After watching the Pay Attention video on YouTube it really got me thinking about what are some good ways to bring technology into the classroom without using too much or too little. Right after I left class I went to my first day of observation for my Junior Field Experience. When I got there I noticed a few things about the technology there. Each classroom has only one computer and that if for the teachers' use only. The library has computers that the students can use, but only when supervised by a teacher. Very few of the classrooms had any way of displaying any type of Internet site or videos. So every time a teacher wants to show a movie or project a website or YouTube video for his/her class he/she has to sign an available TV out from the library and use that, but if there are no TVs available that teacher has to wait sometime a few days for one to become available. This made me think that they are really lacking when it comes to the use of technology within their school. Then I saw something that absolutely shocked me. When I went upstairs into their gym I saw students playing games such as baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, and Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) all on Wii. What happened to the days of students picking up a tennis racket and a ball and playing tennis?
I found that the school had its priorities really wrong when it came to how they spent their money on technology. Students are losing out on some valuable learning tools because the school decided it would be a good idea to go out and purchase video came units. Their justification for this was "Many students will not participate in gym class, so they bought the units in hope to have more students participating because it was a video game rather than actually having to play with equipment." Granted these games are great exercise I don't feel that they belong in a gym class especially when the use of technology lacks so much throughout the rest of the school. I could see having the game units and being able to justify it if the rest of the school had more advanced technology. I found this to be a poor use of technology and hope for them in the future that they do things in the best interest of the students in all subject areas not just one.
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4 comments:
That's really interesting about the Wii in gym classes. Its like they have the technology, but in all the wrong places. Gym would really be the one place in school that technology would not be expected, or recommended. I understand their reasoning, but wouldn't it be better to save the money by not buying the Wiis, and buy a few projectors for the classrooms?
Agreed!
The use of the Wii is an innovative one, but I think the money could have been allocated in a more effective way.
Your post showed that you are aware of the use of educational technology in school. Keep your eyes open. Your observations were right on target. The wasted technology funds in some schools is amazing!
Nice!
Ok, I think using the Wii in gym class is a great idea. It's the latest video game technology, and kids are really into it (adults are really into it, too!) I think it encourages healthy competition and teamwork also. Sorry, I hated gym class, so this is like a great idea to me :)
I understand what you're saying though. If they are willing to buy video game systems, they should also be willing to put necessary techology in the classrooms.
I agree. Technology in schools is a GREAT idea, but not in gym class. Students should get out and be active, not sit inside and play video games. I liked your comparison with picking up a tennis racket and ball. There's more exercise in playing the real game than playing it on TV.
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