Journal 9: Global Perspectives

Global Perspectives by Robert B. Kozma

In this article, Kozma offers a compare and contrast model of traditional classrooms versus classrooms in which technology is effectively integrated into the curriculum. He also touches on the reality that other countries do not have the accessibility to resources such as computers that we have in the United States. He factors this in to his research, but explains that this issue is not simply about the wealth of the school. Rather, some schools with a lot of money and resources do not utilize them to the fullest extent, while those without much money may use their one computer extremely effectively. This was a very interesting point.

Q1: In my own experience, where did my schools fit in to this spectrum?

A1: I remember in elementary school we had at least two computers in our classroom. However, we rarely used them. Instead, they were a resource the teacher used as positive reinforcement for the two "problem children" in our class. If they behaved well that day, they were rewarded with an allotted amount of time on the computer. I'm sure the teacher could have found a way for the rest of her students to use the technology in an effective and useful manner.

Q2: How would I ensure the utilization of technology in my own classroom, whether or not our resources were limited?

A2: If I only had one computer to work with, perhaps I could have the students rotate turns using it. Maybe we would have a raffle for each assignment we do in class, and whoever won would be granted the opportunity to type out their assignment on the computer. Also, I could hook up that one computer to a projector so that I could show students how to accomplish certain tasks without needing a computer for each student. Then, throughout the day they could take turns attempting those tasks on the machine.