It is clear that there are certain technologies that really do help students learn when they are implemented in the classroom. Especially those that have to do with electronic media, such as movies, computers (the internet), recordings, newspaper slides, film strips, and even educational video games. Each of these things can enhance student's ability to learn, especially since the lecture format of the old days does not mix well with our technologically savvy lifestyle. However, these technologies also have the potential to distract students as well due to their multi-functional natures as being both potentially educational and, without proper supervision, used for entertainment purposes.
In my own experience, when ever we were allowed to use the internet in class, chances are some students were not always following what the instructor was doing. More than likely, they were checking other sites that had nothing to do with the curriculum. When watching informative movies, most students would not pay attention because as long as the teacher was not speaking, then they figured they did not have to listen. Though their use in the classroom can be very helpful in teaching, they could also create distractions for some, but certainly not for all.
Now that I am in college, technology seems to be less of a distraction and more of a helpful tool that needs to be implemented in the case of research and communication. However, that may just be because when I was in grade school, technology was not as advanced as it is now. In college, things like audio recordings, newspaper slides, and online journals become much more important when researching for papers. In fact, the internet is an endless source of scholarly writings and key documents that you cannot find in your local or school library. It is essential that when used in the classroom, no matter the grade level, that it remains an instrument of learning. The speed of technology has saved me on more then a few occasions and I am sure that it can do the same for others.
-Tim Wellein
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I appreciate the statement you made regarding technology as "an instrument of learning." Viewing technology as an asset in a process seems to be a recurring theme for our blog group. I also agree with you that technology has the power to equally enhance learning and distract students in the same setting. For this reason, I think that as future teachers, we should be thinking of ways to monitor technology use to emphasize the learning process, and learn how to engage students in the technologies we choose to utilize.
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