Blog Post #2: "What Will Teaching in the 21st Century be Like?"

"What Will Teaching in the 21st Century be Like?"

By: Noah Armstrong

1. In "Mr. Dancealot" the main theme is that the lecture style of teaching is not the most effective of techniques for every class. For example a dance class as in this video would best be done in a more hands on visual and kinetic style. In the video the teacher simply lectures with a PowerPoint presentation. When he does demonstrate steps his feet are obscured by his desk. In the end none of the students really know what to do when it comes time to dance because they have never actually done any of them. I agree whole heatedly that not all classes can be taught from behind a podium. I would go as far as to say that none should rely solely on the lecture method, but should instead blend more than one approach to try to reach a greater number of students who are bound to have the full spectrum of learning personalities.

2. Mr. Roberts seems to think that we should use the technology available to us in this time to engage students in an active learning where they learn to research and form their own opinions to things and then post what they have learned to help others and network with other students. 

Roberts Argument: 

A. If students have access to any information at any time (via Facebook, Google, Wikipedia, ect.) what is the purpose of  a teacher?

B. Teachers are their to teach students how to sift through information form an opinion and reciprocate that opinion.

C. Technology is not a distraction when it is used for learning.

D. This teaching via technology should be used to engage rather then entertain students so they are exited to learn.

I completely agree with teaching via technology as well as teaching students how to learn and  research. With me, who is going into the History field the research and information sifting aspect appeals to me more than the technology aspect for there is only so much you can do when telling the story of the past.   

p.s. I found it ironic that this video talks about technology in education but it was one of the hardest to fallow videos i have ever watched. 

3. The Networked Student by Wendy Drexler 

Can credit really be given to a teacher who merely shows a student how to get information from the internet? i would say not. Sure, this is a lesson that needs to be taught to all student and i can see how a network of experts and peers as well as verified web sights could be a good tool but not as a main system of learning. This type of tool should be used as a supplement to Lectures by a steadily reliable teacher of your own. this way you can receive different ideas and points of view. The teacher in this video seems like nothing more than a research teacher and a proctor in a guided study hall. 

4.Harnessing Your Students' Digital Smarts 

Thesis: Empowering students to be able to help teach each other and collaborate with their classmates and available technologies will reach more than pen and paper can. 

I personally have benefited from peer teaching in my old high school. It allows you to be presented concepts on a level that teachers might not be able to communicate on. 

5. Who Is Ahead In The Learning Race?

Well, it is obvious that the elementary school students are far ahead of anyone in the race. I have noticed for the last few years that students are starting to learn more and more advanced things earlier in their scholastic journeys. I have 3 siblings spaced 2.5, 5, and 10 years behind me and i see that each of me and the older two of them all took Algebra a year after the older one even though we were 2 or 3 years behind in school. i think that this is because as children we are simply more open to new ideas then we are later in life when we have had time to develop our own opinions on things. just look at most preschoolers, they know how to work their moms phone at least enough to get to the games if not better than she does.

7. The dynamic of football doesn't transfer over as smoothly as basketball seems to in this depiction, but i do see things in the film room off South Alabama's O-Line that could transfer over to the class room. When the defense comes up with a new blitz we talk through how we would block it for every play and formation we have. coach has his way that he has drawn it up, however discussion on different techniques and variations of the scheme are welcome.