Clarence Fischer joined our Internet for Educator's class this past Thursday for just a half hour, but he spoke about very interesting and enlightening issues. He is an educator in Snow lake, MB and teaches the Grade 7 and 8 class in this community.
Clarence focused on the changing of education and more so today, it is vastly changing daily. He focuses on two important factors of a changing educational society: engagement and passion-based learning.
He also spoke about multi-model representation and how he believes its important to create information rather than consume information. Both are important, but in today's classrooms students need to have the ability to create their own "stuff." Pictures, video, presentations, etc are all valuable.
Technology is important within classrooms but need implement why you are using it within the classroom. For example, wanting to purchase laptops for your classroom because its cool or interesting. But most times there needs to be more of a reason than simply being "cool" within the classroom. These reasons can be about creation and importance of learning communities and networks. The learning that occurs within the classroom is only as strong as the network you have in the class. online learning communities are important for your students to have access to sharing information and learning from others that may live across the world. Our job as teachers is to help students have a network of their own. Students taking initiative to network outside of class and find connections in this way. Global perspectives is the most valuable reason we use technology with kids.
Great post Brooke. I really enjoyed Clarence's short chat. He said so much in so little time. I agree with you (and him) that educators need to have a "why" for introducing and using technology in the classroom. It is no longer satisfactory to use technology for the sake of using it. I also agree that our job, as teachers, is to help our students build their own network outside of the classroom in a globally respectful and responsible way. We have so many great tools and resources at our hands, but we need to use them wisely and safely. Thanks for sharing!
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