FUTURE TEACHERS

PROFED 7B: GROUP 2

THE FUTURE TEACHERS

2ND ENTRY: THE ROLES THAT COMPUTERS PLAY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS

While there are some nay-sayers who bring up some negative effects of technology on education in the classrooms, mainly budgetary reasons, using new technologies is the future of the education system.

The following reasons should silence the nay-sayer and help them heed the wisdom from Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach,

“Teachers will not be replaced by technology, but teachers who don’t use technology will be replaced by those who do.”.Teachers are finding that using different classroom technologies like tablet computers, digital video, iPods, and video games are great tools for helping students learn. 

• Makes Life Easier for Teachers. Teachers have to juggle a variety of tasks outside of teaching including planning lessons, grading, meeting with parents, and some administrative work. Why not help yourself out and put objective tests online so that students can instantly see their grades instead of spending valuable time grading?

 

• Professional Development. Using new technologies allow students to learn another skill set that will help them in the marketplace. How many jobs need basic computing skills let alone advanced computing skills? Any tima teacher can encourage students to learn through technology, they kill two birds with one stone.

The tech industry is only getting bigger--encourage your students to know and understand technology so they can be the tech leaders of the future!

•  Students love it. Students love using new technologies in the classroom. Whether it be the "cool" factor or just a genuine interest in new technology, it allows teachers to vary activities of the day and engage students. There is no commandment for education that says,

"THOU SHALT NOT HAVE FUN". Students spend hours using technology like computers and television when they get home from school--why not engage them through their favorite mediums?

. It Improves Test Scores. A benefit of engaging students through technology and media is allowing them to work at their own pace and not be held back by students who learn at a slower rate. This can allow gifted students to progress several grades ahead of their peers over the course of a year. Another proof of improved test scores comes from reaching different learning styles through the use of technology. The use of electronic drilling in education can help students learn quickly and provide incentives like games for them to keep progressing.

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1ST ENTRY: INFORMATION FLUENCY

          Information fluency is a state of competency in any subject (or set of subjects) which we believe to be a good goal for students to achieve in a class, and for which a class may be designed. The terms for this model have been chosen carefully. It is information, not digital. Many parts of the information fluency model are analog, or comprised of characteristics for which the digital/analog terminology isn’t germane. It is fluency, not literacy. Digital literacy is the keyboarding and filing skills set of the information age, a sometimes vexing, but essentially solved, problem. Anyone who has learned– or attempted to learn– a foreign language should intuitively understand the distinction between literacy and fluency… with the former, one can get around; with the latter one can express themselves creatively.

          Information Fluency is a model that builds on the skills of traditional digital literacy, integrating technology with domain (discipline) specific knowledge, critical thinking, presentation, participation and communication skills. Being fluent connotes understanding.