Teachers urged to embrace technology

MINISTER OF EDUCATION RONALD JONES has urged teachers to get on the technological train in the practice of their craft.Delivering the weekly lunchtime lecture at the Democratic Labour Party’s George Street, St Michael headquarters yesterday, Jones said teachers found the existing status quo “comfortable”.Jones charged today’s teachers did not have to explore new and varied options for teaching and learning. He explained that many of the students they taught were more knowledgeable about technology and its use and that created a feeling of intimidation among them.“It is something they can do without. Teachers still, by and large, want to be the military commander of the classroom, rather than the facilitators of learning in a collaborative environment,” he said.Jones reasoned that in most Barbadian classrooms one could walk in and notice that the same traditional method of delivery once used for this generation’s fore-parents, was still being utilised.“The chalkboard or white-board used as a chalkboard, chalk or marker in hand and teachers at the front of the class and, of course, many of the digital babies bored to death.“Our children are way ahead of us in utilising the technology. The world-wide web with its massive amount of resources is a playground for students,” Jones said, highlighting a number of social networking sites.The minister acknowledged that some schools did not even have a basic website.Jones said that many activities related to education took place outside the classroom, but those experiences were often undervalued or unacknowledged.“Our students are learning from these social media in spite of our lack of acknowledgement of their place in education. Our students interact with social networks constantly and educators just wish they would go away,” he said. (WG)