Journal #4 MS

Riedel, Chris (2009, January). Create, Collaborate, Communicate: Empowering Students with 21st century skills. The Journal, Retrieved February 19,2009, from http://www.thejournal.com/articles/23872_1

This article was interesting it gave me a lot to think about and a lot of potential ideas in the classroom. I think what I got most out of this article was as educators we need to think outside the box and utilize all resources that is at our disposal. Learning is not new and we all learn differently, some of us needs hands on, others need step by step approach, or small group interactions while others need minimal instruction to get the task accomplished. With this understanding we should be able to make very creative and compelling place to teach with students being a large part of the teaching process with input on how they learn.

Question #1
How would I with limited resources engage the students with scientific concepts?

One way that I had my students get more out of my lectures was that I took them on a walk around the school and had them identify for themselves scientific interactions. The lesson topic was interactions, and though I could show that on a chalkboard or overhead this lesson is so much more fun when we leave the classroom and experience interactions in nature first hand. I had students sit at the edge of the lake ( taught in Florida) and looked at how animals, insect, and nature interacts with each other and then let the students share ideas, explain what they saw, had them make up test questions. This was truly a great way for the students to be apart of their learning and see and experience what science was about. This is a lot more fun then sitting and lecturing and taking notes for an hour. Problem solving and collaboration with each other is one way that students can learn quicker, and more efficient.

Question #2
What technology would I think would be the most important for students learning? and why?

For a science teacher I believe that the computer is the most important way to learn and teach the concepts. An example, I used virtual dissections before for a few reasons, one beings some students really have no interest in dissections but its part of science. Virtual dissections are great,it can do the cutting and identify the parts of the animal. Using the computer helps students become more efficient not only in science and how to help them in future science class's but they can become more proficient with computers which in turns will help them in all class's and life in general.