoted more in schools, it could enhance learning, or, could have an adverse effect and there could be complete anarchy in the classroom...

 There are many quality quotes that I could state from his talk; I am just going to mention a couple that I particularly liked.
“Very many people go through their whole lives having no real sense of what their talents may be, or if they have any to speak of.”
“Curiosity is the engine of achievement”
I hope you also enjoy the clip!