Assignment #1

Part 1.a
In all the readings I have done for education, authors talk about the importance of meaningful learning. Does this mean then that most teachers do not? It’s hard for me to believe that any teacher would disagree with “meaningful learning.” If our lessons were not intentional or goal-directed, does that mean there are teachers teaching for the sake of teaching? If our teaching objectives have no authentic relationship with life, then how does learning happen? And if it does, can students apply what they have learned to other situations? I simply cannot wrap my brain around this. Instead, I believe that if learning is not meaningful, then it is because the teacher does not know how to as opposed to not wanting to.
Another concept I am intrigued with is the idea of teaching students to think. It’s not that I think my students are unable to think, but I did originally assume that my students could think on command. (If I have learned anything in my first year, it is that one should never assume anything and with that, never to relay shock, sarcasm or humor if I accidentally do.) The authors impress that technology can foster thinking and conveys the routes by which it could happen, but I still believe that technology is a tool. What specifically do teachers have to do to help students reach their thinking potentials? I know they are bright and smart, and can achieve anything they set their hearts to. But how do I, as their educator, encourage them to open their minds to a challenging task and to take a more active role in their learning? I hope this book will reveal more answers.

Part 1.b
In my school, technology is used everyday and students are always involved in some kind of Internet research project. But I never felt comfortable with the idea, and the authors have finally given me reasons why. (1) “Simply asking students to find information on the Web will probably not result in learning.” – Of course! Students are always trying to please the teacher, so they are always looking for that one answer that will satisfy the question. However, learning never happens in this way because there are no opportunities to apply it. (Moreover, I do not believe that making a PowerPoint presentation to display the findings counts unless we are trying to teach a student how to use PP.) (2) “It is vital that students learn how to discriminate fact from fiction…” – This is such an important lesson that has far-reaching effects on multiple levels. Most of us know the Internet poses risks and dangers, hence why schools have firewalls, pop-up blockers, etc. But students can be better monitors of their own learning if they understand how to recognize the telltale signs of a trustworthy site versus one that is disreputable. Whole lessons can be done on this, and of course they would be authentic.