As a prospective English teacher, I was excited to read about DyKnow Vision, which got the students actively engaged in a Nathaniel Hawthorne text. I have never had any trouble getting the kids at my school to read about Stanley “Tookie” Williams, or about gang violence, but they have always resisted literature. I am going to explore DyKnow Vision and see if I can use it in my classroom.
I think the most difficult part about incorporating technology into the class room is that in many cases, the students will lead while the techer follows. I absolutley believe that technology plays a significant role in education and should be incorporated in the classroom but I can’t help but notice that the avergae student at my school (many of whom are low SES and don’t have computer access at home) are more computer literate than most of the techers (myself included). They access blocked sites like myspace with ease, can learn a new computer program or master a new type of software in minutes and in general, are more connected than I was as a student, or am now.
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My students are similar to the ones you teach, and I agree with you. They discovered how to reach websites like Youtube and MySpace that had been blocked, and I had no idea how to access them. The pupils are leading the teachers in terms of technology in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI am pleased that your low SES students who don't have computers at home are adept at using technology. I have wondered how limited access to computers might affect low SES students and the achievement gap. Perhaps technology is so appealing to all students that they will find a way to learn and use it, whether they own a computer or not. Or maybe they're just getting really great instruction and opportunities to use technology in school.
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