The Mishra and Koehler article titled “Too Cool for School? No way!” reminded me of a similar situation I encountered upon entering University. As I entered my first class with my laptop in hand eager to learn, I was stopped when the professor told us that all laptop computers were forbidden in the class and that all notes would be taken by hand with a pen and paper. Several professors explained to us that students retained more information when notes were taken the “old-fashion” way, and that is why they enforced the pen and paper rule. It is also important to note that cell phones were also forbidden in these classrooms. For the first year of my undergraduate degree most notes I took were by hand, but things did change in my second year of school when I encountered a professor that not only encouraged laptops and cellphones in class, but also taught her course using Lecture Tools. Lecture Tools is a great alternative to traditional teaching methods because it allows students to follow along, take notes, ask questions, and flag certain slides that are considered important. And, yes this is all done online! Professor McCutcheon taught our class the importance of technology in the classroom and also encouraged us to search any ideas that seemed foreign to us during her lesson. As claimed in the Mishra and Koehler, it is important to repurpose these technological devises because they are such a huge part of our everyday life. Of course, it is also important to note that technology in the classroom does not imply spending an hour and thirty minutes on Facebook or following the what’s tending tab on Twitter. Repurposing technological devises means using computers as a way of learning that stimulates students by using something that is familiar to them. By using computers in the classroom, I noticed that students were more prone to engage in meaningful conversation because they were able search and find information that pertained to the discussions. This text also reminded me of Principle Walker from Rideau High School. Principle Walker along with his teaching staff encouraged students to use their cellphones as a classroom aid rather than a forbidden object. These professors and teachers acknowledged the importance of technology in the classroom and use it as leaning tool that provides students with more learning opportunities.
In the same vein, Damian Cooper author of “Talk about Assessment: High school Strategies and Tools,” besides introducing the eight big ides of assessment, talks about grading in the digital era and how the word “grade should be used exclusively to denote the summary score on a report card” (9).This idea stood out to me, and reminded of my high school days, which now seem so long ago. I remember anxiously awaiting my name to be called to pick up my test with the grade on it. I would nervously walk up to the teacher’s desk, take my test, and sneak a quick peak at the grade marked at the top, circled in red ink. Most of the students in my class would do the same thing, just look at the grade and see whether it was a pass or fail. In this context, no one would ever take the time to review their test or ask the teacher for clarifications. We would breath a sigh or relief if we passed, and feel upset or uneasy if we had failed. That number on the top of that page signified so much for us, it was a determining factor of our abilities and our intelligence. That number decided whether we understood the course material or did not. As maintained by Cooper, “feedback is an important factor in assessing children” (9), and in most cases students do not take the time to read the feedback because they are so preoccupied with the grade. It can also be easily argued that grades sets up competitiveness in the classroom. Often, if a teacher or professor asks the class: Who is the smartest? The same names would show up time and time again. The students in question may have stronger personalities, may be singled out by the teacher to answer question or may often raise their hand to answer questions. In my opinion, grades can often create a fixed mindset in which students have trouble to see past.
1 Comment
Linda Radford
10/1/2015 03:16:14 am
Interesting point about grades creating a fixed mindset Brooke!
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
November 2015
Categories |