Module 1 Reading Assignment Journal

One thing kept popping into my head when I was reading the first two chapters.  It was the dates of these studies.  I couldn't help but wonder if there has been any significant changes in the data if the studies were done in modern times.  Technology has taken vast steps forwards since the last studies were taken.  Are the conclusions from decades past still applicable? Or did the onset of new technology and ease of access change these findings?

The week one readings had us think about "making thinking visible."  This phrase can be applied to many topics of study but I believe that science in particular benefits from this.  English and math you can see on the papers in front of you and begin to understand the concepts.  Science on the other hand has concepts and ideas that are very hard to imagine and even harder to imagine correctly!  This phrase :"making thinking visible" means show how the process work and put the material in ways that allow the students to actually see the concepts and how they connect.  One of the hardest things in teaching is to show the students real world examples of the topics being covered.

Technology allows this difficult task to be accomplished in many different ways.  It started years ago with pictures and drawings being incorporated into text and classrooms.  These new technologies allow teachers to deepen the students understanding of topics.  These technologies can be from incorporating videos and showing the actual concepts, such as meiosis and cell division, that would have previously had to relied only on artist interpretation or described in text. Technology should not be used to replace discussion and hands on work with students but should instead be incorporated to support and deepen the understanding.

The readings supported these ideas.  A teacher should not rely on the technology to teach the students but should use the technology as a tool to deepen the students understanding.  When watching videos the teacher should make sure that the students understand what they are seeing and that they can connect back their lessons.  The readings emphasized the students having hands on experiences and the teacher to apply technology to help map the students learning. The best practices that is described by Bull and Bell should be emphasized in all teacher trainings when using technology.  Do not use technology for the sake of using technology.  One point that I wish was considered by the readings was the progressive ease of use that technology.  With the research being decades old, before the first cell phones, the technology that was new had a steeper learning curve than we have today.  Technology is getting easier and easier to use which will allow teachers to use more and different types of technology not considered in the first studies.