So I was sent this audio article today in regards to technology in the classroom. It made me think. What is it that AP psych is doing right at AHS? What is it that we might be doing wrong? I think the article makes a good point that learning needs to be engaging. If you have been the chronic browser, what might it say of your grades? I believe 100% that the netbooks are a GOOD thing for classes, but I also say that with a guarded aprehension that there are always going to be some students that "check out" when the netbook is on and in front of them. I am not going to necessarily stop note passing, I haven't policed the avid websurfer(s) in my classroom (I know who you are), I am however taking note. Are the surfers doing well in class, and if not, would it be any different if they did not have a netbook in front of them?
This all ties into motivation - extrinsic and intrinsic. Those of you who are intrinsically motivated show it. I rarely have to worry about anyone not paying attention. Those of you who are extrinsically motivated are a bit of a different story. Sometimes it is full attention and full speed ahead, and other times I can see the "be back in 30 minutes" look on your faces (and hands).
Hey, by the way, did you actually HEAR that laptop get smashed? It scared the crap out of everyone in the room. I think I might have laughed, and yet I wonder what the consequences were for the professor who smashed it.
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I still argue that intrinsic motivation is kind of a fallacy (which I will ignore until the AP test is over with!).
ReplyDeleteI think hands-on activities are good (like the brain model - that helped me solidify my knowledge of brain structures!), but that's probably because that's one of the ways I learn. We both know you can take two people and find out that they learn in totally different ways - some learn by lectures, others learn best in group discussions, et cetera - and I can see that being a reason for potentially bad grades or what you called the "'be back in 30 minutes' look ". You can plop a 300-dollar laptop in front of any random assortment of people and not all of them will use it to their learning advantage (due to different learning styles or even just good ol' distraction).
I don't know what the point of my response is, because it's absolutely, "THANKS BE TO YOU, CAPTAIN OBVIOUS!"
I do think the netbooks are a good thing... If they are used correctly. I understand a little browsing every once in a while, but every day for 90 minutes!? That seems quite excessive. I do believe, though, that any grade a person gets is a reflection of how much work they want to put in it, so if someone wants to waste 90 minutes that they will never get back, looking at websites that are totally pointless, I guess, have at it. Your choice.
ReplyDeleteThere are a couple big problems I have with this situation. First, when people complain about the grades they are getting. Honestly, if you don't pay attention in class, I really don't care. You make your choice and I make mine. However, this is not the big issue I have with this whole problem. If the majority of the class does poorly on the AP test all because they can't pay attention in class, that reflects poorly on the decision to try out the laptops. Because of this, AP psych might not run in the future or there may be no more netbooks because 'they haven't helped.' I can say for a fact that the netbooks have helped me, but because of the decisions of many people, the experiment (it may be considered that since there are control groups (per say) at schools that aren't using the netbooks) may be deemed a failure.
I guess that possibly most people aren't mature enough to handle added freedom. I don't know, that's just my opinion. Sorry if this whole post seemed a little selfish, I didn't mean it to be that way but it kind of ended like that. After all, after this year this won't affect me in any way as I will be gone from the high school. Please though, if you are in the class, are reading this, and are one of the 'chronic surfers,' close the laptop for the next week. Study instead, and the school and future students could benefit from your decision.