WEEK THREE

Students are now living in a digital world, where many of their social networks are formed around computers and instant communication. It is how they engage with their world, and access information. Most jobs now require that staff have a certain level of technological literacy. My opinions about the use of technology are changing. I now believe that it is important to integrate ICT into students' learning experiences, both to enhance skills and engagement with learning. To not do so would be to disadvantage our students, both now and in the future. What a change of opinion in just two weeks!!

One reading that really stood out for me this week was "Generation Cut and Paste" by Beverley Head. This article questioned whether students are actually learning the content within their assignments when the option to "cut and paste" information is so attractive. This article interests me because it has a personal connection - I have witnessed my teenage son using this method to meet the required word count, disregarding any breach of copyright. When I ask him to explain what a term, a paragraph or sentence means, he is unable to do so. When it is used in this way, I believe that it is a waste of both student time in preparing the assignment, and teacher time in designing, implementing and assessing it.  This highlights again for me the fact that teachers need to consider how, when and why their students will use technological resources in learning. While I believe that "Cut and Paste" can be an effective way to begin to research a topic (I use it myself for university assignments), students need to be taught how read and decipher this information to reach an understanding, before creating their own work based on their new knowledge. This is an area where explicit skills need to be taught, and implications of copyright need to be addressed.

Teaching with ICT's is a very complex process. Although the Smart Classrooms Professional Development Framework suggests that teaching with ICT's should ideally be used to enhance learning rather than as an end in itself, there are circumstances where explicit teaching about how to use different tools is necessary.

My overall understanding this week is that by simply 'tagging on' an ICT component to a lesson will not necessarily facilitate learning. Teachers need to consider how student learning can best be achieved through an appropriate choice of pedagogy, technology and content.