Yes, I agree with you and your choice word - mobile. How true! I enjoyed your examples that kids use mobile technology not only for phones, apps, etc. but you also included pictures! I see students use mobile phones for phones, maps, assignments, bubble scores, camera, video camera, and so much more. And you made a very truthful statement - that are use to the technology! We teachers need to make sure that we keep up with the trends in order to keep up with the kids in our classrooms. The disadvantages I see are the fact that many teachers are technophobic and do not want to keep up with the times. They will find that kids will bring the mobile devices anyway, so we need to find out how we can BEST integrate them.
Thanks so much and I look forward to working with you in our BYOD project! Pam
Hi Pam, I agree with you that kids will have the devices anyway, so we should integrate them into our classrooms. If we ban them, how will students know that they are wonderful tools for learning? Many students already feel schools are "no fun," and by banning the mobile devices, that perception is reinforced. I'm looking forward to working with you, too. Thanks for your reply.
Hello Alma, Wow, you have quite a full life with grandchildren AND chickens! How blessed you are :)
Do you feel that the international students who are living with you use technology as much as American students of the same age? Are there any cultural differences in the use between cultures? I'm looking forward to your thoughts, Dr Courduff
Hi Dr. Courduff, The Brazilian student came with a Mac laptop, an iPad, and an iPhone. He lost the iPhone in the taxi before he arrived at my house, so he bought a new one last month. He is very "technology-savvy," using his laptop to skype his family and to e-mail and Facebook his friends and family. The Jordanian student did not have all the tools, but he bought a smart phone right away, and he knew exactly which one he wanted. He uses it to call his friends and family via Skype, he uses it to access an English/Arabic dictionary, and he is constantly checking the news in the Middle East. I told him how to download a graphing calculator app, so he didn't have to buy one or carry one more tool. I would say they are both using technology as typical teenagers would in our culture. As to differences, they probably use texting much less than their American counterparts, being more likely to use the voice options.
Hi Alma, I agree with you that we live within a “mobile” world. I am constantly checking my emails, Facebook page, bank accounts, or searching the Internet through my iPhone; as well as texting or calling from it. After carrying a mobile phone for over 16 years and experiencing the evolution of a phone that would drop calls when you would drive into a tree covered area to being able to have full reception strength in some very remote locations is incredible. This advancement has made me co-dependent on mobile technology and I feel lost when I forget it at home. Blessings, Sarah
I was traveling yesterday and went in to a restaurant for a meal. I looked in my purse for my phone, and it wasn't there. I can't begin to tell you the feeling of panic that went through me, since I was more than four hours from home. My companion (sister-in-law) reminded me I had already used my phone on the trip, and I later found the phone in the car. But I can definitely identify with you feeling lost when you leave your phone behind. Alma
Hi Sherry, It is good to share a class with you again. Thanks for your comments. I do love my chickens. I don't name them, though. Our local school district has each school form a group responsible to raise funds for technology. Some schools are more successful than others, making the technology available in each school very different, so I can identify with your comment about the expense of mobile technology.
Alma---I have enjoyed reading about you and your busy life with your family. Thirty eight years of marriage is quite an accomplishment. I know you cherish every minute. I lost my husband ten years ago on November 9. It has been a difficult decade and God's love has sustained my children and me. You mentioned how our lives seem over run at times. It is true; we keep up with our busy lives through our phones, emails, ipads, etc. I witness in my high school classes every period of the school day the influx of technology. As a faculty, we tried to fight it with all kinds of rules and guidelines. We were exhausted with the time it took from the actual learning process. Frankly, I felt we lost ground with the students and it caused a gap between the younger teachers who did not see technology as an evasive part of the classroom and the older teachers and administration who felt they were protecting the students. This year we have compromised in a method more related to your comments about recognizing mobile technology and integrating it into our classwork. Overall we are feeling much better about mobile technology in our classes. There are, of course, some students who miss use technology. I have found those situations create a new teachable moment. It is up to the teachers to model and set boundaries for the double edged sword called technology. I enjoyed your post and I appreciate the work you do with the children of all ages under your care.
Krista, I am so sorry for your loss. May God continue to comfort you. I really liked what you said about using inappropriate behavior as a teachable moment. In the last course I took, I learned about the Edmodo program which is modeled after the Facebook page. A suggestion was made to the teachers using Edmodo to lock students out of the commenting privilege when they misused it by bullying or using poor language. This a similar thing to what you are talking about, and a powerful tool in our arsenal as teachers. Thanks for your comments.
My husband and I are in the beginning stages of building a new home on 50 acres that we were able to purchase from my family. So far, our biggest disagreement has been chickens! I want them. He doesn’t. In the end, I know that I will get chickens and he will love the fresh eggs, but the disagreement has been a bit amusing. I agree that mobility is a huge piece of education today. Like you mentioned, these mobile technologies are a part of our everyday lives. They allow us to take full advantage of every minute of every day. Why would be not incorporate them into our classrooms? I have found that regulations and specific uses are far more beneficial that restrictions.
We love our fresh eggs. There is nothing quite like them. We built our home in 1989 on 65 acres! It was one of the most fun adventures I have ever been involved in. We love our house and are definitely invested in it. When a "simple" cell phone can access the internet, take pictures, provide drills (through apps), record audio and video events, take notes, and even send notes to a printer, why not harness some of that in our classrooms?
Hello Alma!
