Tuesday, May 1, 2007

I think Romano's idea of Technology Enhanced Curriculum is realistic. It seems like an idea that would work in schools and more importantly be accepted by school districts and teachers. There is the rub, is that it has to be accepted by teachers and it has to be something that teachers will do and use and it has to be something that is easily phased into the classroom routine. It is definitely something akin to what I would come up with for using technology in my classroom or in my school. I think as far as developing my own model for using technology in my classroom, I would have to have computers in the classroom for those students who are working below grade level. I don't think Romano took those students into account and as we know, there are always those students in every grade level. Those students are not going to be able to make 90 and above, even with the tutorial on the computer. They are going to need more than just the teaching/test/tutorial that the rest of the students are getting. Having the tutorial on the computers in the classroom or having the lessons on the computer so they can listen to the lesson again and again on the computer would be something that I would add to my model. I like the idea of having a computer lab, but I feel it is important to have computers in the classrooms as well, especially for those students who are behind. I also think the expectation of 90 and above for all students is a high expectation. Some students just aren't going to be able to do that. That is a thing about Romano's model that I think is unrealistic. Yes, there are many things in life that we expect 100% out of, but it isn't realistic for us to, because quite frankly, it isn't often that we get 100% of anything. But when you are dealing with students, it just isn't realistic to expect to get 90% from every one of them because you have too many that are working too far below grade level (in most schools, that is.) Otherwise, I think my model would closely resemble Romano's, using television/video, a computer lab and then adding the computers in the classroom for those students who can't keep up for whatever reason. I really like the idea of using the television in the classroom. I think it is a medium who's use has finally come into its own. I think it has a lot to offer today's classroom if it is used in the right way.

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