Interactivity within the classroom is what I would explain as a double edged sword. Like many students mentioned in class, interactivity has the potential to be very beneficial for students who learn differently, specifically hands on learners. Being able to interact with technology such as a Smartboard would allow students to be excited about what they are learning. However, the flip side is that technology does not help with learning and actually distracts from the learning outcome. The use of technology in a classroom setting has unlimited potential to be extremely beneficial to students. It has been mentioned in class that students, especially at a younger age do not have an extremely long attention span and therefore keeping them engaged is essential to encourage student learning. Therefore, teachers have a responsibility to keep up with current themes in order to encourage student learning and one of these current themes is technology. If teachers use technology efficiently and responsibly, technology has the potential to advance and enhance student learning. By incorporating interactive activities within a lesson teachers are enabling students to remained focused and attentive to the lesson being taught. Like all technology the ability to let it take over and overwhelm the lesson could actually hinder the students learning. Therefore the teacher must become dedicated to ensuring student learning rather than just keeping students occupied for a certain amount of time. Like with all technology teachers must influence students to use it wisely. Like Len mentioned in class when teachers don't use technology wisely and don't incorporate it into the lesson it actually defeats the purpose. I am excited to learn effective ways to integrate technology and interactivity into the classroom effectively.
One question that I have is: Once technology is used in an ineffective way, is it possible to use the same activity or interactive activity again? Or will students be focused on the ineffective way, regardless of any changes the teacher has made. Once students use an interactive game or activity that focuses too much on occupying students time or the "fun factor" rather than the learning factor can that activity (with modifications) be implemented again? The reason I am asking this question is that I know as a beginning teacher I may have the best intentions for a specific lesson or activity and the outcome may not heed the results I desired, am I able to keep tweaking or should I begin to look for new techniques?
One question that I have is: Once technology is used in an ineffective way, is it possible to use the same activity or interactive activity again? Or will students be focused on the ineffective way, regardless of any changes the teacher has made. Once students use an interactive game or activity that focuses too much on occupying students time or the "fun factor" rather than the learning factor can that activity (with modifications) be implemented again? The reason I am asking this question is that I know as a beginning teacher I may have the best intentions for a specific lesson or activity and the outcome may not heed the results I desired, am I able to keep tweaking or should I begin to look for new techniques?