NPR Topics: Music
URL: http://www.npr.org/music/
In the past, as I have searched my PLN resources, I have come across many excellent sites associated with the National Public Radio (NPR). I have utilized sites and programs, such as NPR Jazz Classics, and Classics for Kids. However, I have continued to discover more great sites associated with NPR and I have come to realize that there is an entire site devoted to music through NPR and it is called NPR Topics: Music (http://www.npr.org/music/). This site contains a wealth of fantastic information related to music. The site collates all the music sites and programs associated with NPR into one location making them easier to access. In addition, the site includes articles, recordings, podcasts, interviews, and more. Another outstanding feature of the website is that it includes information about all types of music ranging from classical, to jazz, to rock, to pop and hip, hop. This makes the site extremely versatile and useful to teachers and students. For example, when I went onto the site recently, I found an article about Rossini next to an article about a hip, hop artist.
With all the information and resources available on this website, it is an extremely valuable resource for music education. The website provides in-depth coverage of a wide variety of topics. In addition, it presents material in various formats, which more students will be able to relate to and associate with more easily. There is information in written text as well as quality recordings of musical pieces and information presented in informative podcasts that also are supplemented with quality musical examples. Teachers can find information to present to students so that the students may develop a better understanding of music topics. In addition, teachers can allow students to search the site to discover information on their own. In addition to the excellent information that students and teachers can gather from the site, the site can be motivating to students and encourage interest in music because of its variety. Since the website covers a broad spectrum of music topics, it is likely that students will be able to discover information on the site that they can relate to and enjoy. All in all, this is a fabulous resource with a vast amount of information related to music, making it a valuable tool to music education.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
PLN Resource Blog 12 (So You Want To Teach?)
So You Want To Teach?
URL: http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/
As I was searching my PLN resources this week, I was drawn to a site called “So You Want to Teach?” (http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/). This is a site that discusses many educational topics from classroom management, to technology in education, and interesting resources on the internet, among others. I was particularly drawn to a blog posting on the site called “How do we show our students that we Love them?” (http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/how-do-we-show-our-students-that-we-love-them/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SoYouWantToTeach+%28So+You+Want+To+Teach%3F%29&utm_content=Google+Reader). This is a blog about classroom management in the music classroom. My interest was peaked by this article because I feel as though classroom management is one of the weakest areas in my teaching and I thought that it was interesting to be able to read about another person’s situation with classroom management in an ensemble setting and how that person handled the situation.
I thought that the site “So You Want To Teach?’ in general was a valuable resource for educators because it covers a wide variety of topics about teaching that many educators can relate to and learn from, helping to improve their teaching. In addition, I felt that the article about “How do we show our students that we Love them?” in particular has value for educators because it helps to put into perspective some ideas about classroom management and creating a favorable environment for learning. As the article stated, it is natural to try to develop a rapport with the students and have them like you; however, it is truly important to establish consistent classroom management that will allow the students to respect the teacher and accomplish the goals of the class. I liked the simple rules that the author established and the goals for the rules. I thought the article “How do we show our students that we Love them?” presented some valid ideas about how to approach classroom management that I could try with my students. As a result and through some of the other posts that the blog contains, I feel that it can be a valuable resource for educators.
URL: http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/
As I was searching my PLN resources this week, I was drawn to a site called “So You Want to Teach?” (http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/). This is a site that discusses many educational topics from classroom management, to technology in education, and interesting resources on the internet, among others. I was particularly drawn to a blog posting on the site called “How do we show our students that we Love them?” (http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/how-do-we-show-our-students-that-we-love-them/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SoYouWantToTeach+%28So+You+Want+To+Teach%3F%29&utm_content=Google+Reader). This is a blog about classroom management in the music classroom. My interest was peaked by this article because I feel as though classroom management is one of the weakest areas in my teaching and I thought that it was interesting to be able to read about another person’s situation with classroom management in an ensemble setting and how that person handled the situation.
