1/26/09 lecture Class

In class we briefly discussed standards, and then moved onto No Child Left Behind. The pros and cons were both discussed. Some of the pros were, math and reading test scores are up, the gap between African American and Spanish students to white students is smaller, and more students are enrolled in higher math leveled classrooms. Some of the cons to NCLB are; many schools may feel the need to lie or cheat in order to have good results, the states can lower their standards and make their tests easier, scores are based on standardized tests so teachers are only focusing on how to get those scores up, and if you do not do as well as expected for a certain amount of time funding can be taken away from the school. We also talked about how technology, when used correctly can sometimes help with meeting standards. There are three key words for this; efficient, effective, and enhancement. Using technology in some cases can help the students understand better, because they came from technology, and they know how to use it. Students enjoy using and learning about technology, so if we can use it to help meet standards it is good for everyone!

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Digital Natives 1/23/09

Digital natives are people who have grown up with technology, they have always had computers, cell phones, and video games. Digital natives are very good at multitasking, for example they can listen to music, watch television, and do their homework at the same time. Digital immigrants, those who have not grown up with technology, but are trying to adopt it, do not understand the way digital natives think. Most teachers now are digital immigrants, and have not formatted their classroom using technology. It is much easier for digital natives to learn using the technology they have grown up using, and also more enjoyable for them. Schools need to adapt curriculum that uses the digital natives interest to their advantage. Some colleges and even the army are beginning to use technology. The army uses gaming as simulations, and some universities also use gaming as a teaching tool. Younger and younger children are becoming more technologically advanced, so integrating technology in the classroom would be to our advantage.

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