New Learning: Those with ICT press the Y key

New Learning

NEW LEARNING: Embracing the future by combining technology and education.

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Those with ICT press the Y key

With technology on the advance and seeping into all aspects of our lives, should we be scared? should we embrace it whole heartedly? should we be cautious or throw ourselves at it? Indecision... a wonderful thing, we want to make the right choices but at the same time... we don't want to make the wrong choice.

When it comes to deciding which forms of technology should be included into the classroom, and which ones should be excluded, we automatically announce that we would like to see schools teach with tools that will be useful outside of the classroom, tools that will prepare students for the big wide world that is increasingly being bombarded with new techno-stimuli everyday. Often though the decision of what ICT tools will be implemented within a school are not decided by what is useful, stimulating and powerfully enriching, instead it is more often than not decided by what will fit into the schools budget and how easily will the new technology be accepted across the board.. (teachers, parents, adminstrators and students).

Teacher's are afraid of trying to teach students with new technology that in most cases.... the student knows more about the tool being used than the teacher. ("Well if they know more about it than me... what's the point of teaching it?") The point Ladies and Gentlemen, is not about "knowing" about technology, rather it is about interaction with one another through the use of these technological tools. Blogs are great being that they can act as virtual bulletin boards to all those who have access to them.

To go one step further and to encourage interaction online, I would reccomend the setting up of a Forum. Forums have become increasingly popular as they allow for mass contribution from all those who become members/users of the created forum.

Definition: An Internet forum is a facility on the World Wide Web for holding discussions, or the web application software used to provide the facility. A sense of virtual community often develops around forums that have regular users Internet forums are also commonly referred to as web forums, message boards, discussion boards, discussion forums, discussion groups, bulletin boards or simply forums. ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_forum

Classes can set up online forums within their subjects upon where they can communicate with each other and their teachers. The teachers can be given the role of "moderator" which allows them to monitor what is posted by all the users incase of online bullying or abuse of the system. A forum also allows teachers to post information on their subjects.

An example of an online forum: http://www.mediablvd.com/forums/index.php?act=idx
(here are a heap of messageboards/forums)

As a teacher I would love to have an online forum in which all my students could interact through technology. It allows for the introduction to emerging themes such as Netlish, Netiquette and a stronger understanding of differences between individuals. It also allows for more collaborative learning.

From my own experience of being involved in a large forum *points to MJJF in link section of this page* it is a great way to get resources and information. For example, there is currently a topic on the Middle East crisis, throught that topic plenty of users have provide the reason of the forums, members with: Opinions, advice, views, concerns, resources, information, personal experiences, referrences to articles and possible soultions.
All this information is given freely, and it is amazing how much you can learn in such a small space online. It also teaches you to sift through information with a more critical eye.

And that's all I have to share right now

cheers

L.J

Homework:

"Do bleached blondes pretend to have more fun?"

posted by L.J @ 1:24 pm

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