Thursday, April 29, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Integrating Technology Into Gifted/Talented Teaching: Meeting 21st Century Goals
Excerpt from article.
How can teachers successfully promote the skills of an advanced learner within a regular education classroom?
Differentiating instruction through the use of technology is the answer.
Intuitive teachers have practiced differentiating instruction for a long time. Scott Willis and Larry Mann, (2000) say nearly all teachers believe that it's better to differentiate instruction but the challenge rests in translating that belief into action. The application of technology can help in this respect since it's become "a vehicle for gifted curricular differentiation" (Sheffield 2007). The flexibility of the Internet offers numerous options for the delivery of content that educators can take advantage of when considering instruction modifications for gifted students. "First, it provides universal access to information." "Second, the Internet provides a common platform for the collaboration, sharing, and publishing of ideas" (Siegle, n.d.). Finally, the experience of using the Internet to form relationships through email, instant messaging, and electronic mentoring enables gifted students to feel connected with others like them and gain a sense of belonging. According to Siegle (n.d.), technology allows students to produce products in a real-world fashion…they can access software that enables them to compose music, design buildings and collect data with laboratory probes in ways similar to practicing professionals in each of these fields. Many gifted students possess a high technology aptitude and prefer this mode of learning. Siegle (n.d.) maintains that the infinite possibilities associated with digital technology, especially via the Internet, means that gifted students are limited solely by their interests and abilities.
Reference for citation: http://www.techlearning.com/article/8912
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Dr. Joyce’s current professional vita is below:
VITA
Joyce Pittman, Ph.D.
CEO, Global Education Technology Research Associates, CEO
Doctoral Professor, Instructional Technology and Distance Education
North Miami, Florida USA
Consultant, Researcher, Professor, United Arab Emirates Higher Education
Dr. Joyce Pittman is a dynamic and engaging professor, author, motivational speaker and leader in Education (Teacher Education, Inclusive Education, Instructional Technology, Curriculum and Instruction, Distance Education, Training and Development and Educational Leadership). She is a professor and Director of Professional Development. She is a co-author of the book Toward Digital Equity: Bridging the divides in education (Edited by Gwen Solomon, Paul Resta and Nancy Allen) and author of Building Inclusive Learning Communities, and other works.
EDUCATION
Degree: Ph.D. in Education (Curriculum & Instruction, Instructional Technology)
Institution: Iowa State University of Science and Technology
Ames, Iowa, USA
Field: Teacher Education, Educational Leadership, and Instructional Technology
PROFESSIONAL MISSION
Her professional mission is to promote digital equity in education and to advance the status of people of all ages with diverse learning needs. Her research agenda is centered on instructional technology and digital equity.
Digital equity is a philosophy rooted in critical pedagogy and socio-cultural theory. A critical focus is on contributing to a body of work that contributes to creating and sustaining a democratic educational system of equality in education. Her research is especially concerned with identifying research-based strategies to help those with disabilities, multicultural and bi-lingual learners achieve in the classroom.
Given the transformative effects of technology on education, social and economic development in an increasingly intercultural society, it is essential to study how new learning environments will impact learning and teaching of multicultural and English as Second Language learners. An important tenet of this research places emphasis on sustaining access to technology as essential to democratic participation in society and especially in education. Applying a Vygotskian viewpoint, her philosophy of education is that education culminates in social environments.
Dr. Pittman theorizes that changes in professional development for teachers, access to technology, pedagogy and content are needed to overcome the learning problems of learners who are at-risk of failing in the traditional education system. If students are allowed to progress from grade to grade without mastering most of the outcomes attributed to each level or course they will become more and more out of touch with the capabilities needed to complete their education successfully to meet 21st century learning expectations.
Enhanced access to technology or digital equity, therefore, cannot be conceptualized without insight into the dynamics of classrooms and curricula, and their inter-relationships with achievement and teachers’ understanding of appropriate pedagogy and technologies.
VITA
Joyce Pittman, Ph.D.
CEO, Global Education Technology Research Associates, CEO
Doctoral Professor, Instructional Technology and Distance Education
North Miami, Florida USA
Consultant, Researcher, Professor, United Arab Emirates Higher Education
Dr. Joyce Pittman is a dynamic and engaging professor, author, motivational speaker and leader in Education (Teacher Education, Inclusive Education, Instructional Technology, Curriculum and Instruction, Distance Education, Training and Development and Educational Leadership). She is a professor and Director of Professional Development. She is a co-author of the book Toward Digital Equity: Bridging the divides in education (Edited by Gwen Solomon, Paul Resta and Nancy Allen) and author of Building Inclusive Learning Communities, and other works.
EDUCATION
Degree: Ph.D. in Education (Curriculum & Instruction, Instructional Technology)
Institution: Iowa State University of Science and Technology
Ames, Iowa, USA
Field: Teacher Education, Educational Leadership, and Instructional Technology
PROFESSIONAL MISSION
Her professional mission is to promote digital equity in education and to advance the status of people of all ages with diverse learning needs. Her research agenda is centered on instructional technology and digital equity.
Digital equity is a philosophy rooted in critical pedagogy and socio-cultural theory. A critical focus is on contributing to a body of work that contributes to creating and sustaining a democratic educational system of equality in education. Her research is especially concerned with identifying research-based strategies to help those with disabilities, multicultural and bi-lingual learners achieve in the classroom.
Given the transformative effects of technology on education, social and economic development in an increasingly intercultural society, it is essential to study how new learning environments will impact learning and teaching of multicultural and English as Second Language learners. An important tenet of this research places emphasis on sustaining access to technology as essential to democratic participation in society and especially in education. Applying a Vygotskian viewpoint, her philosophy of education is that education culminates in social environments.
Dr. Pittman theorizes that changes in professional development for teachers, access to technology, pedagogy and content are needed to overcome the learning problems of learners who are at-risk of failing in the traditional education system. If students are allowed to progress from grade to grade without mastering most of the outcomes attributed to each level or course they will become more and more out of touch with the capabilities needed to complete their education successfully to meet 21st century learning expectations.
Enhanced access to technology or digital equity, therefore, cannot be conceptualized without insight into the dynamics of classrooms and curricula, and their inter-relationships with achievement and teachers’ understanding of appropriate pedagogy and technologies.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Do you teach or educate?
This video is posted to stimulate thinking about how we approach learning and teaching in the classroom.
more about "Do you teach or educate?", posted with vodpod
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