Carpe Diem versus St Marys

For this class activity, I watched a webinar on the use of technology in Education.This was a very interesting section and I  was surprised at the data on how fast the world is moving from laptops and desk tops to mobile devices for technology.

Don Knezek, the CEO of the International Society for Technology in Education, compares education without technology to the medical profession without technology.

“If in 1970 you had knee surgery, you got a huge scar,” he says. “Now, if you have knee surgery you have two little dots.”

Technology is helping teachers to expand beyond linear, text-based learning and to engage students who learn best in other ways. Its role in schools has evolved from a contained “computer class” into a versatile learning tool that could change how we demonstrate concepts, assign projects and assess progress.

From this webinar, I realized that even though both schools were using technology, they each had different approaches towards the incorporation of technology in education.Whilst Carpe Diem students spent about half of the school day siting in front of their computers  learning and being drilled, students of St Marys carried about mobile devices and were actively engaged in hands on learning. 

Below are my thoughts on some of the issues raised.  

Questions and answers.

1. How prepared for you to engage in each type of learning (Carpe Diem vs St. Marys)?

Answer

I must admit that before this class I was very unprepared for the most part on the use of technology in education.However I have learned a lot from this course and I believe that when I start teaching, I will be able to engage in a balanced approach in using technology in my classroom.

2.Provide specific examples including devices and apps or software, of what you are currently doing in each model if you are teaching.

Answer

N/a

3.If you not in the class now, what would you suggest teachers in your field adopt based on current knowledge of mobile/wireless devices.

Answer

I would suggest a group math  apps called Hands on Maths. 

4.What would you recommend in terms of a school wide initiative to improve teaching and learning at this point if you were in a position to do so?

Answer

I would recomend that schools check out success stories of other school districts and see how best they can use the information gained to improve teaching and learning in their own schools.

There is  the story of this North Carolina school district that was looking for an innovative way to help close their math achievement gap in some of their economically challenged schools. They decided to try smartphones. It seems that the mobile devices are working, as the school district has seen an improvement in standardized test scores and students using them outpaced others in the district and across the state. 

The schools participating in the program, called Project K-Nect, use the phones in Algebra, Algebra II, and Geometry, allowing students to use them as calculators or to look up information on the web, watch math videos, and play educational games. Students using the phones reported feeling more confident about their math abilities, were more motivated to take other math courses, and over half are now considering a career in a math field.

5.A mixture of the 2 models (Carpe Diem vs St. Marys) is probably in everyone’s future. How do you see executing your version of the blend in your field?

Answer

I see myself moving more towards the St Marys approach to the use of technology in education since it is more hands on and interactive but I will also use the Carpe Diem approach often to assess student learning.