I wrote recently about a project I did with iPods, mobile phones and Year 8. It wasn’t an entirely successful venture, but not a complete failure either. My main aim was to engage Year 8 more with their Chinese language learning, and I don’t think that happened. They liked using the iPods and phones, but that didn’t get them to create any more or any better quality work. This has really made me think about what I’m doing and why.
It is becoming a bit of a cliche, but I’ll say it anyway - the technology is only a tool. We really need to be thinking much more deeply about the quality of the content we are working on with the kids. The content is paramount to motivation and no matter how fun the technology is, the kids will still get bored if they aren’t interested in the content. Introducing technology will not magically engage kids – well, it might for the first couple of classes, but the novelty will wear off and they will see through it all!
I have found that students still want lots of teacher direction, but they are still very quick to criticise when something is boring. Sometimes that is a bit confusing as to what they really want, and I have had the impression from a couple of my classes this year that no matter what is put in front of them, or what they get to choose, they still aren’t going to be interested. Admittedly, the two classes I have in mind have not only been difficult for me, but other teachers as well. Our Year 7 class has turned their noses up at many things – complaining about having to do Voicethreads and big deal about a video conference with Manila. A few of them even asked their English if they should be learning how to read and write more!
I think the big thing for me to realise is that it is not only the staff who often need to be ‘convinced’ that this technology is great and can have huge impact on our students, but the kids need to be shown explicitly what the benefits are for them too.
Ahhh…I could have written this post a couple of years ago! I had the same problem. When I started with tech stuff the first time we used something there was great excitement and then it would wane. I remember a video conference last year in which half of the kids actually started doing their school work during it and zoning out of the conference. Also last year my kids just revolted against voicethread–they hated it. I realized that I had to go back to old school lesson planning and start with my solid essential question/concepts/objectives/skills and then pick the tool that would be best for it. Sometimes I felt like I was building glass houses with hammer last year.
I don’t know if it’s about “showing them the benefits.” I think that our kids just don’t care about the benefits of using tech–I think my kids are a year or two older than yours. They care about themselves. That’s not a bad thing. Having that lesson that connects to their heart, and then giving them the perfect tech tool to let them share it with an authentic audience….very hard. I had one class last year in which I really failed miserably to do that.
I feel your pain…and totally agree with “The content is paramount to motivation…”
I think you’re right - it’s not about showing them the benefits at all. They don’t care about the benefits of using tech because, as you said, they are too focused on themselves, but do you think also it’s because the technology is just not all that fascinating for them? The technology is not a big deal to them.
I’m glad to know that I’m not the only one having these issues!
What a pity that i cann’t understand what you post, or i will get many message from here,anyhow keep up your good work!