I thought that the site “So You Want To Teach?’ in general was a valuable resource for educators because it covers a wide variety of topics about teaching that many educators can relate to and learn from, helping to improve their teaching. In addition, I felt that the article about “How do we show our students that we Love them?” in particular has value for educators because it helps to put into perspective some ideas about classroom management and creating a favorable environment for learning. As the article stated, it is natural to try to develop a rapport with the students and have them like you; however, it is truly important to establish consistent classroom management that will allow the students to respect the teacher and accomplish the goals of the class. I liked the simple rules that the author established and the goals for the rules. I thought the article “How do we show our students that we Love them?” presented some valid ideas about how to approach classroom management that I could try with my students. As a result and through some of the other posts that the blog contains, I feel that it can be a valuable resource for educators.
Assistive Technology
When thinking about technology, it is easy to consider the latest advancements to make things easier, more exciting, and higher quality. However, after reading the materials about assistive technology, I was able to reevaluate what technology is and how important it can be to people with disabilities. In addition to the multimedia and other advancements that technology provides, it can provide ways to make life a little easier for people with disabilities. This type of technology is called assistive technology, which are the tools that can “help students with both learning and physical challenges.” Assistive technology can be beneficial to anyone with disabilities; however, it is also extremely important to education because it can aid in the education of students with special needs and according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), school districts may need to provide assistive technology to students. Reading the materials on assistive technology reconfirmed the importance of technology to education and what we are responsible for as educators based on IDEA, as well as it reminded me how important technology can be for people with disabilities, even in the area of music.
I think that technology is a great tool to improve the lives of everyone; however, I think that assistive technology is particularly important and beneficial, and can aid in the education of students with special needs. Students with disabilities face many challenges that others may never even consider. Therefore, assistive technology provides a vital role to helping people with special needs overcome their disabilities. Students with disabilities may lack some of life’s basic functions, but with assistive technology, students may be able to get around more efficiently, and overcome some of the learning obstacles that they face. In addition, assistive technology may help provide an outlet for an incredibly talented person whose abilities would have otherwise been masked by a disability.
I thought that this was particularly impressive in the area of music with regards to the Soundbeam technology. I have realized that there are means to utilize assistive technology for students in music, just as one may in other areas of education. However, I think that the Soundbeam technology is an excellent way to incorporate assistive technology into music education. It was heartwarming to see how the student in the YouTube video about Soundbeam was able to create an interesting musical piece despite his physical limitations. At my school, I see students who face inconceivable challenges, but who seem to have a positive outlook on life. I have been told that many of these students enjoy music and just like being exposed to music. The Soundbeam technology provides a way to supersede just exposing students with disabilities to music. It can provide a means for students with disabilities to have an interactive experience in music. The Soundbeam technology can allow a student with severe disabilities to demonstrate creative abilities and talent for music that might otherwise never be recognized. The student in the video created an excellent musical piece, and who knows what someone else might be able to do with the aid of such technology. The Soundbeam technology is a fascinating example of how powerful a resource technology can be to music and to education in general. I think that assistive technology may be some of the most important technology available because it provides a means for people with disabilities to attempt to circumvent those disabilities and work to showcase the talents and abilities that may be hidden by the challenges that they face. In addition, I believe that assistive technology can be an excellent tool in education providing students with disabilities a way to better learn, and the teacher a better way to structure learning for students with disabilities.
I think that technology is a great tool to improve the lives of everyone; however, I think that assistive technology is particularly important and beneficial, and can aid in the education of students with special needs. Students with disabilities face many challenges that others may never even consider. Therefore, assistive technology provides a vital role to helping people with special needs overcome their disabilities. Students with disabilities may lack some of life’s basic functions, but with assistive technology, students may be able to get around more efficiently, and overcome some of the learning obstacles that they face. In addition, assistive technology may help provide an outlet for an incredibly talented person whose abilities would have otherwise been masked by a disability.
