Blog Post #B

The first thing I found interesting from chapter 2 was the Information and Communication Technologies, or ICT's. According to the textbook, these are things that we encounter every time we use a computer. What I found interesting about them is that they are not only something you access by internet or by some sort of software that is already on the computer, but it is also something that can be plugged into a computer to further a students learning. One of these websites that I thought was interesting was pbskids.org. Here, kids can play learning and counting games, and watch educational videos. In my future classroom, seeing as I want to teach kindergarten, I think this website among many others will be very helpful, and I definitely plan to use them.

The second thing I found interesting was NETS. NETS is a belief that technology makes new learning experiences possible. It stands for National Educational Technology Standards. This allows teachers and schools all around to promote creative thinking, prepare students for citizenship in the virtual world, problem solving techniques and so much more all while addressing all types of learners through technology. I liked this and found it interesting because I think it is important that creative learning and new approaches to learning are being encouraged in classrooms through technology. Students should be able to use technology to learn more things and become more knowledgeable about any topic they are learning in class, or something that just interests them.  To actually read the standards, you can click here! Though I do think standards for technology should be too limiting to students, I do agree with them because sometimes students do get carried away.

Lastly, the third thing I liked from chapter 3 was the student-based approach section. I think it is so important that students get to work in groups and collaborate. Whether it be comparing answers to something, a project, or anything else, I really think group work is so important. It allows the students to help each other and get different opinions from one another and it also allows some students to better understand what the key concepts really are in case the students did not understand it from the teacher. I like that it suggests that learning comes from the real world, problem solving techniques. I like that this means you can take your students on a field trip to somewhere that has something to do with what you are learning, and this way they can learn hands-on. In my comic, it shows my future students being excited for group work!

In conclusion, both chapters two and three were very informational. I love learning and reading about the 21st century technology ideas that teachers, parents, students, and schools come up with to incorporate technology into the classroom. I learned that I definitely like the student-centered approach to things more than I like the teacher-centered approach because I think it is so important that students get to work together sometimes and collaborate on assignments and projects rather than just listen to a teacher lecture all day then get tested on the lecture.



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.

PBSKIDS.ORG


    National Educational Technology Standards for Students. (n.d.). Retrieved February 4, 2016, from http://www.kelloggllc.com/tpc/nets.pdf

Pinder, S (2016, February 4). Group Work. Created with Bitstrips  http://www.bitstripsforschools.com/comics/1L8SW1/