First meeting on Wiziq.com

Tonight was the first meeting of my group using WizIq. It was a completely new experience for me. Of course I have used the Internet before, but I have never created a virtual classroom. I was the facilitator for our first meeting and, I must say, it went very well. I think I can get used to this. I am on the computer so much as it is, so it really isn't much of a hassle to have to have class on it too! This is very different from the way other online courses are run though because it is not really self-paced. You still have designated times that you are meeting with others. The only difference is that you aren't physically meeting. It's all virtual. Now, while I do think this is pretty cool, I still don't think that this is the way all education should go. I can definitely see interpersonal skills going completely extinct. In the younger generations, I already see it...and it scares me. Technology should never be a complete substitute for human interaction. It is simply too precious of a commodity.

During our first meeting, we discussed the LoTi Framework. It is basically different levels of technology use in the classroom. It goes from basically being non-existent to being all that the students do. I find that there is a HUGE jump from level 3 to level 4a and so did my groupmates. Level 3 is where I would consider myself to be. I occasionally use it for my students to explore and evaluate data. They use it to aid in the learning process. Level 4 then jumps right to the students using it extensively to learn material and create projects. Don't get me wrong. They should know how to use technology to their advantage. However, I feel that instruction should drive technology - technology should not drive instruction. We need to use it when it is appropriate and not overdo it. Just because technology exists does necessarily mean that it is the BEST way for our students to learn. Do we want our future generations to just sit in front of a computer screen to get all the answers? Our society may not see the repercussions now, but it will.