I thought that this was particularly impressive in the area of music with regards to the Soundbeam technology. I have realized that there are means to utilize assistive technology for students in music, just as one may in other areas of education. However, I think that the Soundbeam technology is an excellent way to incorporate assistive technology into music education. It was heartwarming to see how the student in the YouTube video about Soundbeam was able to create an interesting musical piece despite his physical limitations. At my school, I see students who face inconceivable challenges, but who seem to have a positive outlook on life. I have been told that many of these students enjoy music and just like being exposed to music. The Soundbeam technology provides a way to supersede just exposing students with disabilities to music. It can provide a means for students with disabilities to have an interactive experience in music. The Soundbeam technology can allow a student with severe disabilities to demonstrate creative abilities and talent for music that might otherwise never be recognized. The student in the video created an excellent musical piece, and who knows what someone else might be able to do with the aid of such technology. The Soundbeam technology is a fascinating example of how powerful a resource technology can be to music and to education in general. I think that assistive technology may be some of the most important technology available because it provides a means for people with disabilities to attempt to circumvent those disabilities and work to showcase the talents and abilities that may be hidden by the challenges that they face. In addition, I believe that assistive technology can be an excellent tool in education providing students with disabilities a way to better learn, and the teacher a better way to structure learning for students with disabilities.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
PLN Resource Blog 11 (Performing Arts!)
Performing Arts!
URL: http://cdnpa.blogspot.com/
As I was going through my PLN resources this week, I discovered some interesting information on a blog called Performing Arts! (http://cdnpa.blogspot.com/). The blog posts information and links pertaining to musical topics. In addition, a portion of the blog that I found particularly fascinating includes numerous YouTube video posts of musical events and interesting musical ideas. There are videos, such as graphical score analysis of musical pieces, and a performance of Giant Steps by John Coltrane showing the written music while hearing the audio, along with a variety of other videos. However, the video that particularly caught my attention was the video of Karajan conducting Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhcR1ZS2hVo&feature=player_embedded). I thought that this was an excellent video because it showed an extremely prolific conductor conducting a very powerful and famous piece of music. It was exciting to watch such a fine conductor and to see how he conducted a piece of music. In addition to seeing the video posted on the site, when you watched the video you could link to YouTube where you could watch numerous other performances of great music being conducted by some of the best conductors, such as Leonard Bernstein conducting Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.
In addition to providing excellent material to watch and hear, I think that this site, and in particular, the videos of the famous conductors can be a valuable resource for music educators. I think that this site, in general, provides teachers with interesting and different ideas about music that students can also search and see videos of the topics being displayed. I think that this is valuable because it provides a resource that students would be comfortable with and probably enjoy accessing. I think that the videos of the famous conductors would be particularly valuable. As a music educator teaching a performing ensemble, one is going to need to conduct students. These videos provide a spectacular example of some of the world’s finest conductors. In addition, these videos could be used to provide students with audio as well as video examples of fantastic music being performed very well.
URL: http://cdnpa.blogspot.com/
As I was going through my PLN resources this week, I discovered some interesting information on a blog called Performing Arts! (http://cdnpa.blogspot.com/). The blog posts information and links pertaining to musical topics. In addition, a portion of the blog that I found particularly fascinating includes numerous YouTube video posts of musical events and interesting musical ideas. There are videos, such as graphical score analysis of musical pieces, and a performance of Giant Steps by John Coltrane showing the written music while hearing the audio, along with a variety of other videos. However, the video that particularly caught my attention was the video of Karajan conducting Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhcR1ZS2hVo&feature=player_embedded). I thought that this was an excellent video because it showed an extremely prolific conductor conducting a very powerful and famous piece of music. It was exciting to watch such a fine conductor and to see how he conducted a piece of music. In addition to seeing the video posted on the site, when you watched the video you could link to YouTube where you could watch numerous other performances of great music being conducted by some of the best conductors, such as Leonard Bernstein conducting Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.
In addition to providing excellent material to watch and hear, I think that this site, and in particular, the videos of the famous conductors can be a valuable resource for music educators. I think that this site, in general, provides teachers with interesting and different ideas about music that students can also search and see videos of the topics being displayed. I think that this is valuable because it provides a resource that students would be comfortable with and probably enjoy accessing. I think that the videos of the famous conductors would be particularly valuable. As a music educator teaching a performing ensemble, one is going to need to conduct students. These videos provide a spectacular example of some of the world’s finest conductors. In addition, these videos could be used to provide students with audio as well as video examples of fantastic music being performed very well.
