Learning styles - GEN Y
After completing this training, I understand the importance of utilizing technology in the classroom and I am now aware of the dangers of using technology. I am going to ensure that I can properly use the technology before utiliizing it in front of the class.
Hi Michele,
I too have experienced the dangers of using technology in the classroom that I don't really understand. One of the classes I teach is Microsoft Office. I thought I knew MS Office really well because I use it all the time. Boy was I wrong ! I had to rely on the younger students to show me some of the special stuff. That was really embarrassing. Now I have taken a course myself in MS Office and feel much more prepared.
i think honesty is always the best policy. when using something new, i tell the students that it is the first time we are trying it and this seems to release some of the tension that builds in the room (maybe just in me). if possible, i select a good student who i connect with and have them "guinea pig" for me before actually presenting it to everyone. i find this enhances the relationship with the student and also gives me a chance to see what glitches we may run into when going live. and hi michele!! :)
One of the things I liked was the description of the types of students with details of their behaviors and ways we can engage them in online environments. I have given thought to this in the past, but the course made me think of it more concretely and gave me early intervention solutions to dealing with the various types of students.
You can only fight this new technology for so long. It is the future and we must get on board. This is how these students learn and live their lives. It is important for us to understand their need for instant ideas and learning activities. They live in a world where everything comes at them very quickly. We need to be able to compete with this kind of attention and assessment. All of us should be life long learners, adapting to the new environments effectively.
Technology is here...so I tell my students and myself...to get good at it!! You will be valuable in the workplace and you don't want to be the employee who says, "I don't know, I don't text" etc. The course was valuable in pointing out the characteristics of the generations groups. The world is fast and getting faster.
