Sometimes I think the advances in technology are making us run around in circles. It is almost as if we are getting ahead of ourselves and can't seem to control the spiralling. In the effort to make things more and more advanced and high-tech we are creating more problems than we can solve with the very technology. Cutting and pasting is the order of the day for some.
Plagiarism is one of those things. It used to be that finding information in a text book or encyclopedia or at the library was a good and useful thing. Then as technology made it possible to make more and more information available on the internet there had to be laws developed to protect this information and the writer's rights. But it is increasingly difficult to protect something that is published on the internet. Despite the 'fair use' clauses it is almost impossible to stop someone from repeating what they read on the internet, no matter the source.
The necessity for plagiarism detecting programmes became a reality. But even these programmes have their limits and must be used with care. To me just about everything is written in just about every way on the internet now, so that anything that is run through one of these programmes will come up as already quoted on the internet.
Not only universities , but newspapers and other print avenues are challenged by plagiarism and how to manage it. Students and writers are being encouraged to make sure and put everything that they are quoting in the proper quotation marks. What other solutions can there be?Where will this, like all other technology problem, end?
Read an article on plagiarism at Cheating has always been around
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Daily school recess improves classroom behaviour
Sometimes I think we create controversies just for controversy sake, especially in our education systems. We create them; there is a big hullabaloo; fiery debates ensue then the issue dies and we move on to the next. Maybe it is done to give researchers something to work on. Might have to do with that 'publish or perish' maxim of university professorship.
One of these was about the value of recess in schools. Many school systems decided that playing during the school day was wasting precious time that children could be spending learning something. Of course, others espoused the value of physical exercise and the connection between physical and mental energy. So how did that hullabaloo ever end?
Here is an article that is reviving the issue. A good read though.
Science Daily
One of these was about the value of recess in schools. Many school systems decided that playing during the school day was wasting precious time that children could be spending learning something. Of course, others espoused the value of physical exercise and the connection between physical and mental energy. So how did that hullabaloo ever end?
Here is an article that is reviving the issue. A good read though.
Science Daily
Monday, January 12, 2009
Online learning
The internet is such a commonplace thing now that it seems silly to even write an article on online learning. Simply insert “online learning” in any search engine and you will find more than you can possibly read in any one sitting.
So yes, online learning is the way to go for millions of people. The convenience is probably the highest rated advantage. Imagine sitting at home and taking a course at any time of day, anywhere in the world. No travelling and traffic to contend with, no class schedules to fit your life around, etc. etc.
You can learn just about anything you want on the internet- from hobbies to graduate degrees.
Here is an easy-to-read summary of why so many people are turning to the internet for their education now: “15 reasons why students like online learning”.
http://www.worldwidelearn.com/education-articles/benefits-of-online-learning.htm
And this is my blatant promotion of my own online classes. I teach a number of subjects at various sites:
Courses include: Introduction to special education
Writing for academic purposes
Theories of child development
Social and emotional learning
The psychology of learning
Understanding developmental disorders
Introduction to counseling
Understanding the adolescent stage of development
Courses include: Understanding the learning process
Social and emotional learning
Child development theories
Courses include: Social and emotional learning
Courses include: Child development
Courses include: Psychology of learning
See, there is indeed a wide range of possibilities for teaching and learning online.
In addition to these sites there are also now a growing number of sites where teachers can host their own classes using the technology offered by these sites. One such that I am trying out is www.wiziq.com
Now you have no excuse for not taking a course online in your spare time.
Monday, December 08, 2008
Motivating Students
Students do not like school. That is a fact. Or maybe they like school but do not like learning. Or worse yet maybe they do not like learning what is presented to them in the class as education. Until better can be done all young people have to go to school and teachers have to teach them.
The theory of motivation suggests four conditions that must be present for students to be motivated-:
* a supportive learning environment
* an appropriate level of challenge of tasks and activities.
* learning objectives must be relevant and meaningful
* a moderate or optimal use of motivational strategies.
Here is my list of suggestions for motivating students in the classroom, based on these conditions.
A. The Involvement of Teachers. The relationship between the teacher and student is crucial. Brain research and Social and Emotional Learning theory also tell us that basically the learning environment must be non- threatening and particularly free from fear.
