A Digital Immigrant Reflects

Wow, "flexible" instructional media. Learning this week was unimaginable. What an interplay between learners’ abilities and the tools they can use. Traditional classroom materials and media, like books and speech, come in “one size”, so to speak, for all, but they do not fit everyone. As a special educator, inflexible media actually create barriers to learning. New classroom media, like digital text, sound, images, and the World Wide Web, can be adjusted to different individuals and their needs, opening not just doors, but windows to learning.

Traditional media for teaching--speech, text, and images--are so ingrained in our methods and curriculum that teachers rarely stopped to consider their use. Instead of thinking carefully about which medium to use in a given situation, teachers usually select what they have chosen in the past or what is convenient. What few teachers recognize is that these media have very different things to offer in the communicative process and we, as teachers, should consider its appropriateness for the particular content or activity. Also, we need to weigh the characteristics of our students. This analysis is not usually a part of how we understand and appraise our students’ capacities, how we teach, and how we evaluate learners’ progress. As a digital immigrant, I can see that we have allowed traditional media to shape our practices. Instead of considering students individually, we operate on a one-size-fits-all mindset. New electronic media offer the opportunity--and I believe it is our obligation--to re-examine old assumptions about teaching media and tools and reconsider the impact on learners.

Thursday Night Special

Just a note to say I am in my usual seat, at my usual spot, and as usual, out in the elements. An established habit I fear. Although I must be honest, tonight there are friends around. Not only here at Panara but on the internet and many within the cohort. What fun we have had! Well it is almost lights out and now my battery is low so I must go. I now look forward to another day.

Information Overload

Today was an information overload for me. Podcasting and all. I am a visual learner and podcasting leaves me out in the cold. I do see some advantages especially if I can have the text box at my side. Yet, what a wonderful way to have my students, who love GarageBand by the way, use their talents in another way and incorporate their music into class work. They will surely be surprised. I can now envision how one might use these tools within the classroom for group projects. Like us, the experts in various areas will emerge. I'm still looking for my area of expertise, hope it shows up soon. In closing, how does one remember all of their passwords? Still looking for a podcast in my theme area to discuss. Maybe tomorrow.

Beam Me Up!

Wow! Second Life Wow! What a neat way to navigate especially in Dan Power's virtual world. My eyes are still a popping at all that awaits out there and I mean "out there" in the technology world. What a fun filled day with and in the use of emerging technologies. It takes a mind change though, a BIG change in my thinking on the use of my computer. The possibilities are endless given a purpose in business and in education. If asked for only one comment, it is that everyone should be required to take a class like this. My appreciation level is flying higher than ever for those in this field. I loved the business and education connections that we experienced today. This is the way it should be and can be with the intertwining of all of our worlds. Virtual worlds, experience it.

UNIDay1

MobleBlogPic

A Theme! Flood Zone 2008

A picture is worth a thousand words! So, the saying goes and this week this is so. Wow, what a rush of emotions along with all of the water coming down the tube so to speak. See my link! Can't say much more.

Digital Immigrant

Good readings and greetings to all after tonights chat. I have learned a lot but do feel a bit lost when navigating the virtual world. I will have to do as Dr. Z said and find a teenager to show me the ins and outs of such worlds. Beaming was fun, but again I need a techy or teeny person to assist me. Digital media is great, I just need to learn the language. That is what I find the most difficult at this point. Well, got to go and explore some more.