Does Technology Change the Way We Teach

Does technology change the way we teach?

HECK YES IT DOES!

Even in my short education I have seen a huge change in technology.  Classrooms have gone from chalkboards to white boards.  There have been overhead projectors, screen projectors, and now smart boards and 3M machines.  There did not used to be Internet and computers in schools were for typing stories to print out only.  Now a student can not get by without a computer.  Technology is changing more than just the way we teach, technology is changing the way we live.  And because our lifestyles are changing, the way we (as teachers) prepare our students for the future is by using technology.  Technology allows us to better connect and interact with our students because it allows us to enter into their realm of learning and into the world that interests and captivates them.  Technology is going to allow students to succeed and exceed the learning expectations.

Technology Presentation Overview

Even though I do not have to present a Web 2.0 project I have looked a little into Wiki's from one of my previous observations in Loveland Middle School.  The teacher that I was working with used a Wiki for her poetry unit.  She had her classes divided into single sex groups and each person posted some of their poetry and the people in their group could read and give comments regarding the editing of the poetry. 

I loved this project because it gave the students the ability to self-reflect on their own work and to read and reflect on the work of their peers.  It broadened their view of poetry and expanded their experience with editing.  Without wiki the project would have been paper and red pen based.  I don't know about you, but red pens scare me!

Technology gives teachers the ability to interact with the class and to have the class engaged and interacting themselves.  Without technology there would only be giant lecture halls and education would be in even more of a decline.  The days of lecture and paper are over, Web 2.0 is the present and the future.

Value in Fiction

I think, as an English major, that there is a great value to learning from fiction.  Fiction is a mirror of life, even though it is not a biography or completely true.  There are many aspects of fiction which a student can relate to and that can be used as a teaching tool.  Students learn from Shakespeare all the time.  They can relate to Romeo and Juliet, the learn story lines from the historical plays.  Learning fiction is important, not for the information within the piece of fiction, but for the information and lessons that a person can get out of the fiction.  Being an English major, my opinion of fiction may be slightly biased, but you can not easily find a class that does not involve some type of fiction.