Wednesday, July 14, 2010

How is technology, social media, gaming, multimedia transforming education?

These technologies are enabling me to have a work situation that would not have been possible before these technologies existed. My life needs require flexibility in my geographic location. I am, therefore, able to work as an on-line instructor.

It is the applications offered on the internet that allows for a richness and depth in the instruction. My students self-learn the basic principles of the topics - in this case elementary and junior high level mathematics - through an interactive program, local to their computer. It is a combination of visual and textual information. They connect with me through an interactive board for questions, explanations, and approval by me for the next lesson.

The students are very comfortable with connecting through this way. They often prefer to use a the text chat box, rather than audio. However, my concern is these students do not have access to technology on a regular basis. They are usually live in low-income neighborhoods or juvenile detention facilities. Although they are comfortable with the technology, it often becomes an "entertainment" to them - quickly losing focus and interest in the educational emphasis.

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