The other day my group gave our presentation on societal changes and how that affects education. In the presentation we included the use of newer technology (Skype and Twitter). Although the use of technology provided a "WOW" factor in our presentation it also added a side of nerves. Prior to the class, these forms of technology gave us a fair amount of headaches. Initially the video did not work. Next the sound went. Twitter was confusing. It didn't take long for the snowball effect to start and for our group to start questioning our presentation structure.
Finally, the day of the presentation arrived and the technology Gods must have been on our side. Everything went smoothly. The video worked! The sound came in clear! People were able to figure out Twitter. And yes, I believe people enjoyed our presentation.
With all that said, I encourage people to consider the use of technology in their teaching. However, I recommend caution when using such imperfect systems. They can be your best friend or your worst nightmare.
About Me
- Ben Luster
- I'm currently working on obtaining my masters and teaching certificate. When I'm not in the classroom you can find me on my bike or running along the Huron River.
Hi Ben!
ReplyDeleteYour presentation went great, speaking from the observer side of the classroom, but I can definitely understand the stress technology prep. can cause and am getting a taste of it as I prepare for my presentation next week. I guess it's like some people have been saying...technology can be great as an educational tool and a valuable supplement to a lesson plan, but I don't think I'd ever be comfortable relying on technology or giving it too much credit!
Ben! Your presentation was great, and the physical use of technology to teach about the use of technology was awesome. I feel that we are moving into a world where this is an inevitable step forward; however, like you mentioned, it makes me nervous to be too reliant on technology because anything can go wrong at any point. I guess if you want to be fair, we can't be 100% reliant on people either, but there seems to be a lot more at stake when putting trust in a machine.
ReplyDeleteBen, great thoughts. I also think that we are often at the mercy of technology. Therefore, it is important to remember that technology does not always make things easier or bring clarity. If you are going to use technology, you should always have a backup plan. It is also important to experiment with the technology before bringing it to the students. Still, we shouldn't be afraid to take risks every once in awhile.
ReplyDeleteBen, I'm glad that you addressed this topic. Picking up on Stefan's response, I share his belief that it is important to take some risks (and also to have some sort of Plan B available!)
ReplyDeleteMy mentor once told me, wryly, that "anything worth doing, is worth doing badly." To me, it's a reminder that stretching yourself has benefits, that students often respond really well to new twists and also that, happily, our students are more forgiving than our worries might indicate, also that they generally have short memories ;-)