I'm sure a fair share of students have been in a classroom where the lesson seems to drone on forever, regardless of his or her age. Everything from the professor's mouth is nothing the student hasn't heard or absorbed before. On the other hand, there are times where classroom lessons make little sense and need to be translated into simpler terms. It's possible these students begin to fall asleep, doodle masterpieces, or just stop going to class because they can't catch up or don't feel challenged enough.
Fortunately, a recent experiment involving customization is happening in several New York City schools and has been discussed in The Wall Street Journal. This experiment takes the classroom lesson and teaches it via live instructor and via laptop. In other words, a technique called "blended learning." This gives the students who need more instruction and those who need more of a challenge to learn effectively in the same classroom environment. An example of the blended learning taking place in the Bronx is as follows:
"In a recent English class, students read "The Fairy and the Chupacabra and Those Marfa Lights" on their laptops. Some students were reading the story on their own, and those who chose could have the story read to them. The teacher adjusted the vocabulary for students who were more advanced. So some children read that the horse ran, while others read that it galloped."
I know we have been discussing technology emerging more and more inside the classroom. Joel Klein, the city's school chancellor, recently told The New York post that "over time, we should think about fewer teachers, better paid and supported by much more sophisticated technology." Is this mostly positive or are there concerns that will pop up? There is still a lot going on inside the classroom, which could get hectic. Regardless, it is great that technology is allowing students to learn at the level that feels right to them.
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- Sarah W.
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