RST show and tell

We watched a TED talks video about an experiment with rural children and technology.  The video focused on how children are capable of teaching themselves how to navigate new technology. I thought it was hilarious when the children told Sugata Amari that they needed a faster computer to play their games.  The children were able to translate the English words and instructions which I found fascinating.  They were able to understand a foreign language because of their exposure to the technology.  What was also very interesting was how the children learned as a group.  Amari explained that there would be two or three children operating the children and a larger group providing instructions or directions on how to navigate the computer. 

We began our RST show and tell this week.  There were several interesting and new sites presented.  Socrative looked like a website that I could incorporate into my future classroom.  I liked how the class could answer quizzes and polls set up by the teacher.  Being able to answer polling questions anonymously would be perfect for students who are shyer or don’t wish to share a thought about something that may be controversial.   

I’m not on twitter but seeing how simple it is to use I may create an account.  I’m not sure if it is something I would use in my own classroom, but I do see the pedagogical benefits.  Students could follow certain accounts such as newspapers or individuals.  Being accepting of new technology is definitely an important trait of a teacher.  We are encouraged to keep up with articles on pedagogy; I believe we should also be encouraged to keep up to date with new technology that could be utilized into our classrooms.