After a 30 year career in the metal industry as a tradesperson, I have re-trained and am now a teacher in a high school. After 5 years teaching in a small country school, I am now teaching in a local high school and the change has been quite profound. I am wondering if I am suffering from the 'emporers new clothes' syndrome when it comes to some of the things I see. Mobile phones and I-pods appear to be an issue that clearly impinges on the capacity to learn for many students. With a masters in educational studies, I am struggling to understand why we are allowing this technology in a learning environment where it's very presence presents a major obstacle to good classroom order and any potential for learning.
I have tried to find any definitive research on the effects of these devices and learning but have so far been unsuccessful.
I am not anti-technology, in fact am quite the opposite. I do see mobile phones as a pre-cursor to the next wave of learning technologies with PDAs etc but in the current circumstances, I can't see how we are serving the learning needs of our students by allowing these devices in the classroom. Is it just a lack of will on the part of teachers to deal with this issue? Do we have too many teachers approaching their retirement to be bothered with addressing this as an issue?
I want to hear from anyone who might have something to contribute to this issue, positive and negative. My interest area in school s is boys' education and they appear to be those most affected by this issue.
4 comments:
I think re-making yourself in a new school is always hard.
On the technology front, I think it is really important that teachers harness the new tools and use them for constructive purposes.
I totally agree that we should be embracing technology in what eveer form it appears but I also see it as vital that we truely understand how our studnets are currently using that technology. I wonder how many people even know what students are listening to. There may be a possible link between their choice in music and some of the attitudes and agressive behaviour we deal with on a daily basis. I am planning on investigating just what they are listening to to help me understand what effects if any it may be having.
I was a career-switcher, too, and came into teaching with a heart full of love and good intentions but absolutely no idea about the profound differences in culture between "my generation" and the current wave of students. Things sure have changed!
Like you, I went through culture shock and was offended by the "lack of order" caused by students' techno-gadgets, multi-tasking habits, and seemingly rude behavior.
What I didn't understand or accept is that I am - like it or not - a visitor and they are the hosts in this brave new world of lightspeed changes. The old school notion of desks in neat rows with students sitting quietly listening to a teacher are dead and gone. Surprisingly, I'm glad about that now, even though at first, this difference frightened me because I felt that I wasn't in control.
A wise group of younger but savvy teachers helped me redirect my approach with students - they showed me ways to be more collaborative rather than authoritative; I facilitate more than lecture now. I engage students by using technology and real-world problems to make class topics relevant. It has made a world of difference!
As for their annoying gadgets, I accept the fact now that they aren't going away, even if I'm not comfortable with them. They're part of the culture. It makes better sense to stop bucking the trend and start finding ways to use them positively (using iPods for class podcasts, for example, or cellphones for data collection in instant surveys in class...)
In my experience, allowing those electronic devices in full view in the classroom rather than hidden in pants pockets defuses the battle. "Please turn off your cellphones now and leave them on top of your desk so I can see they're silenced" is a much more respectful way to ask kids not to use their cellphones in class than just banishing them from sight as if they're secret explosives.
If you haven't read Marc Prensky's work on "digital natives vs. digital immigrants," Google it and check it out. It may help you understand that the differences between our "older generation" and this one are increasingly more vast and complex than you might think - yet not hopeless.
But it's up to US to change - not them. As Bob Dylan wrote so (very) long ago:
"Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command;
Your old road is
Rapidly aging.
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend a hand,
For your times they are a-changing"
If I may suggest, you might consider taking some classes in instructional technology to learn both the pedagogy (why) of integrating tech into classrooms and the nuts & bolts of how to do it. Once you start doing this, I believe you'll see a positive change in your classroom climate and student attitudes, and you'll relax and start enjoying the kids. They have a wealth of creativity and insight to share!
Below are some URL addresses for excellent videos that may help, if you haven't seen them already - just to get you thinking.
"Pay Attention" (on YouTube)
http://is.gd/1ja4
"Why We Need to Teach Technology In School" (on YouTube)
http://is.gd/1jb2
"teach different" (on YouTube)
http://is.gd/1eLQ
I commend you for blogging and for your adventurous and heartfelt leap into education! You will make a huge difference to many fortunate students!
The issue of phones and I-pods etc present an additional challenge in workshops. apart form the respect and courtesy thing, there is an obvious issue with safety. I would encourage the use of this technology but as in many other schools, there is a gap between where 'they' are and where we are. I am working hard to stay abreast of things and consider my self to be up with the game although things are changing at a frightening rate. A specific issue for me has been going in to a curriculum area that has not been strong on the application of technology as we know it now. Bit of an irony there when we are surrounded by technology but just in a different form. I would love a decent display unit to bring the world into my workshop. I see my curriculum area as going way beyond planing a piece of wood or welding bits of metal. I want to show the relevance and examples of that stuff and there are so many exciting ways to do that. I definitely need to work on my colleagues and draw them into the fold
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