Greetings!
| Topic of the Month: Technology &
Education |
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Does Technology Present a New Way of Learning?
We hear so frequently that "today's students" are
different from their predecessors, learn in new ways, and so
need to be taught differently, that these assertions seldom
get the scrutiny they deserve. In these few pages I hope to
look at the learner primarily as a biological entity, and
learning as a biological process. I hope to use human biology
as a first principle from which to deduce certain arguments
regarding teaching and technology. In one sense the claim that
"we all learn differently" is a hypothesis that is too true to
be good - by which I mean it lacks any potential for informing
pedagogy. As Steven Stahl (1999) found from an extensive
review of the literature and from personal interviews,
attempts to create a teaching style to match learning styles
produce no detectable improvement. The long-standing push to
emphasize the differences among learners has not led to any
improvement in education and has not produced any pedagogical
methods that would lead to improvement. The argument to be
presented here is that we should be looking at the
commonalties among learners rather than the differences.
Should it be true that, at some level, all learners are doing
the same thing, that fact would make instructional design a
realistic goal.
To read more go to: http://www.ifets.info/journals/4_1/leamnson.pdf
Computers and Students' Conceptions of Learning: The
Transition from Post-Secondary Education to the
Workplace
Students entering the work world today
face unprecedented challenges. Two of the most important of
these challenges are: (a) the necessity to adapt to rapidly
evolving demands for new knowledge, skills, and competencies,
many of which were not anticipated during their formal
education; and, (b) the need to learn information technology
skills, both as an end goal and as a means for other learning.
These challenges in turn present a challenge to educational
institutions: how should students be educated to meet these
needs? In addition, rapidly changing work environments,
characterized by greater competitiveness in global markets, a
need to reduce costs, and changes in technology place
substantial demands on organizations and their employees
(Watkins & Marsick, 1993). Now more than ever, students
and employees must be prepared to undertake continuous and
collective learning.
To read more go to: http://www.ifets.info/journals/5_2/kirby.pdf
Existing studies on teachers' technology
beliefs
Though funding, equipment, lack of time,
and knowledge are known obstacles to successful technology
integration (Hardy, 1998; Lam, 2000; Simonsen & Dick,
1997), a critical component in meeting teachers' technology
needs is responding to teachers' beliefs toward technologies.
In fact, teachers' beliefs are essential in considering how a
teacher teaches, thinks, and learns (Richardson, 1996). Hope
(1997) wrote, "Teachers basically had to contend with two
factors [with technology adoption]: (a) the psychological
effect of change and (b) learning to use microcomputer
technology." (p. 158). Understanding teachers' beliefs toward
technology plays an essential role in successful technology
adoption.
To read more go to: http://www.ifets.info/journals/7_4/19.pdf
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| Upcoming Events in Professional
Development |
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presents
An International Conference on Jewish
Education: Grounded in Tradition, Wrestling with the Present,
Imagining the Future
January 11-13, 2005 in Miami,
FL.
Teachers and educators from all over
North America will be attending the conference, including
JSkyway! Make sure to stop by our booth at the resources fair.
For more information go to:
Lookstein
Conference
RAVSAK:The Jewish Community Day School Network
Annual Conference 2005
January 16-19, 2005 in Irvine,
CA.
 RAVSAK is
bringing internationally recognized authorities on
fundraising, strategic planning, marketing and recruitment,
board development, and independent school leadership together
with heads of schools, board presidents and other key lay
leaders, and directors of Judaic studies for a
thought-provoking and action-inspiring conference. You don't
want to miss it!
JSkyway will be offering a dinner and
will have a table at the resource fair.
For more
information go to:
RAVSAK
Conference
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| A Better You |
|
Just in time for the holiday season: JBooks
publishes a best-of-2004 list!
This comes from the
mind of Neal Pollack, author of "Never Mind The Pollacks" and
a nice Jewish boy to boot. Neal calls this a collection of
"the five best fiction books I've read that were published
this year. I might even say the five best fiction books by
Jews that were published this year, but I can't because I
don't think that Neil Gaiman is Jewish. No, wait. He is
Jewish. So my top five books are all by Jewish authors. Who
would have believed?"
Go to:
www.jbooks.com to check it out!
IDEAS???
We would love to hear your feedback on
our current E-letter and requests for future issue topics!
What do you want to see in the next JSkyway E-letter? Email
your ideas to Emily Myerson at: emyerson@jflmedia.com
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