Digitizing assignments and lessons seems to have great potential
to support and benefit students’ education. While I generally think that the
rapid increase of technology in our lives might have more of a negative influence
than we would like to admit, from the
experiences I have had teaching with technology (using video, touch screens,
and, to a lesser extent, PCs) it has been very effective.
Anyone who has ridden a subway in
Seoul can see that people are attracted to screens (count the amount of people
you see reading off paper next time you’re crammed on the green line). Children
especially seem to be drawn and attracted to them, when not used as a time
waster they can benefit the students as a tool for educating. It can definitely aid in having the students focused
and participating actively in the lessons and assignments.
In a previous job, I
was lucky to have my classroom equipped with a projectors and a giant
touch-screen TV. It was hard to not notice the students’ curiosity and
willingness to participate increase with the visual aids. Lesson on the
different organs and systems of the body,
for example, were definitely more dynamic when the students were able to interact
with the human body ‘hands on’ and see how they work. For them to make the visual connection with
what they were learning was a great benefit.
Of course visual and hands on learning with computers and
other technology will probably never completely replace reading and writing as
the most important method for educating, but they can be a tool to supplement lessons and help
students look at concepts and problems in a completely different way.
Most of teaching career has been with very young students so
homework, and in a lot of cases written work, is not really a major factor.
However, I can only imagine the benefits of digital, non-paper assignments
would have, many of which were discussed in class. With the technology we have
now (and whatever unthinkable technology we will have to work with in the near
future) it should only help spark the imagination and creativity of students
and teachers.
Sean, I like the point you make about citizens on the subway in Seoul reading off of a screen instead of off paper- it’s so true! Also, if monitored correctly, tools like iPads’ and other digital devices are defiantly effective for teaching children as a way of keeping them more engaged. I also agree that it helps them focus & participate in lessons that might not be the most interesting at their core.
ReplyDeleteGreat example about using touch-screens in your class for a “hands-on” human body lesson, it sounded like it was quite enjoyable for your students! I totally agree with your opinion on supplementing lessons with visual and hands-on aids. Honestly, I was hesitant on choosing this topic to blog about, because I wasn't sure how to tackle it effectively. I think you've done a great job of that and I feel you enjoy using the types of tech you mentioned above, in your classes? Excellent post!
Being able to create lessons, assignments, and exams digitally is something that I am interested in doing in the future. However, I have noticed that there are still a few students that aren't quite ready for the transition yet. Most if not all students have smartphones but there are only a few that have tablets or Ipads. Most digital assignments or exams would require a tablet sized screen rather than a smartphone in order to use the lessons most effectively. Hopefully, Korean universities will begin adopting policies that support tablets and/or Ipads in the classroom perhaps as part of tuition fees.
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