7.30am - I listen to Chris Moyles on my digital radio.
7.45am - I turn on my laptop. See the weather forecast for Southampton on my IGoogle homepage. Check my e-mails, have a look at Facebook. Read the news on the Guardian website.
8.00am - I speak on MSN to my friends who have moved away from Southampton.
8.30am - I walk to University listening to my Ipod.
9.00am - I sit in a lesson watching an Interactive whiteboard. The teacher communicates with me via e-mails and Blackboard.
11.30am - I send a text to my friends to organise meeting for lunch.
4.30pm - I get home and order a course book online on Amazon.
5.00pm - I watch Neighbours online.
7.30pm - I upload some photos from my digital camera of our current Bean Project that will eventually be uploaded onto our Bean Blog.
8.00pm - I search Webcat for a book that I need for my assignment. I place a hold on it, and know that I will receive an e-mail when it is ready for me.
What does this tell me?
If I am awake, and at home, my computer is ON. I use it to communicate, research, play, work, create. In one day I use numerous types of technology. I know how they all work, and I know how to manipulate them and what to do if one goes wrong. If I had to live without technology I would struggle, and I would be extremely frustrated.
If I rely on technology as much as I do, throughout every day of my life then why should this change when I enter the teaching profession? Already I can see how ICT is being used in the classroom, to great benefit of the teacher and the children. Plans will be constructed on the computer. Many resources will have had some kind of technological input. Interactive whiteboards will be used to communicate to the class. Monitoring of children's progress will no doubt be recorded on a computer.
This leads me to consider why children are expected to go their whole school days (most
of the time) with no contact with technology at all. It is not realistic! The problem with providing children wide access to computers/cameras and other technology is MONEY.
of the time) with no contact with technology at all. It is not realistic! The problem with providing children wide access to computers/cameras and other technology is MONEY.Many schools have brand new computer suites fitted with the latest technology, yet these must still be shared between numerous classes. It is up to us to think of imaginative ways of including technology into every day lessons, without having to make a planned trip to the computer suite. Laptops are more commonly used in classrooms now, as they have the obvious benefit of being transportable. I have also witnessed some KS1 teachers photographing some of the children's work (organising shapes) or filming some role-play (hot-seating) so that the children do not need to spend time writing work up in neat, when they should be focusing on the content not the display.
It is so important to incorporate different forms of ICT into all different subject lessons, to demonstrate to children how technology can help them and enhance their knowledge and understanding of what they are learning.
1 comment:
...If I am awake, and at home, my computer is ON. I use it to communicate, research, play, work, create. In one day I use numerous types of technology. I know how they all work, and I know how to manipulate them and what to do if one goes wrong. If I had to live without technology I would struggle, and I would be extremely frustrated.. This leads me to consider why children are expected to go their whole school days (most[Photo] of the time) with no contact with technology at all...
Good post... thank you.
Post a Comment