Blog #5: What are the characteristics of good teaching?
What are some types of online instruction?
What are some characteristics of effective online instruction?
Compare the advantages & disadvantages of online & face-to-face instruction?
Describe an "aha" moment you had this week, if any.
I am not an "early adopter" of new technologies. I had a flip phone for years after the iPhone came out, I hung on to my transparencies long after other teachers in my school had switched to powerpoint presentations, and I was one of the last to ditch my red gradebook and use the online grading software. This doesn't mean, though, that I am anti-technology. I now love my iPhone and couldn't imagine life without it; I use the online class management system Schoology and often "flip" lessons in my classes; and I Tweet and Facebook and Pin in both my personal and professional lives. I like to think of myself, instead, as a "cautious adopter." I'm happy to let others try technology out before I spend my precious time and energy (and sometimes money) learning something new that may or may not make my personal and professional lives better.
Good teaching is good teaching. Students are engaged, they are learning, discovering new ideas, practicing new skills. This can happen with or without technology. I found this article about Finland's schools interesting: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/05/finland-school-system-107137.html According to the article, "With little educational technology in the classroom, Finnish students have repeatedly outperformed American students on international tests." Instead of investing in the latest technology, the Finish government and the teachers' union spend their energy focusing on teacher training. I cringe when I see the school district for which I work spend thousands of dollars on SmartBoards and then watch as many teachers, including myself, decide that they would actually rather just write on the board. And I worry about the new iPad initiative in St. Paul schools. Every student will receive an iPad, and yet teachers have little or no training on how to incorporate them into their own lessons. How many of initiatives like these directly lead to better teaching and learning? Wouldn't all of that money be better spend on teacher training, smaller classes, etc.?
That said, I do feel that some technology tools do allow me to design my lessons better as a teacher, and enjoy my coursework more as a student. D2L helps keep me organized, YouTube videos present information in a new way, blogs help build communities in my classes. For me, though, where I learn the most is in face to face discussions and group work in class. When deciding where to go to school for my MLIS, I thought carefully about whether I should choose an online program. Certainly, they are more convenient. But for me, that's where the list of advantages ended. Without face-to-face interaction, I knew I would not have the same opportunity to develop the relationships and depth of understanding that I have in this program. The same is true for high school students. Studies have shown that one of the most important aspects of teaching is the relationship building that occurs between teacher and student, something that is quite difficult to do well in an online course. The success rate for these alternative courses is low, and for obvious reasons. Students who did not do well in a regular high school often need more guidance and interaction with teachers, not less.
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