Digital Citizenship, Copyright, Photography, and GIMP
Each week as I progress through the Technology-Assisted Music Teaching and Learning class, I continue to expand my knowledge about technology, and how it can best be incorporated into the music classroom. This week I discovered that there are guidelines that need to be observed when utilizing technology, as well as certain behavior that should be followed when using technology. In addition to these concepts, I was able to learn more ways that technology could benefit me as a music educator when I learned about digital photography and the program GIMP. With this information, I will be able to continue to expand my abilities with technology in order to help provide a more rewarding musical experience for my students.
Although technology is an extremely valuable tool for education, and people in general, there are appropriate behaviors and rules that need to be established, learned, and observed. With technology, information is at the fingertips of students and educators. Information can be easily and almost instantaneously accessed, as well as easily reused, which sometimes disguises the fact that the information was created by someone’s hard work and likely is even copyrighted. Therefore, as the Digital Citizenship article mentioned, certain behaviors for the use of technology must be established. When using a book, it seems that people are more aware that the information has to be cited and credit must be given to the author; however, with some information gathered through the use of technology, it seems less concrete and more vast, which possibly creates some of the difficulties in monitoring the use of technological information. In addition, the use of technology, such as cell phones and other devices such as iPods, has become so common that I believe the boundaries for when it is appropriate to use these items can be blurred for students. Therefore, with the benefits of technology, also comes a responsibility to monitor the use of technology and to establish and teach appropriate behavior for using technology. As educators, we try to shape the minds of our students and prepare them for their futures. As technology becomes a more essential part of society, I believe that educators can and should not only utilize technology to enhance education for students, but they should also incorporate appropriate behavior for the use of technology into student learning. I think that the article Digital Citizenship identifies some good areas to focus on when addressing behavior in regards to technology. For example, the areas of etiquette and communication highlighted some important issues. Through my experience, I have noticed how common it has become for students, even young students, to have technology, such as cell phones. It seems that almost every student has a cell phone, which is great for communication and other technological uses; however, the use of cell phones is often abused. Students will try to get away with using cell phones in class and are always texting each other. There are some rules in place for the use of cell phones to limit their use in inappropriate situations, such as class, and to show students when it is appropriate to have and use a phone, which I believe is great. However, I think that this needs to continue to be monitored as the capabilities of the technology continues to be advanced. I think that cell phones are just one microcosm of the technology available to students and there are many lessons for students to learn. The internet provides students with a vast amount of information and opportunities; however, just as students need to learn the appropriate behavior for cell phones, students need to learn how to properly utilize information and protect themselves when they access the internet. I believe that teachers can point out this information to students as they teach their subject curriculum, and this will help students develop an understanding about how to properly utilize technology as they advance through their educational careers.
Along with the guidelines and behaviors that are continuing to be established, and that students need to develop in order to utilize technology, it is interesting to learn about some important guidelines that have been established for the use of materials. These guidelines include copyright laws. I have known about copyright laws and that they impact the material that I can use and how I can use it. However, until reading the information about copyrights, I did not have a solid understanding of exactly what is involved with a copyright. I think that it is interesting to learn exactly what some of the guidelines are for establishing a copyright and what a copyright does. In addition, I thought that it was interesting to find that there are fair use practices that allow people to still utilize copyrighted material. For example, sections of works can be copied and used, particularly by educators for the purpose of teaching and student learning. I think that this an excellent way to help educators utilize some of the great resources that are available, while still protecting the rights of copyright holders. I also believe that by learning about copyright and fair use laws, I will be able to better utilize information in the proper manner, and therefore pass that information on to my students, helping them to become better “digital citizens.”
