Week 2

This week's readings covered some really interesting aspects of ICT integration and the digital generation. 


The concept of TPACK or Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge, as explored in the first reading for this week, emphasises the importance of being flexible in the planning and teaching process in order to effectively allow for the interaction of these three bodies of knowledge (Koehler, M.J., and Mishra, P., 2009). The article states that there is no correct way for integrating ICT into the classroom, the structure and design of the integration is influenced by individual classroom contexts. One of the many challenges faced by teachers today is the vast differences recognised between traditional technologies and digital technologies, with the latter being multifaceted, rapidly changing as well as opaque. 


An issue that many teachers face in classrooms today is the contrast between the digital immigrants that are often the ones teaching the class, and the digital natives that are the students in the classroom, that have grown up with a rich array of technology in many areas of their life. The article titled "Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants" by Prensky (2001) addressed this issue, stating that teachers are struggling to educate students using a language that is becoming increasingly outdated and foreign to the young generation. Prensky (2001) puts forward the idea that using traditional, linear forms of teaching may actually damage the brains of children that have been developed through technology exposure web processes. 


The other readings for this week put forward valuable ideas and concepts from ICT teaching strategies aimed at enhancing student thinking and reflection (Henderson, M. 2008), to the multifaceted and multicultural social opportunities that ICT brings (Thrupp, R. 2008), to the high levels of cognitive engagement resulting from interactions with computer games (Henderson et al.  2008). Beverly Head's article titled "Generation Cut and Paste" (2008) shone a different light on ICT integration, exploring the idea that with new and different classroom strategies could lead to students forgetting or never learning to actually "use, synthesise, process, incorporate and retain information". She accentuates the importance of teaching these important skills as students are accessing the information. Head (2008) also states that teachers must not lose sight of the significance of students learning to design, create and express themselves through various means. 


The readings for this week as well as our workshop on Monday further developed my knowledge and understanding of ICT and how it is going to, not only benefit me as a future teacher, but the students in my technologically rich classroom.