1. Learn about your students' interests, experiences, career goals, etc. Talk with them about their lives and share some of yours with them.
2. Listen actively to your students. Encourage them to talk about their fears and anxieties, their dreams and visions, their everyday upsets and their chronic bad feelings (of invalidation, incompetence, feeling stupid, etc.)
3. Connect with them regularly- an approving look, a hand on the shoulder, sit near to them and walk around the class and stop at a desk occasionally and offer help and support.
4. Avoid threats and punishments (even in tone of voice). Avoid creating competition among the students, encourage cooperative working in groups. Avoid public criticisms and put downs.
B. Providing autonomy and making work relevant and meaningful.
1. Allow students to have choice in what they study, how they are evaluated, how they present work and topics for projects.
2. Give feedback as soon as possible. Feedback must be indicative of how the student has done, where he/she could have done better and suggestions for improvement.
3. Explain how the content of the curriculum will be useful to the students academically and/or personally. Use examples and assignments that relate to the students' interests.
4. Use variety in your teaching methods and your presentation, in the assignments and types of tests that you set.
C. Appropriate level of challenge.
1. Hold high expectations of your students always.
2. Help the students to set realistic goals for themselves- stress improvement not just test performance.
3. Communicate clearly what is expected of the students. Be clear with objectives and aims of the lesson and how the students' progress and performance will be evaluated.
4. Make sure that the work matches the students' ability and background and experiences. Set work that is not too easy nor too difficult. The work must be challenging enough, but the student must also believe that achievement is possible.
5. Increase the difficulty of the work as the year progresses and the students' performance improves.
Generally be enthusiastic about your subject and about teaching, Create an atmosphere in your classroom that is safe, open and positive. And let the students help to guide your efforts. Ask them what they like about the class and what they would like to see changed and how they would like to see the work be more interesting.
The theory of motivation suggests four conditions that must be present for students to be motivated-:
* a supportive learning environment
* an appropriate level of challenge of tasks and activities.
* learning objectives must be relevant and meaningful
* a moderate or optimal use of motivational strategies.
Here is my list of suggestions for motivating students in the classroom, based on these conditions.
A. The Involvement of Teachers. The relationship between the teacher and student is crucial. Brain research and Social and Emotional Learning theory also tell us that basically the learning environment must be non- threatening and particularly free from fear.
1. Learn about your students' interests, experiences, career goals, etc. Talk with them about their lives and share some of yours with them.
2. Listen actively to your students. Encourage them to talk about their fears and anxieties, their dreams and visions, their everyday upsets and their chronic bad feelings (of invalidation, incompetence, feeling stupid, etc.)
3. Connect with them regularly- an approving look, a hand on the shoulder, sit near to them and walk around the class and stop at a desk occasionally and offer help and support.
4. Avoid threats and punishments (even in tone of voice). Avoid creating competition among the students, encourage cooperative working in groups. Avoid public criticisms and put downs.
B. Providing autonomy and making work relevant and meaningful.
1. Allow students to have choice in what they study, how they are evaluated, how they present work and topics for projects.
2. Give feedback as soon as possible. Feedback must be indicative of how the student has done, where he/she could have done better and suggestions for improvement.
3. Explain how the content of the curriculum will be useful to the students academically and/or personally. Use examples and assignments that relate to the students' interests.
4. Use variety in your teaching methods and your presentation, in the assignments and types of tests that you set.
C. Appropriate level of challenge.
1. Hold high expectations of your students always.
2. Help the students to set realistic goals for themselves- stress improvement not just test performance.
3. Communicate clearly what is expected of the students. Be clear with objectives and aims of the lesson and how the students' progress and performance will be evaluated.
4. Make sure that the work matches the students' ability and background and experiences. Set work that is not too easy nor too difficult. The work must be challenging enough, but the student must also believe that achievement is possible.
5. Increase the difficulty of the work as the year progresses and the students' performance improves.
Generally be enthusiastic about your subject and about teaching, Create an atmosphere in your classroom that is safe, open and positive. And let the students help to guide your efforts. Ask them what they like about the class and what they would like to see changed and how they would like to see the work be more interesting.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
