Friday, March 1, 2013

Chapter 4: Managing the Technology Rich Classroom


This Chapter goes into long detail about the behavioral and mechanical issues found in the ACOT classrooms and how instructors learned to deal with them through the stages of their instructional evolution. The chapter recognizes many common problems which often stem from the incorporation prior to the streamlining of new media to a classroom.

                The chapter recognizes, from the first three stages of instructional evolution, the problems of student misbehavior due to either lack of education or great understanding concerning the new media, in this instance, computers. In one example, students revert to insulting one another over an internet connection designed as an educational opportunity. Similarly, students using technology to cheat is not unique, and is expressed in the texts as a serious and recurring problem.

                The chapter offers several points of guidance for how to better manage the terechnology rich classroom, among which are several references to the fact that ultimately there will always be problems when we see change from one media to another.

                My concern as a prospective teacher is this: with the constant introduction of new technology we see today, how will our response as individuals and as a system need to change? Smart phones have introduced a unique ability to be able to cheat on exams that we have never seen before. Every day introduces a new device, component or application which we have never seen before and, even with our own familiarity, the sheer variety is so overwhelming that it does not bode well for order in the classroom. Ultimately, this book being older and with similar problems, it is helpful to see that these are not new concerns.

                Perhaps unrelated, but I thought I should add how nice it was to see these instructors respond positively and with personal innovations to these problems which were of ten uniquely fair to and supportive of student’s continued learning.

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