As a future educator I understand the importance of field experience in my preparation to become a teacher. We all know about the challenges faced by students when it comes time to go on their first outing to a real school. Imagine feeling prepared for your first field experience only to get there and realize you have no clue how to use the technology available to you. How do you think you would react? Would you try using the equipment anyway? Most of us would probably not use any of the equipment in favor of things we are more comfortable with. This is why preservice technology integration is an important component in the preparation of future teachers.
In an article from the Journal of Computing in Teacher Education they examined student performance data and found that preservice teachers’ instructional decision-making knowledge increased about technology integration when they had gone through learning exercises designed to supplement preservice teachers’ field experiences. These types of lessons can add value by helping students prepare for varying contexts, and extend what they will notice and learn while in the field.
My question is how much time should be spent on virtual field experience and not actual field experience. Also, with the increases use of technology do you think it should be mandatory for older teachers to take lessons dealing with the integration of technology in the classroom?
19 comments:
I don't that very much time should be spent on virtual experience. Anytime at all spent on field experience should just be used a reference before a student does real field experience.Field experience is something that should be done hands on in a real classroom.
I think that the best field experience someone can receive doesn't require any form of a virtual technology system. In order to be best prepared, a preservice teacher should experience it first hand. The best way to learn is through the actual experience of the reality in a classroom. I definitely think that older teachers should take classes or lessons on using technology within the classroom. They need to be up to date on what their students are currently working with.
In regards to older teachers learning technology integration, I think they should take a short summer course that would teach them the new and improved ways of having students in the classroom learn.
I agree, I believe that people learn more from their experience. Yes, technology is important but I believe I learn more from hands on experiences. I do believe that teachers need to be prepared for their class and if that means be an expert or being acquainted with technology than that's what they should do.
Soooo, I get on here thinking I am going to get ahead of the game this time, but the whole blog is showing up as wingding font on this mac!! But everyone else's comments look great :) and I agree, I think.
Older teachers need to learn about technology. It may be hard for them to learn about technology, but teachers always need to learn new things.
Older teachers need to be involved in the technology era. Teachers need to relate to their students and if that means getting involved in technology and how to manage computer it is necessary.
How does everyone suggest that older teachers learn this new technology? How much of it should be learned for them to do their job? I know from personal experience that I am technology savvy, but I do know that I learn more and more each day. How would we go about teaching these teachers? I do agree that learning the material on their part, is a must!
I think preservice technology is obviously an important part of a teacher's education. Now though, future teachers aren't being exposed to technology for the first time during school, they/we grow up with it. Since each generation is becoming more tech-savvy at a younger age, it's still important to teach how to use those technology skills effectively in the classroom. I would like to know what type of or more about "instructional decision-making knowledge" that was increased due to "learning exercises." Perhaps "virtual field experiences" should be explained a bit more...it seems everyone on here is against it, but if studies have shown that it helps with teaching then it should have some benefits that we could discuss.
Also, (forgot to say this in my last blog) "older" teachers already have to keep up with the current teaching requirements. Perhaps there should be technology requirements as well, like we have the TCA modules. The in-school service days could be used to demonstrate programs to the entire faculty as well. With having all teachers educated on the technology it will eliminate the role of the one and only "tech person" that schools tend to have and rely on. We need to remember that technology isn't the only tool to use for teaching. Teaching was done quite efficiently before technology. Now though, since we do have it, we as future educators should find ways to implement it into our lessons.
I believe that the only way the teachers will learn how to use the computers is to sit down and just perform hands on experiences. I agree with Katie, everyone believes that we they need to have technology experience but how? As students becoming teachers we are very technology savy and I learn more and more as the days go on. I believe it is apart of our role to help teachers follow in our footsteps with technology.
I can't read this blog. It's in like symbols.
i cant read the blog. It is in symbols!
I think the perfect solution to the dilemma of teachers using technology would be having special workshops for teachers that teach them how to use new forms of technology. Also, there should be a tech. person hired at every school to be able to assist teachers on a day to day basis when they need help. Even, the most technologically savvy people need help sometime. If teachers don't learn how to adapt to new technology, then eventually the students will know more than the teachers.
...I like others can't read the blog...to go off of what others have said, teachers do need to keep up-to-date with technology. I know my teachers were always a little embarrassed that they had to ask one of their students to have the movie play...it was around the time when schools switched over to DVD, you all remember those VHS tapes. Good times. So, it would help to have the teachers be adequate with technology, especially if they are using it in the classroom.
So I still can't read the blog. I am kind of interested in this "virtual experience" thing though. Do they stimulate a classroom experience virtually?
I still can not read the blog either, but I do agree with a lot of the posts. I agree with Katie that older teachers should be required to take lessons on new technology in the classroom. There are new forms of technology comming out all the time that can be used in the classroom and older teachers who do not know how to use them could be missing out on these expierences.
well, this is the third computer I have tried, and i still can't read the blog =(
I believe the best way a teacher can learn is through their experience. I definitely think that older teachers should have to take classes or lessons on technology.
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