Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Distracted Students or Distracted Educators?

Apple iPhone 3G S








  1. Excellent point. I think part of the problem is that why should students care about what they're "learning" in class if they can just as easily look up that information when they need it on Google? Education needs to be based more on critical thinking so that it engages students and goes beyond the simple facts that the internet can restate to them.

  2. Tyler, I completely agree! Information has become so readily accessible to our students that they no longer see the purpose in learning facts and dates. Our goal should be to encourage students to think critically about the information they read on their phones, assess different perspectives and relate the information to current situations that are occurring in the world. I think it is also important for us to capitalize on the capabilities of technology and promote communication and collaboration beyond the traditional walls and hours of the classroom. During my experiences observing and participating with students in the use of social media I have witnessed increases in student engagement. When we teach kids how to engage in productive conversations using social media, it is amazing what they can do. When given a forum to express themselves, they contribute a wealth of thoughts, ideas and perspectives. I am committing to encouraging others to incorporate social media and technology as a learning tool in the classroom where appropriate. How about you?

  3. I agree totally about bringing in the critical thinking aspect. It would be good if this gets brought in at the high school level because I don't think universities are currently doing this adequately.

    Although I agree that social media can engage students, I'm not sure how this can be utilized in a curriculum-driven system? Have you thought of a way to achieve this?