Technology is a funny thing, isn't it?! In this day and age, we are all surrounded by technology and it has evolved so much within the past 15 years. I still remember when the internet was just emerging when I was a kid. We had dial-up and wouldn't be allowed to be online for extended periods of time otherwise the land line would be out of commission for too long and people wouldn't be able to reach us (unless you had two lines). But wow, how the times have changed. Ask kids these days and they will probably have no clue what dial-up even means! They will never have to suffer from those awful screeching noises as they wait to connect to the internet! But in a way, I feel like the early years of the internet were good because it meant that people weren't on it 24/7. We were only allowed to go on for short periods at a time or if we need to research something.
Looking back, technology has come so far from what it was. We find it weird and almost inconvenient now, if there is no Wi-Fi in public places. As I reminisce about the "good ol' days", I don't know how we survived! We have become so dependent on the internet and this technological world that we feel "naked" without it.
Even the education system has adopted so much technology and everything is about catering to the "21st century learner". Classrooms are equipped with SmartBoards, Apple TV, laptops and iPads. Students have become so dependent on them as well. Technology is great, don't get me wrong. But sometimes I feel like it is acting as more of a hinderance to learning than it is helping. Take for example, the application Photomath. Students simply need to take a photo of a math problem, and it will solve it for them - step by step! I definitely see the value in this as it is a great way for students to check their answer. However, I think that it just encourages students to be lazy and not try to work for themselves. Why should they even attempt it if it can just get handed to them on a silver platter?!
These are some of the challenges I am going to have to face when I am in my own classroom one day. I can see the value and the benefits of using technology, but will it act as a stumbling block for my students? Will they truly be learning if they can just use apps like Photomath?! And the issue with Photomath is that you won't know that students are using it unless you catch them in the act. Since it gives step by step answers, it can appear like students are doing their work and know what they are doing but in reality, they're just copying down the work that Photmath has done. At least with answers in the back of the textbook, you can tell when students are just copying those down because it's simply the answer without the process.
I feel like I've been pretty negative in this post, so let's lighten things up a bit!
What did Al Gore play on his guitar?
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.
.
.
.
.
.
An algorithm!
- The Function(al) Teacher
Looking back, technology has come so far from what it was. We find it weird and almost inconvenient now, if there is no Wi-Fi in public places. As I reminisce about the "good ol' days", I don't know how we survived! We have become so dependent on the internet and this technological world that we feel "naked" without it.
Even the education system has adopted so much technology and everything is about catering to the "21st century learner". Classrooms are equipped with SmartBoards, Apple TV, laptops and iPads. Students have become so dependent on them as well. Technology is great, don't get me wrong. But sometimes I feel like it is acting as more of a hinderance to learning than it is helping. Take for example, the application Photomath. Students simply need to take a photo of a math problem, and it will solve it for them - step by step! I definitely see the value in this as it is a great way for students to check their answer. However, I think that it just encourages students to be lazy and not try to work for themselves. Why should they even attempt it if it can just get handed to them on a silver platter?!
These are some of the challenges I am going to have to face when I am in my own classroom one day. I can see the value and the benefits of using technology, but will it act as a stumbling block for my students? Will they truly be learning if they can just use apps like Photomath?! And the issue with Photomath is that you won't know that students are using it unless you catch them in the act. Since it gives step by step answers, it can appear like students are doing their work and know what they are doing but in reality, they're just copying down the work that Photmath has done. At least with answers in the back of the textbook, you can tell when students are just copying those down because it's simply the answer without the process.
I feel like I've been pretty negative in this post, so let's lighten things up a bit!
What did Al Gore play on his guitar?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
An algorithm!
- The Function(al) Teacher
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