One thing that really had me worked up about this first lesson, as much fun as I had playing around with all the online programs, I had trouble with the time constraints. It is not possible for me to read a 30 page textbook chapter and do entire sets of questions in 1 hour. Really stressing me out.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
CEDo 515 - Post 1
First of all, I love taking Louis' classes because I love the huge number of great Web 2.0 sites that could be used for my classes. I always come away with more resources from these online classes than from any other classes I've ever taken. I love hearing about and trying new online programs, especially when they could be really fun and useful for teaching. The problem that I have come across in my experience has been that I allow students to use these new programs that they have never seen, and they get really into them, but they get into them in the wrong way. They want to spend all of their time trying to make the characters look like themselves or like LeBron, and they don't spend any time putting in any content material. This is something that I'm still trying to work on.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I agree there are a tremendous number of resources we are able to take with us and use in the work we do outside of the cohort. I am just in the beginning stages of my master's program, but have already made many changes in the way I approach technology personally and professionally. I'm also stressed out about the amount of work fitting into the time we're given--it's a lot to fit in, but somehow we get it done, don't we?!
ReplyDeleteI can see where your students would really get into the creative end of the programs you are introducing to them. I don't know what content area you are teaching, but it looks like you work with high school students, which can be a tough crowd to get engaged and excited...I think the text we are using for this class is going to help us all put lesson planning with technology into perspective and hopefully we will develop strategies to have the outcomes actually reflect and meet the objectives of the lessons. It might just be a matter of changing around the sequence of the lesson so the content is taken care of first, and then the creation of LeBron and mini me's can wrap things up? This is just the learning curve that goes along with introducting new technology. Good luck!
I agree! Huge number of websites that we can use coming from Louis! I, too, find it difficult to get the kids to focus on the content rather than the technology at times. I hope that this course will teach us how better to do that. I like that this text actually said that sometimes it is not best to use the latest technology. I agree 100%.
ReplyDeleteHey Matt,
ReplyDeleteI was surprised to see your name on the class list. I totally agree with you on all of your statements. This class has already given me a ton of web 2.0 resources. I too can sympathize with you statements about students because I had that same problem today. I spent way too long on the graphics assignment today when I should have spent more time getting other things done. It is tough to really investigate these tools and get everything else done for class, work, coaching, and around the house (if you don't believe me ask my wife since she is doing the majority of the house work and taking care of our son).
What and where do you currently teach? What tools have you used? Have you tried any interventions to overcome the distractibility of students in the past? What do you do if a students does not meet the deadline because of their desire to work on the small details?
I agree with you too Matt. We always learn a ton of really great new tools in these classes. I also feel that there is a lot to do, and with our jobs and families, not a whole lot of time to do it. But as Sue said, somehow we get it done, don't we. Everything we do in these classes is valuable information for our jobs, so it is necessary that we plug on through (maybe grumbling a little bit along the way:))and do the best we can.
ReplyDeleteYou are not alone in the time inaccuracies. What ever Louis puts on the syllabus for his time, I need to multiply by two if not by three. I would love to look at all of the sites that Louis gives us along with all of the resources that the book gives us – time is defiantly the biggest factor. As for your problem with using the cartooning programs, did you ever think about putting limitations on your students regarding the characters (i.e. choose from the ready made characters or only letting the students make three changes to the characters.)? This would let them continue to have some creative freedom without wasting all of their time.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with everything, Matt. More sets of great online resources to use from Louis. I thought ToonDoo was really cool and I spent more time than I should have on it. I'd like to find some ways to use some of these resources with students too, without having them get distracted. The one tool I've been using with my library skills classes is voicethread. I've haven't really been able to use the other tools we've learned about yet with students.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with the time constraints on the weekly work. I don't think any assignment has ever taken as long as it was stated on the site. Everything is much longer. I think if we knew how to do everything off the bat it would go quicker, but figuring out how to do everything takes a lot of time.
Hey Matt, definitely concur about the time constraints. It was interesting to read about your trials and tribulations with technology use in the classroom. As one of the few (if not only) non-teachers in the class, I have been wondering about this very aspect of technology use for students. I'm sure that technology is beneficial to classroom endeavors and for the completion of homework assignments but we are basically taking tools that most of these students associate with fun and are rapidly asking for them to see the "work" benefits. I think that it would've been a struggle if I had been asked to make that transition in my formative years!
ReplyDelete