Mobile Computing: Instant email access would be the greatest benefit of mobile use at the middle school level. Though students have assignments written down and explained in class I so often get those additional emails asking to clarify or help work out some homework related issue. Since I am not always at my computer, nor are my students, there is this unhelpful lag time that we are left with. Surely when students are stumped doing a problem it would be easiest if they could get feedback right away and mobile emails access would enhance that instant line of communication outside of school, especially during homework time.
Open Content: A school database similar to blackboard would be a huge benefit to teaching and learning. If there were a place where all handouts, reading, assignments, notes, power points, etc. were digitally posted, the student would never have the excuse that too often comes with unorganized middle school students. The simple availability even at this grade level would foster students making choices on when and how to better review and practice the material along with simply seeing it again if it’s gone missing.
Electronic Books: The greatest feature of a digital book system is the cost, especially for schools always facing budget cuts. Like the students have personal laptops at our school, Kindles or Nooks could be provided just the same -with all text and reading books added to the device. The students would have all the books conveniently available with just the presence of the single device and they would be working with newer technology -learning skills like, digital annotating, which may in fact be the norm in years to come. Lastly is the go green benefit the school is so greatly trying to foster.
Augmented Reality: This innovation is currently the most enhanced version of making connections in the classroom. If the classrooms are equipped with technology that allows for instant access to what’s going on in the real world, students are going to be much more involved in making connections with the material. This would obviously benefit science class material like weather changes, natural disaster, plate tectonics, etc. as well as connecting Social Studies content with current events: Mesopotamia versus modern day Iraq, since we all know how much children LOVE to learn about History and things that they see as no longer applying. Students need to be making those kinds of connections to their lives and the world around them if they are really to critically think about the material.
Gesture-based computing: While this innovation is amazing, the necessity in schools may not be a clear, rather another way to think about its benefit is to that of the bodily-kinesthetic learner. Means of interacting with the computer is beginning to change and this change is creating a better tool for this particular kind of learner. For students who benefit most from hands-on assignments, the gesture-based computing will be a change from the idle computer desk experience.
Visual Data Analysis: Currently this system is geared more toward the sciences, whereas complex data can now be looked at in the simplest form. Through interactive manipulation of variables in real-time, students as researchers and discoverers can: “… zoom in to examine specific aspects of the renderings, or to navigate along interesting visual pathways, following their intuitions and even hunches to see where they may lead. (2010 Horizon Report)” Being that research is already a complex and difficult skill, this literal hands-on interaction with the material could make the process so much clearer for middle school students.
The benefits of augmented reality for a social studies or history class also struck me as a great way to really engage students with a topic that they do not always see as exciting or relavent. Making connections between the modern world and history and being able to overlay the two could really make history come alive. I wish we had this right now. We don't really think of technology as being used in history classes but kids really like technology and this could really get their attention.
ReplyDeleteI think the idea of having a Blackboard-type system, as well as instant computer access for all students would be SO helpful for middle school teachers. Students are at the age where parents are trying to let them take some responsibility for keeping track of their school work, while also wanting to still monitor what they are doing. I think having a database of information that pairs with internet access could greatly benefit a parent who wants to do a "quick check" on what their students is doing and how they are doing, while not hovering too much.
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