- Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Christopher Longstaff, I teach 7th grade English and coach wrestling at South Eastern MS in Fawn Grove, PA.
2. What is your primary goal for taking this course?
My goal is to become more progressive in my teaching style to better suit 21st century thinkers and learners.
3. What is your philosophy of education?
Facilitate rather than dictate, so that students can question, discover, and create.
4. What do you see as the greatest benefit of using technology and/or digital media in the classroom?
How quickly students can reference information, define vocabulary, and extend learning to real world situations, stories, and articles.
5. What is your biggest concern or challenge with using technology and/or digital media in the classroom?
I teach in a rural district with a high rate of poverty. If technology is used as a part of project, lesson, or assessment, many students can not complete it outside of the classroom.
6. Provide an example of how you currently use technology and/or digital media in the classroom.
I have a wikispace that students can use for notes and references to lessons and material.
7. How does your classroom today differ from when you were the same age as your students?
My school has a BYOD policy, which allows students to carry and use their own devices at any time during the school day.
Hello, Christopher. Welcome to EDIM 508! I am also in a BYOD district. How do you like it? It's been wonderful for my students. It enables a lot more tech in my classroom. Great statement, "Facilitate rather than dictate, so that students can question, discover, and create." :)
ReplyDeleteI do like the BYOD to a point. I do believe their devices can be used as great tools to help enhance their own classroom experiences. But as we are a very poos district, it has also widened the achievement gap between the "haves" and the "have nots". My only other concern is that we have put so much emphasis on this initiative, that we have overlooked our own preparation for the PSSA's, and that these students are not able to access their devices on the test, which may cripple those that have moved to a completely digitalized style of learning.
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