Worldwide Educational Unplugged Day - March 23

Introduction to the Worldwide Educator Unplug Day 2012

Dyane, I saw this article from the Pew Research Center and thought of this post.  Here is a quote from the article.  "Many of the experts surveyed by Elon University’s Imagining the Internet Center and the Pew Internet Project said the effects of hyperconnectivity and the always-on lifestyles of young people will be mostly positive between now and 2020. But the experts in this survey also predicted this generation will exhibit a thirst for instant gratification and quick fixes, a loss of patience, and a lack of deep-thinking ability due to what one referred to as “fast-twitch wiring.”

One thing we should never forget as educators is that it is about the journey of learning and not the "get it correct now" attitude.  For me, the journey to learning something is as exciting as actually getting there.

Does that make sense?

Neil

I think students need to have projects without technology.  I have had students create book reports using their own imaginations called Book in a Container. They have to decorate a container using story elements from their book.  Then inside the container they have to put 5 items that connect with their book.  The student then presents the container to the class explaining the items in the container and how they relate to the book. Next they explain the story elements of the book that decorates their container.  The students create some fantastic book reports!

I team teach with two other teachers and will try to get them to go along with me. I think they will be game.

My students will conduct experiments with catapults they will have made earlier in the week and make connections to the geometry unit we will have started. The STAAR Writing exam is the following Tuesday, so my students will be making final preparations for that. I will need to touch base with the Reading teacher to find out what she will be doing with the students.

I am a PE teacher. You would think this would be easy - no technology, just activity. And we do a lot of that - activity with locomotor skills, now we are in the striking unit with baseball, golf, tennis and hockey. On March 23rd I tried  going tech free. I didn't use any music from any source including the iPod, did not use the projector,or the iPad (to show skills, health topics, etc). The day was a bit more drab without music, and without moving to music. I could possible get away with not using the iPad (and I don't use it every day),  but it does add an extra layer of interest, expanding horizons (esp. since most of our kids don't have computers, etc at home), and just something new. I don't think I could give up the music we use in class, though. So while I could go tech free, it is more interesting to add outside sources of information.

I will move "Worldwide Educational Unplugged Day" to after the Easter Holiday Weekend. I think this will be a real eye-opener to my students. We have become very dependent on our technology. Last year we had a day when we had no electricity and the students struggled to stay focused without the use of the clock, innovation stations and computers. They often asked me to show them a video or the worksheet on the innovation station. They didn't seem to understand how they could do normal classroom tasks without the technology aspect. At the end of the day, we will discuss how different things are and which way they prefer - with or without the technology. Unlike the day without electricity, we will have the lights and clocks on but everything else will go back to the way I originally taught in the classroom - with no technology. We have come a long way baby!