At Tech the Plunge, Jeff writes about teacher morale and explains how Part 10, “ Galileo was Right,” of a 12 part mini-series entitled From the Earth to the Moon originally broadcast on HBO in the late 90’s can increase teacher morale because "it provides a great insight into two entirely different methods of teaching."
My response:
Yes, it is so important to boost teacher morale because there are so many "hats" to wear as a teacher (and as an administer for that matter) that most people do not realize. Expectations for educators are set high with only so many hours in a day, and yet, most continue to plug away to go above and beyond those expectations. But, educators are human, so re-generation is a must or burnout will inevitably be on the horizon!
I think the way you chose to boost teacher morale is an excellent demonstration of how information through technology could be used a classroom and a testimonial that the resources available to educators and students regarding information gathering is available. Not only is it available, but it can be found for free or at a minimum cost - what kind of educator doesn't like free?
Additionally, as new mediums for delivering digital content such as the iPad and other tablets become available, the way in which we access that content will also be different and generally speaking, more accessible. In the March 1, 2010 episode of TWiT 237: Master Iterator, hosts, Leo Laporte, Jason Calacanis, Dwight Silverman, and Brett Larson, discussed the way content delivery and content acquisition has changed and is changing. The ability to access archives and compare and contrast trends and recent events provides opportunities for higher level thinking. Silverman gave an excellent example of how the Houston Chronicle was able to provide up-to-date, nearly real-time information of the recent earthquake and tsunamis through information gathered from Twitter feeds and Ustream video. Larson commented that when New York covered subway strikes, archived information from previous strikes was used to show trends and compare and contrast the situation.
So, if we are able to find fantastic archival video with a few clicks to boost teacher morale, wouldn't it make sense that educators everywhere could use these same strategies to boost student morale? After all, if our news sources are gathering information this way, wouldn't it only make sense to teach our students to do the same thing and apply their knowledge to real-world situations?
Awesome post, Jeff! Thanks!
Yes, it is so important to boost teacher morale because there are so many "hats" to wear as a teacher (and as an administer for that matter) that most people do not realize. Expectations for educators are set high with only so many hours in a day, and yet, most continue to plug away to go above and beyond those expectations. But, educators are human, so re-generation is a must or burnout will inevitably be on the horizon!
I think the way you chose to boost teacher morale is an excellent demonstration of how information through technology could be used a classroom and a testimonial that the resources available to educators and students regarding information gathering is available. Not only is it available, but it can be found for free or at a minimum cost - what kind of educator doesn't like free?
Additionally, as new mediums for delivering digital content such as the iPad and other tablets become available, the way in which we access that content will also be different and generally speaking, more accessible. In the March 1, 2010 episode of TWiT 237: Master Iterator, hosts, Leo Laporte, Jason Calacanis, Dwight Silverman, and Brett Larson, discussed the way content delivery and content acquisition has changed and is changing. The ability to access archives and compare and contrast trends and recent events provides opportunities for higher level thinking. Silverman gave an excellent example of how the Houston Chronicle was able to provide up-to-date, nearly real-time information of the recent earthquake and tsunamis through information gathered from Twitter feeds and Ustream video. Larson commented that when New York covered subway strikes, archived information from previous strikes was used to show trends and compare and contrast the situation.
So, if we are able to find fantastic archival video with a few clicks to boost teacher morale, wouldn't it make sense that educators everywhere could use these same strategies to boost student morale? After all, if our news sources are gathering information this way, wouldn't it only make sense to teach our students to do the same thing and apply their knowledge to real-world situations?
Awesome post, Jeff! Thanks!
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