Rewired-Rewriting the textbook?

Listening to lectures and learning from reading books is boring. My students were practicing their speaking today. I asked them the following question – “Some people like to read books, others would rather watch the movie based on the book. Which do your prefer and why?” The majority of my students (ages 18-20) preferred watching the movie, not because they hate to read, but because watching and listening is more interesting. In my grammar class, students prefer watching a YouTube video about a grammar topic instead of listening to me talk about that same topic.

I know it is not because I’m boring, I’m the class clown who became a teacher. We laugh a lot in class while we learn. Today’s students love multimedia and web-based content.

As I read Rewired, I’m learning that today’s students love to multi-task and enjoy multiple ways to learn things. Some students are visual learners, some are auditory, and others are hands-on learners. Using technology and multimedia gives students the opportunity to learn in a variety of ways. This is a good thing.

I think it will be worthwhile to explore creating some lessons that specifically exploit multimedia. While one can toss aside the text book, I think the Kindle and iPad are excellent educational tools. They provide a platform to create multimedia books. I’ll use the book as the starting point.

I am creating some lessons for a prototype of a multimedia math book. It will include text, graphics, video, social media, and interactive activities. I’ll share it with you to see how well it works and most importantly to learn from your comments and opinions.

Rewired: Rewire the teacher/student relationship?

What I enjoy most about Rewired is that it forces me to think about the issue of technology and learning. I face this issue daily as do many teachers with students texting in class. Yesterday, I asked my students why they texted in class. None gave me a good excuse which actually surprised me although they said that it was acceptable to text in class. I then asked them if it was O.K. for me, the teacher to text in class. They also said, “No.”, my job was to teach. We discussed this for awhile. I figured if they could text, why couldn’t I.

In Rewired, there are some stories about teachers creating a Facebook page for their subject matter and requiring the class to post at least one response. Students, even those that would not speak in class, posted responses. If anything, the Facebook page acted as an icebreaker, getting students to communicate. The book also stated that experts suggest that teachers incorporate social media and cell phones into their lesson plans.

I have some thoughts and appreciate your comments.

• Is it a good idea for a teacher to text a quiet student during class a question and allow the student to text the answer?
• Should the teacher encourage students to use Twitter to discuss school projects and homework and then display those tweets in class for discussion?

Rewired also states that today’s students multi-task better than previous generations.

• Is it O.K. to let students multi-task in class as long as their grades are good?
• How does multi-tasking affect the student/teacher relationship?
• Regardless of multi-tasking, is it just plain rude to not pay attention to the teacher? Is it an etiquette issue?

Please share your thoughts with me.

Rewired – Seeing the world through digital lenses

I’m in the process of reading Rewired. While we know that children are wired to technology, this book brings up an interesting fact – many of today’s grammar school students have used technology their whole lives. They have probably kept in touch with a relative via email, Skype, instant messaging, etc. They play computer games, read online, and mouse-clicking and keyboarding are an everyday activity.

As a teacher, I want my students to learn. I don’t care if chalk and blackboard is the technology that does the trick or if they are teleconferencing with a class at another school.

There is much debate about the use of technology in the classroom and if technology should be used in the classroom. As I thought about the for/against opinions, I realized that part of the riddle is that today’s students see the world through digital lenses.

• When I was a student, the library was my tool for research. Today students google the necessary information.
• When I worked on a group project,  the group had to meet in person. Today, students can text, IM, Facebook, or use other technologies to communicate.

Today’s students can read about a subject or watch a YouTube or TED lecture. They can join online communities to discuss and debate topics. They can write multimedia-infused papers that include text, graphics, video, and music to explain a concept or point of view.

I mention these methods to illustrate the options available for students to learn and communicate. My dad always taught me the value of self-learning. When I was growing up, my dad purchased paper-based self-learning course for my brother, me, and for himself. Today, if he were alive, he would embrace the internet.

It is not right to view technology’s use in education as either right or wrong. I never liked the either/or approach whether it be digital photography or film, MP3 or CD, etc. The goal is to engage students and ensure that they learn.

Please share your thought with me.

Rewired

I’ve just begun reading Rewired:Understanding the iGeneration and the Way They Learn by Larry Rosen. It appears to be an interesting book that discusses how our technology-obsessed children learn and how our current educational techniques are not reaching them.

This is an interesting topic for me. I came from the technology world before I began teaching. My initial teaching experience was online before teaching at traditional schools. Students expect technology in the classroom. The schools I’ve taught in and the school where I currently teach use technology. Technology can benefit learning as I’ve written about in Khan Academy and ESL on YouTube. However, at times it can just be a marketing tool as I’ve written in The Digital Napkin.

I’ll continue this conversation as I continue reading Rewired. Please share your comments with me.