After reading "Distractions in the Wireless Classroom" by Michael J. Bugeja, quite a lot of ideas came upon my mind.
In fact, I had experienced such kind of situation in my work place when I taught full-time students, commonly 18-22 years' old. But the situation seldom occured in the classes of adult students, because they had limited learning time as part-time students, and they are more self-disciplined. So my first thought is whom to blame? Is it really the fault of "Technology"? Cellphone, computer, wireless network.... they are born for the convenience of human being and they did make our life easier than ever, but why we human being find so many excuses to refuse our responsibility?
Some suggestions to avoid being distracted:
1. Design more task-based lessons to make sure the students understand the important points of the lesson, thus provide more chances for students to practise what they should do;
2. Assess the tasks effectively, so that the students would be more self-controlled and concentrated on the in-class activities;
3. Be more aware of the students' performances, and take measures to facillitate the students kept on track;
4. Use some kind of control system to supervise the students' access to certain websites with the help of monitoring software.
The population of adopting wireless classes is a key point in the issue, so keep in mind whether the group of students suited for the kind of circumstance or not. Technology itself is good, the person who makes the disposal should be responsible for.
6 comments:
It seem to me that you think the teacher should take on responsibility for the misuse of technology in class for students. And I fully agree with you about the possible solutions that you have proposed.
Some questions are coming into my mind when I read this article.
But do you think that modern technologies are too user-friendly or too tempting for students to refuse using in calss? How to adapt to the amazing hourly developed technologies for teachers and students? Is it possible to adapt to them? If we try our best to follow the trend, then where are our own human natures when our lives are directed and dominated by technology?
Thank you for your friendly comment.
Sure, the access to internet in classrooms is really a good bait for young "fishes", but not for adults, provided that the teacher can give something really attractive and meaningful to the students.
Another reason for the students' irrefusability of using computers in class, I guess, is maybe they don't have the chances to reply emails or communicate with friends at home due to the limited time, or limited resource.
Anyway, we can play badminton or volleyball as a way to avoid the seducement of technology.
Both the teacher and learners should be responsible for what is going on in the classroom. Tremendous changes have taken place with the use of computer in every discipline. Something essential about learning in classroom should not be altered beyong our recognition, that is learning is taking place in the classroom, even if the classroom is equipped with modern technology that makes life easier and communication quicker between people.
Just like what we've done today in the classroom, all of us were under control, and everyone had a good experience of learning. Sometimes, when the teacher is facing a group of lack-of-discipline students, he should monitor the whole situation and give no chance for distraction.
You are more experienced in teaching wireless class and i'm sure that the solutions you proposed are practical to some extend, which stressed more on the part of the teacher takes in orgnizing and supervising the class. I wonder whether there is some difference between regulating students in the real class and supervising them in a wireless or virtual one? I mean, do u find it harder to monitor students in a virtual environmnet?
Oh, I am flattered. But yes, it's a little more difficult to monitor a virtue class than in a regular class, because the students are facing more distractions from the internet, or rather, from the outside colorful world. But there is no basic difference in gaining the students' attention by contributing more into your lesson plan.
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