After watching Alex and Wendy Drexler's video on 21st century student network, a few thoughts arose in my head.
This model relies on two things, internet access and student motivation.
These two things are often the hardest things to find in a lower socio-economic area.
Even though many students in these circumstances have a traditional cell phone, they are not as useful for learning as smartphones, laptops, or iPad/iPods. It is also not widely acceptable to pull out your phone during class to do research or connect with other learners or learning devices. There is free access for these students in a variety of areas; schools, public libraries, before and after school programs, etc.
The next issue is of motivation. These students are typically the most unmotivated learners in your average American school system. Their situations reflect heavily on their motivation for learning. Would the use of technology alone motivate them to be independent learners? Do we as teachers still need to coax out of these kids the thrill and value of learning? Does technology do this innately just because of the 'wow' factor of using the internet for learning? Do students see the value of learning through the internet, or do they just want to watch 'epic fail' videos on Youtube?
While I certainly agree with the video that the 21st Century student network is real tool for learning, how do we use it for lower socio-economic or unmotivated students?
I think the model shown in the video is a bit limited. And agree with you that as demonstrated in the video the process clearly requires a high level of student motivation. And I fear that for most traditional topics I question if students would have the motivation needed to complete the project.
ReplyDeleteI do however see evidence of this style of learning being applied every day. Just on less than academic pursuits.
Students are doing more than just searching youtube they are emailing, chatting, even calling people who are experts in the area of knowledge they seek. Without adult supervision, without adult guidance.
I think the challenge and responsibility for teachers is to offer context, guidance, and boundaries. The real benefit being when the children have non academic goals or questions they are able to find the answers in a safe and responsible way.
I find it difficult with 30 computers in my own classroom to engage each and every student, with technology. I am not sure if there is any way to motivate all students. Often times it is the lower socio-economic students who are the benefactors of a lot of technology, as they are the ones who receive federal grant money to help their schools. (This also requires someone to learn the technology and teach it to those students)
ReplyDeleteIt should not be the teacher conducting a circus show each and every day in the classroom in order to get the students to pay attention and "want" to learn something. I couldn't agree more.. I have been feeling that lately in our society, we are having a problem with intrinsic motivation. It is that type of "I want it now" attitude that we work with. The lack of patience and the instant gratification students are used to these days. Is it all children, no, of course not, but does it feel like the majority more than the minority? Some days yes. Can we somehow infuse technology into lessons as to generate higher level thinking and engage the students more? I would like to think that the standards must be met in one way or another, so if we can choose the tool, be it technology, we can help all learners, even the least motivated or low economic class.
YES YES AND YES to this posting and all the comments. I was just saying to my friend at school the other day that I felt like the ring leader of a 3ring circus, doing everything to motivate my kids while they look at me with those bored expressions. I mean, I dress this stuff up as well as I can with technology, projects and activities... but it is what it is. The other day, I had a parent (a mom) tell me that I was NOT teaching English the way she remembered and that I had too many projects... how can art have anything to do with English? My poetry anthology project (in which a kid has to choose 10 poems (3 of which could be songs they chose), write critically about them, using the new vocabulary they learned, then write their own poem, and pair pictures with all of their poems. She said her daughter didn't like the project. I replied "It's ok if she doesn't like it" and mom said "well, she is only 15" and I said "In three years she will be expected to fend for herself in some way or other... it might be helpful to start now." LIKE I SHOULD HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT!!! To which she replied "Well, I will talk it over with her and see what she wants to do". I was like "WHUT?" I mean, it is a struggle to keep kids attention anyway and now we have to deal with parents that don't think their children should have to stretch in order to learn? This is just one example. My school room mate who really holds kids to task is always in trouble with parents. And then they wonder why there is a break down in the education system...
ReplyDelete