In addition to developing a better understanding of the appropriate behaviors for utilizing technology, and the responsibility educators have to teach students those behaviors; I think that it is interesting to continue my technological growth with the information about digital photography and the program GIMP. I think that it is interesting to discover how versatile digital photography is, and the potential it has to impact education. Digital photography provides teachers and students with photographic information that can now be accessed immediately. The information can be used by educators to do things such as display students work or performances, and it can be easily shared and disseminated. For example, our band booster newsletter uses digital photographs to display student activities. This has been an excellent way to showcase students; however, I have always had some difficulty sending photos because the files were too large. I think that it is interesting to learn how images can be altered to create smaller files can be more easily shared and better utilized for use on the internet. This will undoubtedly be beneficial in the future.
In addition, it is valuable to learn about the program GIMP. GIMP seems like a valuable tool to work with digital images and to create files that will be useable in a variety of forums, such as for print, email, and the internet. I am impressed with how many capabilities the program offers. Along with the basic photo touch-up features, the program offers a wide array of options to alter and improve photographs. For example, the program includes “paint” features, which allow users to add to photographs, as well as add text, which may be used to explain photos or provide information that may be used on a website or handout. Despite watching the videos about the features of GIMP, and learning about its value, I still found it a little challenging to use initially because there are so many options and technical terms that I must experiment with to discover their exact meanings and uses. However, even with the initial difficulty, I think that continued use of the program will help to build comfort, and make GIMP a valuable resource that will help me to more easily incorporate images into my music teaching.
Although technology is an extremely valuable tool for education, and people in general, there are appropriate behaviors and rules that need to be established, learned, and observed. With technology, information is at the fingertips of students and educators. Information can be easily and almost instantaneously accessed, as well as easily reused, which sometimes disguises the fact that the information was created by someone’s hard work and likely is even copyrighted. Therefore, as the Digital Citizenship article mentioned, certain behaviors for the use of technology must be established. When using a book, it seems that people are more aware that the information has to be cited and credit must be given to the author; however, with some information gathered through the use of technology, it seems less concrete and more vast, which possibly creates some of the difficulties in monitoring the use of technological information. In addition, the use of technology, such as cell phones and other devices such as iPods, has become so common that I believe the boundaries for when it is appropriate to use these items can be blurred for students. Therefore, with the benefits of technology, also comes a responsibility to monitor the use of technology and to establish and teach appropriate behavior for using technology. As educators, we try to shape the minds of our students and prepare them for their futures. As technology becomes a more essential part of society, I believe that educators can and should not only utilize technology to enhance education for students, but they should also incorporate appropriate behavior for the use of technology into student learning. I think that the article Digital Citizenship identifies some good areas to focus on when addressing behavior in regards to technology. For example, the areas of etiquette and communication highlighted some important issues. Through my experience, I have noticed how common it has become for students, even young students, to have technology, such as cell phones. It seems that almost every student has a cell phone, which is great for communication and other technological uses; however, the use of cell phones is often abused. Students will try to get away with using cell phones in class and are always texting each other. There are some rules in place for the use of cell phones to limit their use in inappropriate situations, such as class, and to show students when it is appropriate to have and use a phone, which I believe is great. However, I think that this needs to continue to be monitored as the capabilities of the technology continues to be advanced. I think that cell phones are just one microcosm of the technology available to students and there are many lessons for students to learn. The internet provides students with a vast amount of information and opportunities; however, just as students need to learn the appropriate behavior for cell phones, students need to learn how to properly utilize information and protect themselves when they access the internet. I believe that teachers can point out this information to students as they teach their subject curriculum, and this will help students develop an understanding about how to properly utilize technology as they advance through their educational careers.
Along with the guidelines and behaviors that are continuing to be established, and that students need to develop in order to utilize technology, it is interesting to learn about some important guidelines that have been established for the use of materials. These guidelines include copyright laws. I have known about copyright laws and that they impact the material that I can use and how I can use it. However, until reading the information about copyrights, I did not have a solid understanding of exactly what is involved with a copyright. I think that it is interesting to learn exactly what some of the guidelines are for establishing a copyright and what a copyright does. In addition, I thought that it was interesting to find that there are fair use practices that allow people to still utilize copyrighted material. For example, sections of works can be copied and used, particularly by educators for the purpose of teaching and student learning. I think that this an excellent way to help educators utilize some of the great resources that are available, while still protecting the rights of copyright holders. I also believe that by learning about copyright and fair use laws, I will be able to better utilize information in the proper manner, and therefore pass that information on to my students, helping them to become better “digital citizens.”
