My one constant pondering (among the many I seem to have as a teacher) is "how can I enrich my students learning when they are working independently?" When I'm with them during group time I know exactly what they are doing and whether or not that task is to hard or to simple, but its that time when they are away that i'm left wondering whether the tasks they are doing are really beneficial to their learning.
I have always been an advocate for incorporating technology into my students learning tasks. I based my Accelerated Literacy Learning around this exact idea as I wanted to see if these kinds of learning based tasks really do help to enhance the learning they are doing with me. Whilst I know that a computer program is never a substitute for 1:1 teaching time, I am also well aware that as a teacher it can be difficult to get that time during the week to give those students that extra learning time they need with you to help give them that task. Some studies to say that classroom based computer programs do not help to enhance students learning. In ways I can agree and disagree with both sides of that view, however evidence has told us that technology has been helping to enrich learners for years. Marshall cites that "viewing of Sesame Street was positively associate with subsequent performance in reading, mathematics, vocabulary, and school readiness.(Wright, Huston and Kotler, 2001)"(i)
In fact the entire paper "Learning with Technology, evidence that technology can, and does, support learning" is a very interesting read.
So my question is..with so many computer based programs out there, which ones are acutally beneficial to enriching learning in the classroom?
Study Ladder has always been a tried and true one for me. I like the fact that as a teacher I can choose what it is my students are learning and I can also track how they are actually going. The extra added bonus is that it is free, which as a teacher is always a positive. I like the idea of being able to track my students and set the tasks as I believe this the best way for me to make sure the work they are doing is actually enriching and giving them the link and support they need to what they have been learning with me. There really is no point getting them to do tasks using technology if it has absolutely no benefit for the student. There are others that I have used which have been fantastic but its the cost that always then prevents me from being able to use it. So then comes the whole wondering of how do I as a teacher get around that?
So my final question to you as the reader of this (hopefully not too confusing first) post... What ethnology / computer based learning are you using within your own class and how are you using it to enrich your students learning?
Welcome to the blogging world and thanks for asking such a great question.
ReplyDeleteSesame street had an influence on my learning, so it is an effective analogy. Web 2.0 with its interactivity is another step forward.
Parents sometimes believe that integrating digital technology is playing games instead of learning. Yet children learn so much through play. However, not all sites are the same. The activities do need to include tools like repetition, challenge and meet learning needs. They need to be creating content too.
That's why I like students to blog. Coding sites like code.org are effective because they integrate creativity with reading, writing, following direction and logic.
Thanks again - I look forward to reading other comments.