Wow. This subject is massive! I’m trying to keep up and do everything online but I don’t think there is any hope. Today I decided that the only way to concentrate was to resort to the print button. Each time I try to do everything online I end up exploring too much, finding interesting links and achieving little.Yes my learning still improves but I have set assignments to write and these links don’t always help me even if they are interesting.
Now I have lots of paper to read which makes me happy but I’m not very environmentally friendly. What really worries me though is that I know when I’m wasting time and procrastinating but do our NetGeners know that too? In the 1 to 1 laptop school do learners know when to turn off because they are achieving little? In my experience… no.
My son can spend a very long time on his laptop ‘revising’ but in the end has achieved very little because he’s gone down blind alleys and explored things unrelated to the syllabus. My husband, who is a secondary school teacher, also backs this up. My son always has his chat and Facebook open. He will admit that he finds this a distraction even though they can be used as a homework help network.
For me we all need to realise that digital learning is not the only way and sometimes the lap tops need to be closed. This from someone who is not anti technology but just a realist who realizes that everyone learns in different ways and knows that we need to explore all avenues of learning if children are to succeed.
Exciting day at work today. Took the year 6 to listen to Eoin Colfer speak. A very funny guy. Love his books but just wish he had talked a little more about his books rather than his life. Despite all this I did think that I was very lucky to hear an international author speak and get paid for the privilege!
Knowledge is free at the library. Just bring your own container. 