Technology In the Making

Web 2.0
Today’s Technologies, Tomorrow’s learning

By Jennifer Groff and Jason Haas

Technology has been a challenge for most people, and well for teachers it has been a challenge to cooperate it with their lesson plan. The issue is having students interested in the work their teachers have them to do vs. playing with video games or going online to visit their website of choice. Many students feel as if their choice of digital games and social networking are unwelcome in their classroom. Many teachers have told their stories in how video games and social networks have a disruptive influence in their classroom and school. Researchers at MIT’s Education Arcade have dedicated time in understanding how technologies to students can help the teachers implement these technologies in to their lesson plan and a way they can understand. A group of people (educators, researchers, and designers) are finding/exploring ways to see how networking technologies can be beneficial to education. By having students and teachers working they can create a strong community in teaching and learning. Networks like Ning well be available always to both teachers and students, this network allows to create a private social network for the class. Using this network it allows students to communicate with their classmates, share resources, and post research projects.

Hal Scheintaub, a high school teacher has been using a program called Starlogo in his classroom for eight years. The free program developed my MIT has allowed students to create simulations and games. This program/game help students understand the concept of evolution; it helps students to post questions and to generate more than one answer. Instead of student always looking for one correct answer it help students see multiple answers. Teachers can research games that can be beneficial to their classroom, there are many games that teach students to analyze situations and decision making. It may be difficult to implement games in the classroom but like any tool some will prove beneficial and others will not. There is still a lot to learn about social networking, simulations, and digital games in how it can be implemented and valuable to the classroom. But with research and trying out web sites, and support/sharing from colleagues teacher can find ways to use technology to engage their students in the classroom.

It may seem difficult implementing games in the classroom as educational but with the high school teacher, giving his example and explaining how his students benefited from Starlogo. I feel as if with research and testing out the games I can find digital games that would be valuable in the classroom. The one network that would be a yes for me is something like Ning, were it creates a private social network. In working with younger children I think this would be important, keeping discussions and classroom work private. I would be using Ning with elementary students I feel as if they will need more surveillance in using the internet. By having a private social network parents will be informed and able to supervise their children on websites they visit.