Learning Technologies: Can they be ignored?!!

When teachers are asked about the problems they  face while teaching, their top three are usually motivation, classroom management and distruptive students. However, they are not fully aware that they themselves can be one of the reasons why they face these problems or they ignore the fact that they may be causing these problems. How teachers can be the cause of these troubles?! We are in class to help our students and answer their questions. I don't think we as teachers spend enough time on self reflection and it took me a long time to realize that I tried to teach my students the way I was taught, which is something impossible today because my students are completely different. Today they have their mobile phones with internet connectioıns, I-Pods, I-Pads, Laptops and Netbooks. They want everything fast, they are interested in colourful and catchy designs and they like variety; therefore, as teachers it is impossible for us to ignore learning technologies. However, most teachers tend to ignore this fact as they think they don't have enough computing skills to compete with their students. Besides, they may also think that integrating learning technologies (or blended learning) in their modus operandi would cause to an unnecessary extra burden as the lessons would need proper and careful planning.  Nonetheless, being a teacher already requires commitment to lifelong learning. So, put your fears and prejudices aside and start doing something both for yourself and students asap, for god's sake.

Richard St. John's 8 secrets of success

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/richard_st_john_s_8_secrets_of_success.html