Asked if the Web has changed the way educators teach, many of the Talkback visitors on our Web site responded with tech-savvy answers. Here’s a sampling:
I think that the use of technology in the classroom can change the way we interact with our students. What won’t change is our role to help students question, research, weigh merit or truth, problem-solve, communicate effectively, or any of the other life skills that teachers currently teach their students.
One great advantage of these digital environments is that the delivery of content can be adaptable to allow students to match their unique learning styles. There are various modes of accessing information, such as computer-generated or human voicing for audible learners or synchronized highlighting for students who have difficulty with eye tracking.
The Web can extend the school day. Students won’t stop learning at 3 p.m. They can go home and collaborate with others using class blogs or wikis. This collaboration might not be available during the day due to time constraints. The Web allows students further opportunities to collaborate, create, and enrich their education.
Blogs are so important, and it is a good sign that younger students are starting their own and responding to others. Could I submit that they are writing more than even my generation? (I’m 26.) Sure, the text is filled with “C U L8r” and the like, but there is definitely a lot of learning opportunity here.
Teaching afternoon kindergarten only gives me three and a half hours of teaching time. Once a week we have a half-hour computer lab, and during centers we have a computer station. The students love their time on the computers. I use the Web for researching new lessons. It’s rich with ideas and allows for collaboration with other teachers.
