Tonight, a guest blog.
http://my-public-affairs.blogspot.com/2010/02/teaching-in-army-part-1.html
Our guest? Me.
The question is, how can technology facilitate clarity? Better yet, does it make it more or less likely that we will be clear during instruction?
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Tech Integration Teacher, What time is it?
8 years ago
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Technology can facilitate clarity by providing clear rubrics and sheets where students can score their own work before turning it in. The requirements for assignments can remain on the board the entire time so students can see what's expected at all times. And possibly, parents and students can access assignments online at anytime so there is no confusion about expectations. Technology can make things clearer if used the right way, but it can cause confusion. If people can't use the technology you are using then things can become unclear very quickly especially if they are relying on the technology for instructions.
Although technology can facilitate with clarity through the use of class websites and power point presentations, it still comes down to the instructor's ability to be clear! All the technology in the world cannot help an instructor who is not clear him/herself. It all comes down to a clear delivery with or without technology.
I believe that technology can facilitate clarity. Technology is more often "clean" and "concise" when it comes to presenting information. When humans present information, it is almost always different. Sometimes it could be done differently, or mistakes might be made. But with technology it is different: it will do it the same way every time.
This can also be its' downfall. When technology becomes so concise, that it overcomes the teachings from voices of humans, we begin to rely upon it. Example: when I can't remember something, I do quick google searches to let the web search engine to do the work for me. In this respect I am letting the technology be "clear" and "concise" for me. But what happens when i do not have access to technology?
Technology can facilitate clarity because sometimes students have a hard time understanding lessons if it is a straight lecture from the teacher. Technology can keep students entertained, and thus, make them want to learn the information. Also, sometimes technology makes things much easier to understand, and they lay it out for students step by step. Teachers sometimes have trouble showing step by step examples because they understand the information very well. A computer, or technological device, is able to effectively lay out examples in simple easy to learn way. I think it depends on the student in the matter of more or less clear. Some students learn better from straight lectures, while others learn from visual and interactive presentations. So, in this case, it depends on the student and what they prefer.
The purpose of teaching is to clarify and connect an understanding on a subject. That being said, technology can certainly help to facilitate clarity in a subject because it is yet another means of reaching total understanding. All students learn differently, and if technology can be used to help clarify a main point, then it is vital to utilize it in the classroom. But, technology has a fine line between helping to clarify, and making things more difficult. It can help vastly, or it could further confusion and cause frustration. That's why I think it's important if and when we use technology in a classroom, that we are not relying only on technology to learn.
Technology for one can bring things to life in a whole new light if done right. Videos and simulations for one can really help students to see Physics concepts in a clear controlled way.
Also, just having a rubric or assignment readily accessible online at any time can really help people stay on top of things.
technology can facilitate clarity because as much as teachers may think they are being concise and clear, a small video online or a simulation activity may make it a lot easier for students to process information. Technology can make learning hands on while also incorporating lecture from the teacher. Making sure to ask students for feedback is also very helpful.
Technology can facilitate clarity by presenting the material in different perspectives. The variety of views that technology can provide teaches people in a clearer way. In teaching, I can give my students guidelines online and can give examples on my expectations through website links. Technology allows us to make succinct explanations that students will understand. The explanations are on a more general sense that can be understood easily.
When I am unsure of where my video shoot gig is and what room, I can text message my boss to clarify the correct information. If a teacher uploads the assignments to the internet, it can make it much more accessible and clear to the student what they are expected to do for the next class.
Cormac
Technology can often allow for better organization, and clear-cut boundaries and objectives. In the case of a powerpoint, students can better understand what the teacher is saying by following along with the presentation and keeping track of the main points or topics included in the presentation. Through technology, rules and guidelines can also be electronically posted so that students can read and know what is expected of them
Technology can facilitate clarity by showing multiple examples and presentation materials. Make drills available for practice, etc. It also can help with students finding ways to engage themselves.
The use of the internet also clears confusion about what is assigned in the classroom, events going on, grades, etc. It is also easier to ask questions via email before assignments are due.
Technology helps facilitate clarity by making learning materials easily available both in the classroom and at home. Parents are able to track and see how their children are doing in class on online along with course documents. Technology helps make learning clear and helps reinforce concepts. But if technology is not used correctly it can be overwhelming and unclear. Finding the best technology for each classroom is the way to facilitate learning.
Honestly, I think that it all depends on HOW the teacher utilizes technology. It can either be an incredible enhancement or a terrible disaster for a classroom. What is important as a teacher is to remember that for the time you have with the kids, you are responsible for their learning. Basically, don't screw it up and don't use technology if you can't make it work to help your kids learn.
I think it is extremely important to give clear and concise directions because a student is more likely to be engaged and learning if they know exactly what they are supposed to do. It is easy for a student to disengage when they do not know what it expected of them. I think technology can make giving directions easier because students can see objectives clearly, and it might be more likely to stick in their mind if they saw directions and examples on a powerpoint, for example.
Technology can help you to make your lessons more clear. I often have the problem of stumbling over my words when I am trying to give a lesson or instructions. With a PowerPoint presentation, or something similar, I would be able to get my thoughts all in order and then be able to have it written down in a form that is easier for my students to understand. This of course means that I must be clear in my writing abilities. It can also be interactive and help students to understand the lesson by seeing it in different ways.
