roblyer

c#2 What is the difference between acquiring knowledge and the employment of knowledge as described by Tennyson (1990) in the article?

When discussing the merging of constructivist and direct-instruction theories and practices in classes, Tennyson suggests that 30% of class time be spent on acquiring knowledge and the remaining 70% be spent on the employment of knowledge. I think that acquiring knowledge is the actual teaching of information and employment of knowledge is teaching how to use information. Tennyson's examples- verbal information and procedural knowledge for acquiring, contextual skills, cognitive strategies and creative processses for employing- illustrate these differences.

I think that Tennyson's view seems pretty sound. Early in the article it talks about how information and technology is becoming so complicated that the base of what we see as "essential knowledge" is growing far too large. There is no way that we can keep up with teaching all of this knowledge so it is essential that we teach kids how to process and use information rather than continue to run a losing race. Technology, especially the internet in my opinion, took away the teachers role as the provider of information. Kids can google anything and have all the information they need at their fingertips before the teacher really even gets started. It is far more beneficial for teachers to use their time showing thier students how to employ that knowledge, how to make sense of it, how to use it, rather than bore them with a redundant lecture. It still is important, however, for teachers to highlight what information is important and offer thier own new ideas and thoughts about the subject and therefore still need to work for the acquisition of knowledge by thier students; Tennyson's 70-30 proportion allows for this, but allows for a focus on the employment on knowledge, which I think in today's world is far more important.

introduction

Hi y'all. My name is Meghan, I'm a senior here at the U; I start my cohort year for my history teaching major in the fall and I am SO excited! I've spent my whole life in Salt Lake, except for my freshman year in college, and to be honest I don't really love it here. I love New York. I went to NYU for my freshman year and I miss NY a lot. I hope to move back there to teach once I graduate next summer; I know that it will be hard, but I can't wait!
I love to read- memoirs and fiction are my favorites but I'll read anything and I'm always looking for book recommendations. (Seriously, recommend your favorites. Suggest a good book and I'll love you forever.) I love hanging out with my friends and my family, especially my little brother- the kid kills me. I don't watch a lot of TV but I love Grey's Anatomy and Will and Grace. I loooooove Megan Mullally and will watch anything with her in it. So sad but so true. I love to play tennis and soccer (or I did before I hurt my knee) and I like to watch baseball- Go Red Sox! I'm competitive and a little crazy. I have pretty eclectic tastes in everything, but when it comes down to it, I like anything that challenges me or makes me laugh.

I think that is why I want to be a teacher. It's a great combination of good times and challenge. Like Jared said in his blog, I really love to help people learn. I think that it is the most amazing thing ever. I also love how passionate the world of education is; it's intellectual and hopeful and dedicated and I can't wait to spend my life in it. Great teachers make great differences and I find that incredibly inspiring.

I am excited to learn how to use technology in the classroom because I think it is a great way to connect with students. It is a way to use their knowledge and their experiences to maximize learning in the classroom and it's a way to get them involved. I think that a lot of students find their classes and classrooms outdated and a technological classroom makes that simply untrue. I'm excited to have new ways to get information for my class and new ways to give information as well.

benefits of technology

After reading the Barron article and thinking about the various benefits of technology that were presented, I have decided that the best thing about technology in the classroom is...a tie. I actually think that there are two. I think that the elements of 1-active learning and 2-motivation are the best things about using technology in the classroom. I think that many students are just so bored in school and that technology would be an easy and beneficial way to engage them. As a teacher using technology you are taking what students know and what they find interesting and using it to your benefit and to theirs. Technology gets the students involved and gets them interested, and I think that those things are essential in improving learning for students.