BP6_2009121_AntiTeaching

As someone that is still new to the technology world, I can't say with complete confidence that virtual learning environments with course management systems is the answer to our educational problems. I know as a teacher, I have several students that I have talked to and found to be very bright, but you wouldn't be able to tell by looking at their GPA's. This is proof that there are problems in our educational system, but I don't know that I am convinced that a virtual learning environment is the solution to the problem.

As Michael Wesch put it in his article, significance is the problem. Students absolutely need to see the significance and purpose in each one of their classes. I have taught mathematics for seven years and it is very obvious that we use math everyday in our lives, but students still ask, "when am I ever going to use this in my life." I assure them that they asked the same question when they were first learning percents and discounts because in the fifth and sixth grade, their parents did all of the shopping and they didn't have first hand experiences of needing to know how to calculate discounts or sales tax. Now that they are in high school and a lot of them buy their own clothes and toys, all of a sudden they see a need for knowing how to mentally calculate a discount and add in sales tax. So things that will be of great significance to students at some point in their lives, may not be significant at the time they are learning it and therefore, they are uninterested and unmotivated to understand the material.

Another problem in mathematics is that a lot of students don't know their simple multiplication facts because they rely on a calculator. Luckily, most cell phones have calculators in them these days and since students do go anywhere without their cell phone, they always have a calculator handy. I am grateful for technology and believe that it is a wonderful tool in education, but at the same time, it is making our students less knowledgeable.

I like the idea of PLE's and what they can do for education. I am very excited about using them in my classroom instruction. I think that initially, it will get the students attention and get them excited about learning and motivated. However, I think that will be a temporary state of mind. As soon as the newness wares off and the next generation comes into high school with having already developed a PLE in elementary school and expanded it in junior high school, learning is going to be just as boring to them, even with all of their technology, as it is for our students now, with limited use of technology.

I hate to sound negative, but I'm just trying to sound realistic. When I first read the 7 things you should know about...Personal Learning Environments, I was very inspired by the scenario that led the article. I was imagining how great it is going to be to start integrating more technology into my lesson plans and how fun and exciting learning is going to be for my students. However, as I thought longer and more into the future, it dawned on me that it is a temporary solution to the ever growing problems of our educational system. Despite those feelings, I am going to move forward with this program and try to learn as much as I can about incorporating technology into the educational setting and continue to grow and learn better teaching practices.