I think that technology can help with clarity by presenting information in a neat, concise manner. However, none of that matters if the user of such a tool is not getting their message across in the way it is intended. A good way to combat this is through the immediate response that the internet can give us. For instance, my commenting on this blog. If a teacher posted their lesson as a blog post and then encouraged the students to ask for clarification by commenting on the post, you are providing a quick and easy way for teacher and student to interact and enhance clarity.
I am reminded by this weeks blog of Napoleon's technique for writing orders (this I'm sure is quite garbled in the retelling). Napoleon had a fantastic cook who unfortunately found his calling after failing out of soldier school for inability to follow directions. Napoleon's habit was to always write his orders and give them to his cook to decipher. If his cook could read, understand and communicate back to Napoleon what the orders required, then he would distribute the order. This is a long way of reminding those who attempt to transmit information that not only must they insure that everyone in their audience can understand the content, but they must also verify that they are presenting the information in a logical, understandable fasion.
This is an interesting debate that we have discussed in class regarding the benefits of specific technology. It is my belief that technology, if used appropriately, can facilitate clarity in the classroom. There are many ways teachers can use technology to enhance understanding of various subjects whether it be through educational software, powerpoint presentations, student ability to research independently, etc. Technology also offers the teacher more creative ways to maintain a fun and entertaining classroom. For example, technology does not just mean the internet, at one point TV and VHS were considered very advanced technology. Being able to watch educational videos transformed the classroom! Again, though, technology must be used appropriately to enhance clarity.
Hopefully, if you are able to use the technology proficiently it will facilitate clarity. For example you are able to display information in many different ways, with visual, aural, tactile input for students. However, if the information is not clear to the teacher it wont be clear to the students no matter what platform is used to present it.
With increased technology comes a greater reliance on the printed word for instructional purposes. In other "words" . . . an assignment may be posted online so that students can refer to it at a later time if they are unclear as to what is expected of them. That way, if a student turns in work that is inconsistent with expectations, a teacher can refer him or her to the online instructions (harder to do if your instructions were verbal!).
One of the ways that immediately came to mind is having a portal such as blackboard or school loop for each class. Especially for High School and college level, having a syllabus is really handy. But as we all know as teachers, students easily misplace a syllabus or a homework assignment paper. Having them online and available is awesome because it eliminates the excuse of having lost the syllabus. This can also improve clarity by having open discussion boards where students can ask questions about the assignments to the teacher and other students.
-Robin van Schravendijk
Technology can provide illustrations to allow everyone to be on the same page. While an instructor has a certain idea in his mind, a photo or video, or illustration can share that idea with students in a way that they have a better picture (literally) of the information trying to be conveyed. Technology can be used to appeal to as many senses as possible to have the information best understood and absorbed. Speech only enables the listener to imagine the images associated with the ideas being communicated, but provided detailed images and sounds, etc. clearly indicates the specific important information. When used efficiently, technology can make information more clear. When used improperly, if it contains errors and glitches, it will make things more confusing or have the students lose interest and not pay attention to the subject matter.
I think that there is a real risk of losing clarity when you use technology. Like making sure that your use of technology aids learning we will need to make sure that we do not loose clarity with tech. One way to use technology to improve or enhance clarity is to use a shared space (blog, website, google docs) to post class requirements, objectives, and lessons.
Oh I hope technology can make things clearer! It does have a tendency to make our lives more cluttered and complicated. The challenge for teachers is to use technology as a tool, not as a novel entertainment item. We are used to looking at technologies with an entertainment "lense" in our personal lives, and it is imperative we change "lenses" for educational purposes.
Clarity due to technology is not guaranteed, but is attainable. Depending on the technology, and whether a balance exists between analog teaching methods and the technology, it can help maintain clarity. Technology has the capability to allow creativity and exploration, but it is unclear if the procedure to use the technology is too difficult to be a base level for all students.
In summation, it's not necessarily the technology that makes things clear or unclear, but the use of the tech that makes it so.
The bigger issue, imho, than whether a student "gets" what you're teaching or not is whether that student--in HS or the military--believes s/he is failing. The two are not the same. Yes, certain competencies are measurable in terms of right and wrong (e.g. aiming _toward_ the enemy) but my wish as a teacher is to shift the emphasis toward seeing the process of learning as always on-going, where mistakes are signals that you're still doing the work toward mastery.
I agree that clarity is of the utmost importance. Often times I find myself assuming that the students in my Special Day Class are on the same page as me. For example, this week we worked on telling time using clocks. I made the assumption that my students would know and identify the difference between the big and little hands. Especially because there was a diagram explaining this and other time facts. When I asked "What time is it if the little hand is on the 9, and the big hand is on the 6?", I received mixed responses.
Skipping over information I took for granted as "basic" proved to be my mistake. I realized clear explanation, and perhaps guided practice, is necessary.
...so technology may serve as an effective tool to gauge progress by letting you track and chart your mistakes.
I think using technology can facilitate clarity only if the teacher is able to communicate clearly. Technology can also get over complicated and make things less clear. It is up to the teacher to use technology as a helpful aid in learning and not to overcomplicate the material and the lesson.
I agree with Lyly...technology or no technology, the person presenting it or creating it (as in a PowerPoint presentation) has the ultimate responsibility to be clear. Even technologies one can use online (games, explanations of math, etc.) are created by people, and that person's explanation must be clear. I don't think technology necessarily makes a student's life easier or harder...it just depends on how it is used.
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