annef's blog

1. How could you create a similar experience for any business education curriculum and/or course?

• To recreate this in a business education course I would base the course on collaborative learning.  I would combine the use of wiki’s and google docs for all in class work and assignments.  Students would be split into teams and would have the choice of using either technology, based on their preference.  Regardless, I would have access to their work so that I could monitor changes and make comments.

2. What do you think is a strength of his scenario?

•  The biggest strength I found throughout the article was the collaboration among all involved.  It helps to show that its more than just the one teacher for that one class that believes this method is effective.  Especially for the business concepts, it helps to show application such as in the community.

3. What do you think is a weakness of his scenario?

• One of the weaknesses is the multitude of resources necessary to implement it.  Not just financial resources to have the technology available to all, but also the human resources to monitor and operate it.  It may be difficult to start initially but once the kinks were worked out, it may be easier to run.

The overall theme of this chapter was utilizing the tools available to you to the best of your ability.  All teachers are expected to maintain their licenses and to bring in the best tools for their students to use in learning.  Both of these can be accomplished through professional development.  As business teachers we have additional certifications in areas that involve technology, so it is a necessity that we stay on top of the technological game.    The authors discussed a specific conference that allowed the teachers to apply what they were learning.  There are extensive professional development seminars that help us to learn first hand abou these technologies.  The challenge comes in picking the appropriate ones.

The use of Blogs and Podcasts are two options teachers have for improving the educational tools use to instruct both ESL (English as a second language) and LEP (limited English proficient) students.  Chapter 8 discussed further the was to use these tools most effectively.  Blogs can be used as a communication tool between the student and teacher.  The use of technologies that involve writing allow the student to think out their responses before answering.  Podcasting provides a similar function by allowing the student to hear what they are learning in English while processing the information.  The students are also able to listen at their own pace. 

Exposing ESL students and those students with disabilities to the widely expanding world of technology is important for all ages.  The use of technology for such students can dramatically change their learning and comprehension levels by “evening” the playing field in the classroom.  It is important, however, to test the technology before hand and research the types that can be deemed most effective for each individuals disability needs.  Especially in regards to competitive events in BPA and DECA, the use of technology allows students with disabilities to compete in events that they would normally not be able to compete in.  This can also be said for the international DECA programs with students who come to the U.S. to compete.