My Perspective on Key Issues
Teachers should have an acute knowledge of many different technological media.
-They should know the uses of these programs.
-They should have basic knowledge of how to use them, as well as each program's strengths and
weaknesses.Teachers should use many different types of technology to appeal to many different learning styles and intelligences.
-Many students learn in many different ways and have many different intelligences. Teachers
should understand how different technologies can be used to appeal to the different learning
styles and the multiple intelligences.
-Once teachers know how to apply technology they must do so.Teachers should assign projects that make use of different technologies available to students.
-The class that best prepared me for higher learning was my high school computers class.
Other teachers in the school did not allow the students to utilize and learn different computer
programs.
-Being able to make use of technology will better prepare students for higher learning
and future occupations.
-Each student should be allowed to create using technology in lieu of a presentation. This will
allow the students to be more creative than they otherwise may be.
Teachers should motivate students by any means necessary. Students are more likely to become intrinsically motivated if they foster a meaningful relationship with the teacher. Teachers should be available for students help for other areas of life rather than just helping with their own subject area. If a student feels a teacher cares for the student, that student is more likely to want to please that teacher, the student will be motivated to do what the teacher asks of him or her. This will greatly aid in the learning process.I firmly believe that students must be motivated before they will learn. In this way, if it is not possible to form a trusting relationship with a class, a teacher still must find ways to motivate his or her students. I believe that teachers should utilize cognitive and constructivist teaching styles; however, if students cannot be motivated using these methods, I would utilize behavioral methods of learning to motivate students. After students become motivated, a teacher could begin to cultivate a meaningful relationship with his or her students. Then students may begin to become intrinsically motivated.
Also: See my work on Weiner's Attirbution Theory.
I believe in using a percentile grading system with a set grading scale. Under a percentile system, a student always knows where he or she stands. Students are able to keep track of their grades under a percentile grading system. I disagree with using norm-referencing grade scales as well as criterion-referencing scales. Under a norm-referencing system students who are achieving well may get lower grades than they deserve because their peers are performing far above-average. I believe it is unfair to penalize good students who are doing what is required of them because
their peers are performing better. I dislike criterion-referencing grading systems because students are unable to keep track of where they stand in the course. I also dislike criterion-referencing systems because it leaves too much discretion in the teacher's hands. There is too much room for a teacher to act on feelings toward a student to improve or drop a grade. Even if a teacher is giving a fair assessment of a student's performance, there is too much room for students to perceive the teacher's assessment as unfair. Under a percentile system, students always know where they stand and there is less discretion in the teacher's hands.