This week I stumbled across the article “When Good Technology Means Bad Teaching.” Immediately this caught my attention because throughout our coursework we have been talking about, and constantly referring to, TPACK (Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge). TPACK focuses on how technology is intertwined with content and also teaching pedagogy. Unfortunately, it seems that some teachers simply feel the need to incorporate technology into their classrooms but they don’t take into consideration how the technology is being used and if it is truly enhancing learning. Some students from this article even make the claim that if the teacher doesn’t know how to use a certain gadget or effectively run a program it can hinder learning! Here were some examples from the article of where teachers went wrong using technology:
1. Powerpoint presentations: “We’re good visual learners. And we don’t visualize by looking at words.” – Steven Strand (Administrator)
Although this is a fairly basic tech tool, if used poorly it can have a negative effect on student learning. Students demonstrated appreciation for powerpoints as the notes were easy to follow and read. However, they also noticed some teachers were copying their entire notes onto the slides and simply reading what they posted. Students don’t want to sit and read something they could have done at home alone…they need interaction in addition to the Powerpoint presentation!
2. Know Your Tools! -"It does become distracting when you're sitting in a class for only an hour, and for 15 minutes of that class the professor mutters as they try to get something to work or try to track down somebody to make it work," - Wrienne T. Mitchell (College student)
Students have expressed that the way teachers handle tech malfunctions can really effect their learning. If a tool has gone awry or something is not working, it is key that a teacher know how to fix it quickly or have a backup plan in case the technology fails to get fixed. Also, some teachers know basic functions of technology tools, and may even use them all the time! However some components that make it more exciting or interactive for students may be overlooked.
3. Interactive Chat Rooms- "To be honest, it's my daily laugh of the day.” Instead of talking about the substance of the course, participants usually make anonymous postings in which they criticize the instructors or whine about how hard assignments are. –Liz Potter (College student)
One thing I’ve seen multiple times in professional development presentations is showing teachers how to use interactive chat websites or smart rooms (Poll Everywhere, Padlet, etc.) When teachers are presented with this, they fall in love! It’s a wonderful way to get kids to collaborate! They can read the ideas of their peers! , have an academic conversation, etc. They can have a truly academic conversation online! It’s wonderful, RIGHT?? Well, even the teachers in the professional development were anonymously writing “Who farted?” on Poll Everywhere. If we can’t even control ourselves, how can we expect our students to? It is crucial to set hard guidelines for students and teach them chat room norms and etiquette right off the bat. It is also important to actually USE the information gained in these chat rooms. Some see it as a great way to get students to interact, however if nothing is done with it students see it as busy work. Make sure students see the value in it, and use it as a place to learn, not a place to vent or be silly.
1. Powerpoint presentations: “We’re good visual learners. And we don’t visualize by looking at words.” – Steven Strand (Administrator)
Although this is a fairly basic tech tool, if used poorly it can have a negative effect on student learning. Students demonstrated appreciation for powerpoints as the notes were easy to follow and read. However, they also noticed some teachers were copying their entire notes onto the slides and simply reading what they posted. Students don’t want to sit and read something they could have done at home alone…they need interaction in addition to the Powerpoint presentation!
2. Know Your Tools! -"It does become distracting when you're sitting in a class for only an hour, and for 15 minutes of that class the professor mutters as they try to get something to work or try to track down somebody to make it work," - Wrienne T. Mitchell (College student)
Students have expressed that the way teachers handle tech malfunctions can really effect their learning. If a tool has gone awry or something is not working, it is key that a teacher know how to fix it quickly or have a backup plan in case the technology fails to get fixed. Also, some teachers know basic functions of technology tools, and may even use them all the time! However some components that make it more exciting or interactive for students may be overlooked.
3. Interactive Chat Rooms- "To be honest, it's my daily laugh of the day.” Instead of talking about the substance of the course, participants usually make anonymous postings in which they criticize the instructors or whine about how hard assignments are. –Liz Potter (College student)
One thing I’ve seen multiple times in professional development presentations is showing teachers how to use interactive chat websites or smart rooms (Poll Everywhere, Padlet, etc.) When teachers are presented with this, they fall in love! It’s a wonderful way to get kids to collaborate! They can read the ideas of their peers! , have an academic conversation, etc. They can have a truly academic conversation online! It’s wonderful, RIGHT?? Well, even the teachers in the professional development were anonymously writing “Who farted?” on Poll Everywhere. If we can’t even control ourselves, how can we expect our students to? It is crucial to set hard guidelines for students and teach them chat room norms and etiquette right off the bat. It is also important to actually USE the information gained in these chat rooms. Some see it as a great way to get students to interact, however if nothing is done with it students see it as busy work. Make sure students see the value in it, and use it as a place to learn, not a place to vent or be silly.