"This growth reflects an emphasis not simply on producing a more knowledgeable workforce, but increasingly on improving employee on-the-job performance and on solving organizational problems." It seems that business classes in general compose tasks for students to complete that reflect real-life situations such as employment. Examples include using Word to type business letters or using Excel to keep records. Math classes do the same at time with tax percentages and so forth. Not only actual skills can be taught, but concepts such as cooperation, problem solving, and team work can be taught as well. Social skills are just as important in the workforce as the hands-on skills. These skills can be taught with group assignments or problem-solving activities or both. Either way, these skills need to be taught because they are used in the "real world". Has anyone ever seen "Good Morning Miss Toliver"? It is about an inner city math teacher who does just this. She has many problem-solving activities that are hands-on such as building the tallest standing structure with straws and tape and counting the number of raisins in a box to learn estimation. She also took students outside to see math in the "real world" and made a book about it. Cool stuff. If you haven't seen it, see it! I have seen it at least 3-4 times.
The chapter also discusses the role of the designer. In this case, the designer is us the teachers. We are leaders, facilitators as well as the sole teacher in various types of lessons, depending on student need. Sometimes we have to teach and reteach over and over again and gradually let students be more independent, but the training must be there. The chapter said that "70% of the training takes place via classroom while 20% takes place with computers." This tells us further that technology is a wonderful supplement for teaching, but not a replacement. Therefore, we teachers needs to use technological devices if they will benefit the students.
I have learned a lot this semester. I liked the hands on learning that we did with Podcasts and all of that. I learned about social bookmarking, Podcasts, and even Blogs. I would not have learned about these cool things if it wasn't for this class. I also got many good ideas from classmates in how to use such tools.
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2 comments:
Once again we have the idea that teachers are a necessity and technology is a tool to help teachers do their job and students to learn!
Joy
Social skills are definitely on the fall as technology skills increase. Students communicate more via the web than they do in-person. Students will be expected to be problem solvers in business and industry and I am not certain they can effectively communicate. How do you feel?
I agree, I have learned so much as well. This class is a true inspiration and 'good for the students' who have us as instructors! I love to share what I've learned with them, even if it doesn't go so well the first time :)
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