Not having none much about John Dewey, I was interested in reading his philosophy of education: learning by doing. It is our personal experiences that allow us to find meaning in those experiences. I am not sure that Dewey would feel that the computer is a substitue for a different mode of learning but an additional resource or opportunity to have new and purposeful experiences. Dewey would approve of the use of technology as long as we used it in meaningful ways, such as inquiry based units. The cycle of inquiry begins with asking, and moves around to investigating, creating, discussing, and reflecting. This type of literacy development allows students to take ownership of their learning, while the teacher guides them in asking the appropriate questions to foster deeper levels of thinking and comprehension. Teachers can integrate curriculum areas to this form of learning. In turn, the students will first hand experience learning and construct their own meaning of the new acquired information. Amazing! But at what grade level would we begin doing this? Many of the inquiry based units began with middle school students to the college level. I am consistently trying to take the new ideas I've learned and adjust them to meet the needs of my first grade students.
Last, I've been chewing on the following statement from the reading. "Many have trouble connecting what they know of their learning process, or the experiences from their own teaching with the canonical articles and theories they are given in university courses." Are teachers 'struggling' to integrate new theories into their classrooms? Will we ever be "caught up" in the current trends in educations? Just when I am comfortable using technology in my classroom, what new theories will present themselves? I enjoy learning new theories and furthering my education for myself and my students, but will us educators fully have our head above water? Probably not...if we're dedicated.
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As educators, we are constantly trying to fulfill are intrinsic motivation to gain new knowledge. (Leslie would be proud!)I know that I have always tried to modify the new theories that I learn through our SJC classes and also through our prof. development at school. Is it always age appropriate, no, so we spend the time to make it. Then before we even finish adjusting that theory, there is a new & more improved one being presented. Especially with intergrating technology, society in a whole is always "uploading" new "theories" and "downloading" new practices. Right now, Vista came out. We will try to adapt, and there will be a new major program out before we master this one. I quess that we need to be as updated as we can become and be open to new theories as they come. But, I think we need to take the time to analyze and practice one theory at a time, for our kiddos benefit.
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