In addition to developing a better understanding of the appropriate behaviors for utilizing technology, and the responsibility educators have to teach students those behaviors; I think that it is interesting to continue my technological growth with the information about digital photography and the program GIMP. I think that it is interesting to discover how versatile digital photography is, and the potential it has to impact education. Digital photography provides teachers and students with photographic information that can now be accessed immediately. The information can be used by educators to do things such as display students work or performances, and it can be easily shared and disseminated. For example, our band booster newsletter uses digital photographs to display student activities. This has been an excellent way to showcase students; however, I have always had some difficulty sending photos because the files were too large. I think that it is interesting to learn how images can be altered to create smaller files can be more easily shared and better utilized for use on the internet. This will undoubtedly be beneficial in the future.
In addition, it is valuable to learn about the program GIMP. GIMP seems like a valuable tool to work with digital images and to create files that will be useable in a variety of forums, such as for print, email, and the internet. I am impressed with how many capabilities the program offers. Along with the basic photo touch-up features, the program offers a wide array of options to alter and improve photographs. For example, the program includes “paint” features, which allow users to add to photographs, as well as add text, which may be used to explain photos or provide information that may be used on a website or handout. Despite watching the videos about the features of GIMP, and learning about its value, I still found it a little challenging to use initially because there are so many options and technical terms that I must experiment with to discover their exact meanings and uses. However, even with the initial difficulty, I think that continued use of the program will help to build comfort, and make GIMP a valuable resource that will help me to more easily incorporate images into my music teaching.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
PLN Resource Blog 10 (About.com: Music Education)
About.com: Music Education
URL: http://musiced.about.com/
This week, as I was searching for PLN resources, I discovered a sight called About.com, which is a sight that contains links to information about any topic you can imagine. However, it also contains a link to information and resources regarding music education, which is called About.com: music education (http://musiced.about.com/). In the music education section of the site, which is created by Espie Estrella, who is a singer and songwriter, there is basic information about a number of music topics ranging from instruments, to composers, to music theory. Also, there are links to music lesson plans that can be used with students. In addition to the information contained on the website and its links, the author of the site has a blog in which she continually updates information for the blog. For example, there are blogs that add information about composers to the site and recently there was a blog about the U.S. Navy band, as well as universities where interested students can take jazz courses.
With the information provided, I think that this website can be a valuable resource to music educators. I believe that it can be a good resource because it provides a nice overview of music education in basic terms. It can be a site for a teacher to go to find lessons plans to get ideas about teaching a musical concept, or to get a basic fact on a musical composer or instrument. However, teachers can also allow students to go to this website to learn basic facts on musical topics. This site could be a spring board for students to discover information, such as who a composer is or information about a certain instrument or how to purchase and care for an instrument. While this site may not have all the information someone is looking for, it can be a valuable starting point for educators and students, and it provides links to other music sites as well.
URL: http://musiced.about.com/
This week, as I was searching for PLN resources, I discovered a sight called About.com, which is a sight that contains links to information about any topic you can imagine. However, it also contains a link to information and resources regarding music education, which is called About.com: music education (http://musiced.about.com/). In the music education section of the site, which is created by Espie Estrella, who is a singer and songwriter, there is basic information about a number of music topics ranging from instruments, to composers, to music theory. Also, there are links to music lesson plans that can be used with students. In addition to the information contained on the website and its links, the author of the site has a blog in which she continually updates information for the blog. For example, there are blogs that add information about composers to the site and recently there was a blog about the U.S. Navy band, as well as universities where interested students can take jazz courses.
