Chapter Seven

Summary-chapter 7

    Chapter seven talks about how to use web 2.0 to help ELLs to learn, not just English, but those common subjects such as science and math. The author states that the numbers of ELLs are growing each year, which also says that no matter you are ESL teacher or not, your classroom will definitely have ELLs. In this chapter, the author discusses why web 2.0 can help ELLs. Because web 2.0 can provide students with extra opportunities to do meaningful language learning at home, this can certainly help students with low confident in the classroom. Also, web 2.0 can involve students in activities that expand their problem-solving skills. At the end of this chapter, the author provides guidelines to explain how to prepare ELLs for this 21^st century and the TESOL standards

    When I was reading this chapter, I have a lot of thought about how to use web 2.0 to help ELLs to learn. English is not my first language, so I consider myself is an ELL, but when I was learning English, my entire class were ELLs, so there was no problem for us to learn because everyone was learning no exception. So I don’t really know how can web 2.0 help ELLs, but after considering the situation is in the U.S. so the majority of students are not ELLs, so the circumstances may change. Like the author suggests, web 2.0 provides ELLs the opportunity to practice English at home alone or with parents. I believe with web 2.0, ELLs can learn faster than the traditional way.

Chapter Five

Summary-chapter 5

    In this chapter, the author talks about teachers should know about youth and digital media. She states “Today’s student is likely to engage daily in numerous literate practices, from print to film to multimodal forms such as websites and video games.” Also, three tough questions have been addressed in this chapter for teachers to think about those answers. The major part of this chapter is to discuss what is new media? As the author suggests, new media is an umbrella term which used to describe technologies of late 20^th century and that are new. On page 85, the author provides the characteristics of new media environment which are peer-based learning, collaboration, creativity, interest-driven practices and friendship-driven practices. Also, at the end of this chapter, the author provides an example of a teacher’s perspective by using technology in the classroom.

    The most interesting class I took was the reading guide class when I was junior in college. The teacher not only used print to teach, but used videos, movie clips, and sounds to facilitate his teaching. I think that was amazing, it let me know that teaching can be fun as well. In order to understand the youth trend, as a teacher, we need to engage ourselves with our students. We need to know what’s the hot topic students are talking about, certainly internet can help us to do that. I think new media in today would be iPad, iPod, Kindle, etc. those technologies transfer the way we used to read, we don’t need to go to the library to borrow books, now we can just use those technology tools to download them.

Chapter Four

Summary-chapter 4

    In this chapter, the author discusses the role of teachers in technology teaching. Teachers are not the one who teaches how to use technology tools anymore, instead they are digital immigrants. He states that teachers don’t need to know a lot of technical skills; they need an ability to manage the use of many technologies in the classroom. In the traditional classroom setting, teachers are like the governor who controls everything in that classroom, and they often isolated themselves in it. This chapter suggests that teachers should seek for help and support in their schools. Like other two chapters mentioned before, this chapter suggests teachers to shift their control, let students to the controlling when they are learning, teachers are not just teachers, they are facilitators, editors, guides, etc.

    I agree that teachers should always seek for help from others, because sometimes others’ suggestions will help a lot. I’m not sure about teachers should not know too many of technical skills because if students have those kind of trouble and it will takes time to find the answer or cannot find the answer at all. I think teachers need to attend the technical workshop, and know the basic knowledge about those technical skills so that they can help students to solve the problems. I think it is hard for teachers to shift control because they were controlled by their teachers so obviously they will control their students, but it is 21^st century not, I think teachers need to adjust the attitude to help students learn.

Chapter Two

Summary-chapter 2

    Chapter two talks about how school needs to change to fit every student. In this 21^st century, no single teaching and learning approach can serve the needs of every student. The authors discussed that more and more students and parents are becoming dissatisfied with the inflexibility of schools. Also, schools will be customized to meet the specific needs of each community. In this chapter, the authors talk about the real issue that schools will face. They state “The most important issue facing schools today is not how to incorporate the fantastic new technology we have discussed.” and “No, the most important issue facing schools today is the reluctance of those in control of education to let go of what they are used to, whatever their role in the system.” As we can see, “Let go” is the words that telling schools to do in this 21^st century.

    I think the point of the chapter is good, but I think there are still a lot of challenges schools will have to deal with in different places such as common core and standard test. From where I am from-Taiwan, I know that schools are still stay in the same system as 20^th century; I can see that it is really hard for them to change. I agree that every students are unique, school needs to satisfy everyone of them but schools cannot give each teacher just one student, that’s outrageous. I think school can eventually change to what we are expecting they are for this 21^st century, it just needs time and money to fulfill.

Chapter One

Summary-Chapter 1

    In chapter one, the author talks about a new pedagogy for new educational landscape which is partnering. He mentioned that young students need to focus on using new tools, finding information, making meaning and creating. Also, teachers are not just the one who gives students all the information; instead, teachers need to focus on questioning, coaching and guiding. The author used metaphor to imply that students as rockets, and teachers as rocket scientists. On the other hand, the author explains how partnering works. He states “Letting students focus on the part of the learning process that they can do best, and letting teachers focus on the part of learning process that they can do best.” With technology, student roles in partnering are researcher, technology user and expert, thinker, etc. As teachers’ roles in partnering are coach and guide, goal setter, learning designer, etc.  

    After reading this chapter, I felt I learned a lot from it. When I was learning, we didn’t have a lot of technology tools that we can use in class, so the only way we can learn was taking notes from our teachers. For me, teacher is the only one who can give me knowledge and answer all my questions, but in today’s world, we have technology as a strong resource for us to teach ourselves. I think for teachers, they need to adjust their attitude about using technology in their teaching, they are not the only one who can give the answer, instead of teaching students everything, who not just let them teach themselves and we just help them when they need.