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[ProfessionalDevelopment 2213] Technology in the classroomWendy Quinones wbquinones at comcast.netTue Jul 8 15:15:19 EDT 2008
Jim Lively raises a great point about techology: "I am convinced that the future will see a great divide of the world population into two new distinct groups - (1) those who can access information and use it effectively, and communicate quickly and efficiently; and, (2) those who can't." Our students are disadvantaged in so many ways; as educators, we can't in conscience shirk the responsibility of helping them gain access to the technology that increasingly dominates our culture. Students know they are missing out and demand more computer classes than we can provide at my center. Learning that they can in fact use computers for things that matter to them has been a tremendously empowering experience. However, I disagree with those who argue, as Jim does, that using computers necessarily means "some loss of face-time." Even the simplest of computer-based ESL lessons can be cooperative, and many activities such as Webquests demand collaborative work in groups. It's not about the technology -- it's about how you use it. Wendy Quinones wbquinones at comcast.net
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