With the information provided, I think that this website can be a valuable resource to music educators. I believe that it can be a good resource because it provides a nice overview of music education in basic terms. It can be a site for a teacher to go to find lessons plans to get ideas about teaching a musical concept, or to get a basic fact on a musical composer or instrument. However, teachers can also allow students to go to this website to learn basic facts on musical topics. This site could be a spring board for students to discover information, such as who a composer is or information about a certain instrument or how to purchase and care for an instrument. While this site may not have all the information someone is looking for, it can be a valuable starting point for educators and students, and it provides links to other music sites as well.
Technology and Education
As I continue to progress through Technology-Assisted Music Teaching and Learning class, I am learning more and more ways that technology can be incorporated into the music curriculum and how important technology is to education. After reading the articles for this week, I am again able to develop a more refined perspective on the use of technology in education. I feel that the articles highlight some interesting ideas about how technology is impacting education, as well as how technology can be incorporated into the educational process. I also think it is interesting how the articles discuss how people learn and the impact technology has on learning and ultimately on the educational process.
In particular, I think that the article, “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants,” by Marc Prensky, raises some intriguing points about the way technology has been incorporated into peoples’ lives and how it impacts how they learn. I believe that the article makes a great point that students growing up with technology (digital natives) do seem to think and process information in a different manner than the people who did not grow up in the era of digital technology. The article mentions that students who are digital natives “thrive on instant gratification.” That is something that I have noticed in my teaching as well. Anytime students have success immediately, they take to the material very well. However, if I give students a piece of music that they do not have success with immediately, they tend to turn-off to that piece of music and they need a great deal of encouragement to learn the piece, even if they eventually like the piece after they learn how to play it better. In addition, I have also noticed that students like to play games and have competitions to learn material as opposed to “serious” work. Even the simplest games and competitions seem to peek the interest of students. For example, having fifth grade students demonstrate their ability to play a note by timing how long it takes to go around the room and have everyone play seems to get the students excited, as opposed to just having them play a note to demonstrate for the teacher. Along with these concepts, I also agree that the process of teaching concepts slowly, step-by-step is often mundane to students because they want to have instant success. I also believe that it is true that students are used to being able to use technology to eliminate some of the processes that digital immigrants had to learn to complete tasks. Therefore, students today often do not see the value in learning how to complete basic steps. For example, today calculators and computers can complete many tasks that people had to do on their own before. However, I still feel that some of the processes are important for students to learn and understand. Therefore, a teacher may have to alter his/her approach to almost “sneak” the learning steps in to the educational process with activities that help students learn the basic concepts rather then just presenting material in a slow, step-by-step manner.
In addition, I think that the article demonstrates the concept that students who are digital natives learn differently than their predecessors in the way they approach learning and completing tasks. I believe that for the most part I have grown up in the digital era or at least on the brink of the digital era, and for the most part have grown up with technology around me. However, I still think that I have some tendencies of a digital immigrant because of the way I have learned information. For example, as the article mentions, digital immigrants may not start with the internet to find information, and may print out emails. I think that is an interesting point because although I feel that I have grown up in the digital era, I still print out the articles to read rather that just reading them on the computer. However, students probably would just read articles and emails on the computer, and they most certainly are comfortable with the internet and using it to find information. From my experience, students will almost always go to the internet for information first, and will rarely even use books if they are not required to do so.
Therefore, as I read the article, I came to the realization that students do learn differently then their predecessors, and a different approach to education may need to be taken to better present material to our students. I have considered how I have presented concepts to students and how I could do so more effectively. I do not believe, that teachers necessarily need to completely change what is being taught, rather they need to restructure the way the information is presented. I think that incorporating technology and the materials available today can make learning more interesting for students and ultimately more effective.
I also feel that the article, “How People Learn (and What Technology Might Have to Do with It),” by Marcy Driscoll presents some approaches to help consider how to better integrate technology into the learning process. I think the article “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants,” presents a great case as to why teaching strategies may need to be updated, and I think that this article helps to reinforce the concept and show how technology has impacted the learning process. For example, the article mentions learning occurs in context, learning is active, learning is social, and learning is reflective. As a result, technology can support these concepts in many ways. For example, technology can be used to help students be active in the learning process by using music software to help learn and practice musical concepts. In addition, technology can be used to help connect students and it can be used to capture events through recording so that students can reflect on what they have learned. I agree, as the articles mentions, that technology is important to learning and that it is impacting how students learn and the approaches that teachers must use to teach students. However, as the article by Marcy Driscoll mentions, no matter how much technology is available, it is how the teachers and students use the technology that makes it beneficial to the learning process. It helped me to realize how I can reconsider my own teaching methods to best incorporate technology to help students learn.