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree with you and your choice word - mobile. How true! I enjoyed your examples that kids use mobile technology not only for phones, apps, etc. but you also included pictures! I see students use mobile phones for phones, maps, assignments, bubble scores, camera, video camera, and so much more. And you made a very truthful statement - that are use to the technology! We teachers need to make sure that we keep up with the trends in order to keep up with the kids in our classrooms. The disadvantages I see are the fact that many teachers are technophobic and do not want to keep up with the times. They will find that kids will bring the mobile devices anyway, so we need to find out how we can BEST integrate them.
Thanks so much and I look forward to working with you in our BYOD project! Pam
Hi Pam,
DeleteI agree with you that kids will have the devices anyway, so we should integrate them into our classrooms. If we ban them, how will students know that they are wonderful tools for learning? Many students already feel schools are "no fun," and by banning the mobile devices, that perception is reinforced.
I'm looking forward to working with you, too. Thanks for your reply.
Alma
Hello Alma,
ReplyDeleteWow, you have quite a full life with grandchildren AND chickens! How blessed you are :)
Do you feel that the international students who are living with you use technology as much as American students of the same age? Are there any cultural differences in the use between cultures?
I'm looking forward to your thoughts,
Dr Courduff
Hi Dr. Courduff,
DeleteThe Brazilian student came with a Mac laptop, an iPad, and an iPhone. He lost the iPhone in the taxi before he arrived at my house, so he bought a new one last month. He is very "technology-savvy," using his laptop to skype his family and to e-mail and Facebook his friends and family.
The Jordanian student did not have all the tools, but he bought a smart phone right away, and he knew exactly which one he wanted. He uses it to call his friends and family via Skype, he uses it to access an English/Arabic dictionary, and he is constantly checking the news in the Middle East. I told him how to download a graphing calculator app, so he didn't have to buy one or carry one more tool.
I would say they are both using technology as typical teenagers would in our culture. As to differences, they probably use texting much less than their American counterparts, being more likely to use the voice options.
Alma Waskey
Hi Alma,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that we live within a “mobile” world. I am constantly checking my emails, Facebook page, bank accounts, or searching the Internet through my iPhone; as well as texting or calling from it. After carrying a mobile phone for over 16 years and experiencing the evolution of a phone that would drop calls when you would drive into a tree covered area to being able to have full reception strength in some very remote locations is incredible. This advancement has made me co-dependent on mobile technology and I feel lost when I forget it at home.
Blessings,
Sarah
Hi Sarah,
DeleteI was traveling yesterday and went in to a restaurant for a meal. I looked in my purse for my phone, and it wasn't there. I can't begin to tell you the feeling of panic that went through me, since I was more than four hours from home. My companion (sister-in-law) reminded me I had already used my phone on the trip, and I later found the phone in the car. But I can definitely identify with you feeling lost when you leave your phone behind.
Alma
I did a video comment....
ReplyDeletelink is...
http://youtu.be/6OSGAHHOsAI
Thanks
Sherry
Hi Sherry,
DeleteIt is good to share a class with you again. Thanks for your comments. I do love my chickens. I don't name them, though.
Our local school district has each school form a group responsible to raise funds for technology. Some schools are more successful than others, making the technology available in each school very different, so I can identify with your comment about the expense of mobile technology.
Alma---I have enjoyed reading about you and your busy life with your family. Thirty eight years of marriage is quite an accomplishment. I know you cherish every minute. I lost my husband ten years ago on November 9. It has been a difficult decade and God's love has sustained my children and me. You mentioned how our lives seem over run at times. It is true; we keep up with our busy lives through our phones, emails, ipads, etc. I witness in my high school classes every period of the school day the influx of technology. As a faculty, we tried to fight it with all kinds of rules and guidelines. We were exhausted with the time it took from the actual learning process. Frankly, I felt we lost ground with the students and it caused a gap between the younger teachers who did not see technology as an evasive part of the classroom and the older teachers and administration who felt they were protecting the students. This year we have compromised in a method more related to your comments about recognizing mobile technology and integrating it into our classwork. Overall we are feeling much better about mobile technology in our classes. There are, of course, some students who miss use technology. I have found those situations create a new teachable moment. It is up to the teachers to model and set boundaries for the double edged sword called technology. I enjoyed your post and I appreciate the work you do with the children of all ages under your care.
ReplyDeleteKrista,
DeleteI am so sorry for your loss. May God continue to comfort you.
I really liked what you said about using inappropriate behavior as a teachable moment. In the last course I took, I learned about the Edmodo program which is modeled after the Facebook page. A suggestion was made to the teachers using Edmodo to lock students out of the commenting privilege when they misused it by bullying or using poor language. This a similar thing to what you are talking about, and a powerful tool in our arsenal as teachers.
Thanks for your comments.
My husband and I are in the beginning stages of building a new home on 50 acres that we were able to purchase from my family. So far, our biggest disagreement has been chickens! I want them. He doesn’t. In the end, I know that I will get chickens and he will love the fresh eggs, but the disagreement has been a bit amusing. I agree that mobility is a huge piece of education today. Like you mentioned, these mobile technologies are a part of our everyday lives. They allow us to take full advantage of every minute of every day. Why would be not incorporate them into our classrooms? I have found that regulations and specific uses are far more beneficial that restrictions.
ReplyDeleteWe love our fresh eggs. There is nothing quite like them. We built our home in 1989 on 65 acres! It was one of the most fun adventures I have ever been involved in. We love our house and are definitely invested in it.
DeleteWhen a "simple" cell phone can access the internet, take pictures, provide drills (through apps), record audio and video events, take notes, and even send notes to a printer, why not harness some of that in our classrooms?