Should technology (computer skills, typing, software instruction, etc.) be taught as separate skills or as part of an integrated lesson? This is the question that is on the table this week in grad class. Seems fairly easy, yet not so easy to answer. In reality? I think it depends on the scenario, the assignment, and the students. For example a group of students working on the Adobe Youth Voices project needed to learn Premiere Elements in order to create their videos. There was minimal software instruction. I showed the students the layout of the software and the mechanics of importing media. From there the students basically figured it out, for lack of a better term.
Now that being said, in some respect their knowledge base was more limited by this approach. If they were lazy or not really into the project they simply did the bare minimum and stopped. If they were really into the project they constructed their own knowledge- they would play around to figure out how to do what they wanted to do, thus creating a far better project than the other students. If I was to teach the technology in isolation the “lazier” students would gain more knowledge. But would they more advanced group be itching to figure it out and move ahead to actually start their projects?
On the flip side there have been instances where technology in isolation was appropriate. Back in high school I learned how to type in isolation. Not glamorous, and at the time boring as hell. But…..that skill is one that is invaluable to my current job. In this particular instance I feel as if having a lesson looming while I was trying to learn the mechanics of typing would have been distracting and that I may not have learned to type as accurately as I did being taught in isolation.
So….should technology be taught in isolation or as part of an integrated lesson? In a word…..sometimes.
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Nicole, I had the same thoughts in regards to technology in isolation. Working with primary age students is an eye opener for having to teach certain technology in isolation, such as the basics. If you allow students to use a computer they jump right in and use the mouse, and go to Disney.com, but the same students may be asked a simple question about the keyboard and they are like, "what's that?" LOL. So, I agree that certain forms of technology would not hurt if it was taught in isolation.
ReplyDeleteTech skills need to be practiced right away. And generally can't be taught in total isolation from having some project to do. Your observations about Adobe products are interesting, and I wonder if different types of training are needed for different types of technology. A generic application like Excel or even typing in general, might lend itself to more initial direct instruction, with lots of practice work done in some isolation. Whereas a tool like Photoshop that does a specific thing needs to be done with little direct instruction, and the opportunity for immediate application in a high-interest project. And to have someone around to nudge the kids along with new features or easier ways to accomplish what they realize they want to do. Helping the kids learn how to learn -- strategies for using online help, user forums, printed documentation -- is important, as well as making sure they have the confidence to try things. And of course the more experience they have with all of it, the easier it is for them to work independently.
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