Week 1, Blog 3 - If Technology Motivates Students, Let's Use It!

Here is the article's link: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/motivating-students-technology

This article discusses how teachers cannot just give up if students are unmotivated and bored by the learning.  Insisting that much of education today is still caught up in the 1950s style of education with books, lecture, and overheads, the author points out that students are basically alienated from this kind of learning. 

Instead of continuing with this kind of education that continues to fail at motivating students, he argues that the educational system must begin making serious changes that will embrace the kind of lifestyle of the students.  This includes using their phones, iPods, iPads, digital media, wikis, blogs, and so on.  If this happens, Chen (the author), maintains that students will no longer be unmotivated, but will instead be using the educational tools of the 21st Century. 

He also notes that some teachers are averse to this kind of philosophy.  To refute the naysayers of technology usage, the author states that when television came out, forward thinkers created a program called Sesame Street.  People back in the 1960s originally said that television could not be used to teach the youth (who were the ones who first embraced television).  Obviously, those detractors were proven to be wrong in their thinking.  Likewise, he contends that those that say that modern technology will inhibit educational growth will be proven wrong in the future.

I agree with the fact that it is very important to keep students motivated in the classroom.  We, as teachers, must continue to find ways to motivate students.  However, we also have to teach them to motivate themselves.  Intrinsic motivation is key for all people, and if we -- as teachers -- can teach them to develop their intrinsic motivation, then we have won part of the battle. 

In regards to the incorporation of technology into the classroom, there is no doubt that it is very vital.  I often have students do discussion board responses.  The one drawback, however, is that the technology often is slower / fails to work and valuable time is lost.  I wish that every student had their own laptop.  If they did, then they could bring it in and connect to the internet online.  From there, a ton of innovating assignments / learning activities could be presented that would enable students to develop in a multitude of capacities.

Chen, Milton. "If Technology Motivates Students, Let's Use It!"  16 Sep. 2010.  Web, Edutopia.  20 June 2011. < http://www.edutopia.org/blog/motivating-students-technology>.