Look how far we have come just 22 years ago I graduated from high school and the Internet was not even thought of. It has since allowed us to communicate, transfer and receive data from all over the world without us giving it much thought as to what's involved. The Internet has been the most amazing digital technology to date it has given us a world of resources at our fingertips in seconds.
Schools not only have Internet but can establish their own slip (serial line internet protocol) or obtain service from a local service provider. Data communication has expanded in school systems also by local (LAN) or Wide (WAN) are networks. These networks allow computers to communicate with one another regardless to where they are.
Multimedia be a new term but it has been around for years in the form of television and radio. Needless to say multimedia has changed not only can we text, but radio and television can be received on many devices like ipod's, zune's and via the computer. Television is the most powerful formation of digital media so much so that the newspaper is nearly extinct. Multimedia has taken on other forms as well like texting, still images, animation, audio and full motion video. Who remembers VHS the world of video cassette tapes and VCR's? I still have a VCR and my VHS tapes so don't laugh who knows they may come back in the future.
Technology in the classroom has been a bit disappointing thus far due to the lack of utilization in education. Technology is used in almost every aspect of a childs life now, but it has not been used in a learnin capacity as it should be. Technology should be used for teaching and learning and not as the sole learning device. Teachers should remain the primary source of information but technology can be used to reinforce the learning. Teachers can create their own multimedia programs for students to work on individual or group projects can be utilized to offer other learning strategies and more hands on experiences.
What makes a great team?
First impressions go along way, Professor Oracle immediately introduces himself, shakes each students hands on the first day of class and ask a couple questions of each of them. A simple gesture that goes along way, Professor Oracle starts by getting to know the students on a more personal level, this can have a huge impact on the students. It decreases anxieties and starts to create a sense of community in the classroom because everyone is learning about each other at the same time.
How do you create a great team? One of most important significant members of the team is the leader. The leader must be visibly active, recognizing and reminding each team member of their role and the importance of the contribution. The purpose of a team is to work as a group towards a common goal. All groups go through developmental stages and going to fast and skipping through stages will have a negative effect in the end. The are four stages: 1. forming (when everyone agrees and everyone is on their best behavior, 2. storming (things are rocky, people are not on the same page due to misconceptions) 3. norming (rules are set and people are starting to agree and accept the processes outlined), 4. performing (now that all the kinks are worked out the team begins to produce quality results). It does not matter the order in which the team goes through the stages but it is crucial that the team travel down some of these painful stages in order to enjoy success in the end. When each team member feels individually responsible or accountable for the success of every team member that's when you have a great team (Hall). Regardless of the teams success or lack there of the team should be addressed as a team and always end any meetings on a positive note.
References
Anthony, G.P. (2011). Educational leadership and planning for technology (5th ed). Hunter College, NY:
Allen & Bacon.
Hall, D. (2008). The Technology Director's Guide to Leadership. ISTE.
3 comments:
Hello! I agree that technology and online communication has come a long way. I know that in my mother's generation, the use of technology was almost nonexistant and this has made a great impact on their views of technology in today's society. There is a lot of older generations that are having to go back to school or get trained on computer education skills.
Internet skills are surely advancing and a lot of social networks are being used as mediums of communication. Too often it can be seen that the internet is replacing older forms of communications; such as newspapers, telephone calls, library research, etc. The internet has made so many things possible through a few simple clicks and that has lead to the widespread use of the internet over other forms of technology.
When it comes to multimedia I think that this is one of the main driving forces in the incorporation of technology into the classroom. This is due to most of the technology in the classroom integrating a variety of technological forms; such as audio, visual effects, motions, animations, etc.
I do agree with that technology should not be used as the sole learning devise. This is clear because I can see in my kindergarten classroom how my students can have technology to enhance their learning, but they still need the teaching and learning aspect that is seen in a traditional classroom setting. Thank you for your post!
Technological advancement has definitely increased dramatically in the last 22 years. I recall when I was in high school the Internet was just starting to become available. I typed my papers on a now archaic version of word, but did all my research with library books, and encyclopedias. My parents had to pay by the minute for Internet, and it was slow even by the standards of the mid nineties. My English teacher did not even have a concept yet of how to use the Internet for research, so it was off limits, and I was amazed by my one friend who would tell me of his experiences in chat rooms. Now I am completing a master’s degree online, and a large portion of my research is done online. When I need a book from the library, I look it up online. This being said, you are definitely correct that schools are generally behind the technology available today, and it will more than likely continue to lag behind, before a proper use of technological developments can be applied in the classroom.
Technology had indeed come a long way! When I was in high school, we were just getting computers in our schools, the old Apple IIe's, and had no school access to the Internet. Now I teach online and am pursuing a Master's degree totally online. This was unheard of back then!
As for forming teams, I have observed school teams forming and reforming as personnel changes occur. There is usually a "honeymoon" stage for most team members when new leadership comes aboard. However, if a popular candidate from within the school was by-passed for the position, there can be a lot of friction instead. A good leader knows how to build a team and to build bridges. A good leader also knows how to take control and implement change without alienating team members. it takes a special person to lead others, and we must have confidence in the Lord's abilities to use us beyond our abilities while allowing the team to progress through the stages of team development.
Good leadership is a key to positive team interaction.
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