In particular, I think that the article, “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants,” by Marc Prensky, raises some intriguing points about the way technology has been incorporated into peoples’ lives and how it impacts how they learn. I believe that the article makes a great point that students growing up with technology (digital natives) do seem to think and process information in a different manner than the people who did not grow up in the era of digital technology. The article mentions that students who are digital natives “thrive on instant gratification.” That is something that I have noticed in my teaching as well. Anytime students have success immediately, they take to the material very well. However, if I give students a piece of music that they do not have success with immediately, they tend to turn-off to that piece of music and they need a great deal of encouragement to learn the piece, even if they eventually like the piece after they learn how to play it better. In addition, I have also noticed that students like to play games and have competitions to learn material as opposed to “serious” work. Even the simplest games and competitions seem to peek the interest of students. For example, having fifth grade students demonstrate their ability to play a note by timing how long it takes to go around the room and have everyone play seems to get the students excited, as opposed to just having them play a note to demonstrate for the teacher. Along with these concepts, I also agree that the process of teaching concepts slowly, step-by-step is often mundane to students because they want to have instant success. I also believe that it is true that students are used to being able to use technology to eliminate some of the processes that digital immigrants had to learn to complete tasks. Therefore, students today often do not see the value in learning how to complete basic steps. For example, today calculators and computers can complete many tasks that people had to do on their own before. However, I still feel that some of the processes are important for students to learn and understand. Therefore, a teacher may have to alter his/her approach to almost “sneak” the learning steps in to the educational process with activities that help students learn the basic concepts rather then just presenting material in a slow, step-by-step manner.
In addition, I think that the article demonstrates the concept that students who are digital natives learn differently than their predecessors in the way they approach learning and completing tasks. I believe that for the most part I have grown up in the digital era or at least on the brink of the digital era, and for the most part have grown up with technology around me. However, I still think that I have some tendencies of a digital immigrant because of the way I have learned information. For example, as the article mentions, digital immigrants may not start with the internet to find information, and may print out emails. I think that is an interesting point because although I feel that I have grown up in the digital era, I still print out the articles to read rather that just reading them on the computer. However, students probably would just read articles and emails on the computer, and they most certainly are comfortable with the internet and using it to find information. From my experience, students will almost always go to the internet for information first, and will rarely even use books if they are not required to do so.
Therefore, as I read the article, I came to the realization that students do learn differently then their predecessors, and a different approach to education may need to be taken to better present material to our students. I have considered how I have presented concepts to students and how I could do so more effectively. I do not believe, that teachers necessarily need to completely change what is being taught, rather they need to restructure the way the information is presented. I think that incorporating technology and the materials available today can make learning more interesting for students and ultimately more effective.
I also feel that the article, “How People Learn (and What Technology Might Have to Do with It),” by Marcy Driscoll presents some approaches to help consider how to better integrate technology into the learning process. I think the article “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants,” presents a great case as to why teaching strategies may need to be updated, and I think that this article helps to reinforce the concept and show how technology has impacted the learning process. For example, the article mentions learning occurs in context, learning is active, learning is social, and learning is reflective. As a result, technology can support these concepts in many ways. For example, technology can be used to help students be active in the learning process by using music software to help learn and practice musical concepts. In addition, technology can be used to help connect students and it can be used to capture events through recording so that students can reflect on what they have learned. I agree, as the articles mentions, that technology is important to learning and that it is impacting how students learn and the approaches that teachers must use to teach students. However, as the article by Marcy Driscoll mentions, no matter how much technology is available, it is how the teachers and students use the technology that makes it beneficial to the learning process. It helped me to realize how I can reconsider my own teaching methods to best incorporate technology to help students learn.
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