Chapter 9 & 10

1. It seemed as if chapter 10 was a review of chapters 6 & 7 when discussing the importance of community learning and assessment. Chapter 9 was more appealing to myself as a professional in realizing the potential technology has in our classrooms. The chapter discussed visuals and how visuals can help students learn difficult concepts. This reminded me of using the visuo sketchpad and phonological loop in order to interpret and encode the problems presented. But, technology is completely changing the way we learn. We are moving from rote memorization to applying information and skills which can impede the old information and become mixed up or in with the new. Context was also discussed as far as being able to transfer learning from school to home based on the context students learn. Matlin discusses the importance of learning in context and how that helps students correctly encode and remember information. And who could forget A.I.? Need I say more, Matlin?! We must also use technology to scaffold learning and allow our students' learning about technology to be built in order to become an expert rather than a novice.

2. As I read the chapter on technology, I could not help but wonder about ambiguity (Matlin, ch. 9). Sometimes it is difficult to know what someone is saying unless you are face to face reading their body language and listening to their voice pitch changes to find more of the meaning behind what people are saying. ClassTalk was discussed as an online discussion (seems to me like blackboard) but I have found (from my blackboard experience) sometimes ambiguity can exist within the words we place on the computer. How can we, as a tech savvy world, figure out how to combat ambiguity and make sure everyone is on the same page when we are unable to see faces and know whether or not the work that was produced was actually produced by the student (or, did someone else do the work for them?). And, what about the social norms that could occur? I think I have offended some students in the class because they were of a different nationality and I didn't realize it at the time and said some brash words. How are we teaching students to be proper when speaking and how to hold a conversation when the conversation bats back and forth among screens?
3. As a teacher, I must be considerate of scaffolding my students' learning with technology. I need to provide some tech in my class so I do not limit my students in a world that will rely almost solely on technology in the near future. The learning programs discussed would greatly help my students when adjusted to their level and open the lines of communication (dialogue) and excitement in my classroom. I would love to use more of the internet to communicate with my parents as far as blogs and homework to give extra tips and hold all accountable or to provide online chatting with my parents. I need to help my students become successful in the competitive world as far as academics are concerned, but I must also be conscious of the fact that I need to prepare them for the world of technology so they can compete in it as well.