Educational discoveries

The use of technology in the classroom can often be isolated rather than integrated into all KLA areas. To assist with in the implementation of more meaningful e-learning experience in the classroom I have found a brilliant website! Quest Atlantis is an incredibly virtual world where students can be involved in KLA lessons without it feeling like school work! Based around an intergalactic planet called Atlantis, students need to enter virtual worlds and share their experience and knowledge of subjects such as water conservation and healthy living to help the people of Atlantis survive in their decaying planet. The virtual world also allows students to create their own avatar, and impact on there virtual world in a way that they may not be able to in the real world. The website not only integrates KLA’s but also provides teachers with the means to implement lessons in a constructionist manner. The website provides PDF units of work for teachers to use in their classrooms to facilitate this learning. This website was so exciting to explore!!!

After spending many weeks exploring different technological advancements and their specific uses in the classroom I have come to realise a complete dichotomy in pedagogical practices. It seems that whilst the majority of research and theories surrounding the need for technology to be an integral part of the primary school curriculum, there are still a majority of teachers who simplify the teaching of technology to a checklist of basic skills to be developed in the weekly computer classes. An interesting commentary on this particular aspect is the document entitled ‘A modern day fairytale.’ This skit shows how the phobia of technology can slow down progress dramatically by illustrating a potential reaction to the pencil when it was first developed. Whilst the example does seem ridiculous I think one important key point is that the pencil was eventually integrated seamlessly into the school environment where there was no longer a need for pencil specialists!! Isn’t that ideally how technology should be integrated? However, to quote a concept that my lecturer has often said, technology shouldn’t be used for the sake of using it, there should be clear pedagogical reasons for the application of technology, transforming the way that teaching, discovering and learning occurs.

To achieve this, teachers need to be attending professional development courses, have an adventurous spirit (never being content that the job was done well enough but constantly searching for new ways of integrating technology) and most importantly the support of colleagues and schools. Maybe in the future we can look back and laugh about how long it took for such key technologies to become a part of everyday life!

through searching through the blogosphere I came across Rachel’s blog which contained an interesting piece on the world Maths day which was held on the 5th of March. As a student teacher it was helpful for me to gain insight into the the online Mathletics program and how this seemles IT integration has been successful in the classroom. The children that were involved in this mathletics program were given the chance to comment on their mathletics experience. Wouldn’t it be great to have such enthusiasm after every class???

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