McKenzie, W (2000). Are You a Techno-Constructivist? Retrieved January 21, 2009, from http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech005.shtml.
This article was very insightful. It gave a name for teachers who actively apply the constructivist theory and technology in the classroom. The author calls these teachers Techno-Constructivists. Four stages are laid out in reference to how well teachers apply technology in the classroom. I liked this because it gave a great way for a teacher to gauge where he or she falls on the continuum. There are also reflections questions that allow you to reflect upon where you are in your own classroom.
The article also talks about how most jobs that our students will have in the future will require them to be able to utilize technology effectively and how we must prepare our students for this .
Lastly the article gives examples of a Techno-Constructivist in action or what we should be using in our classroom if we are applying constructivist theory and technology effectively. Some of the examples given were collaborative online projects, lessons such as Webquests, virtual field trips, and simulations.
Overall this is a good article for a quick summary of using technology and constructivism in the classroom. The part about the jobs made me think, with all the changes in technology, how are we going to prepare our students for the world they will face when they graduate. It is a reminder that as teachers we must keep up with the latest technology in order to most effectively teacher our students.
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I really loved this article! Actually I loved it so much that I used it on my blog. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting. I read the article and found it very interesting and informative. Since technology is changing so quickly I think the best way to prepare students for the after graduation real world is to provide them now with activities and experiences that involve problem-solving and information literacy skills. We don't know what technology will be like in 10,5 or even 2 years but I'm sure adapting to using whatever is available will be easier if students have excellent problem-solving and information literacy skills.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comments below! I'm in my early 30's and I realize that the world I'm preparing my 4th graders for is DRASTICALLY different than the one I was prepared to enter. Actually, in many ways I was ill prepared because my educators did not realize the amount of technology I would be dependand upon. I probably only have an inkling of what my kids will be using.
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