A new language

Technical development is so fast that it is hard to follow even for those who have good basic knowledge. For mostly self-taught teachers like myself it looks like a ball-game where following the ball is the only thing one can do because the rules of the game are a code we haven’t learnt.

I always keep an open mind (and eyes and ears) to technical development and pick up as much as possible to use in my work. I applied to this course hoping to learn in an organized way the possibilities lying in the use of Internet; both for my work as a teacher, but more importantly, as a teaching-material writer.

The first week of this course made me realize that most of my difficulties are related to this new language. I feel like I know the melody but I don’t know the rhythm. I understand the words but not in the meaning they are used in the “IKT” context.

I also realized that I am interested in the subject, and approach it from the practice point of view. Every question makes me think of my experiences in the two specific Swedish secondary schools (gymnasiet) I have been working in for the past 10 years. Although this might be a limitation, the fact that the first school was considered at the time Sweden’s most modern school complex, and the second school is a quite traditional one, give me the possibility to reflect on the questions we are asked, from the practice of two quite extreme examples.

I find it very interesting to read about other schools’ experiences, as well as visit different sites. What I’d like to work with, and find out answers for are the practical aspects, e.g.:

How much time is used by a teacher in preparing for the first time these lessons/courses?

How do students with different learning skills profit from this method?

How the result of an Internet based work is evaluated? As in group- and individual work?

How do I keep up with all the new gadgets that students use, and that could be used to an advantage in the classroom?

Do all students have the newest gadgets?

What happens to those few who don’t even like to use Word or e-mail?

I have tried out some of the methods myself and found some answers. I would like to use many more possibilities, thus my questions. I’m sure I’ll get answers to most of my questions from the materials in this course. I look forward to it.