“Let your aptitude, not your attitude determine your altitude.”
Jesse Jackson
How do I think learning occurs?
I
believe that every student has the capacity (aptitude) to improve their way of
thinking (attitude) to excel (altitude) in my classroom. I believe that
students learn when they are exposed to different ways of understanding the
material.
I
also believe that it is crucial to promote other kinds of learning than that
related to the course material. Students should learn critical thinking through
questions posed and discussed in class. The structure of projects should lead
to improvement of social or soft skills. Projects that require classroom
presentations can improve speaking skills and professionalism. Those done by
groups of students can teach them how to get the best work from each member and
the fine art of diplomacy.
How can I facilitate this process? How have I come to these conclusions?
I am
very much “a-tech-savvy” type person who learns by doing and I believe that
many people interested in basic computer skills and basic Internet technology,
Networking infrastructure, and wireless connectivity are similar. I have a very
practical, technical approach to the subject area. For this reason I really
emphasize projects that incorporate large portions of the coursework.
What goals do I have for my students?
I
want my students to leave my classes more "a-lighted-bulb" than when
they came in. This does not mean that I see myself in their daily surfing of
web! My students tend to be those who
are interested in basic computer skills to wireless security and Wi-Fi/wiMAX homeland security and they frequently have an
idealized and simplistic view of what it means to work in those fields. I want
them to question the ethics of the information technology industry: its labor
practices, its wanton disregard for ethics in spreading viruses, and its
promotion of beta software version. I want them to notice when PC World
magazine advertisements use the principles of Gordon Moore’s law. Mr. Moore
said that the number of components on a single silicon chip would continue to
double every year (ScienCentral, 1999). This means that the higher CPU-speed, the
lower computer prices. This concept is
used by PC retailers to manipulate corporate consumers to replace last year’s
computer system with state of the art high speed computers; thereby downplaying
the grid computing technology of integrating disperse, heterogeneous systems to
harness their unified processing power to save money on training and new
equipment. This does not mean that I want my student to go out there and
attempt to integrate dinosaurs systems in the information technology (IT)
environment. I want my student to
understand that they can use critical thinking and evaluate what is in the best
interest of the organization and IT environment for a better customer
service. I also, wanted my student to
know that they can use IT research methodology to enhance software development
and hardware infrastructure to create better World Wide Web where everyone can
use peacefully, and do business without server outage.
I
also want my students to understand the necessity for basic skills. IT students
should be able to understand the physical hardware, software and virtual
connectivity of wireless with integrated security and be able to communicate
that knowledge through simple illustrations. Recognizing system performance,
clustering servers and .999 system availability, are what I believe they should
take home. These basics will give them the skills and the exploratory instinct
to develop themselves when necessary to cope with the sporadic and volatile IT
environment.
I
want them to have a sense of history. Even if "there is no new thing under
the sun," there will always be a technology change in the IT world. They
must make the connections between today and the past in order to correctly
interpret the trends. For example, the invention of electricity and first telegraph
that gave birth to computer network and the need to count the population census
that made IBM to invent punch card readers that evolved into computers.
What do I do to implement my plans/intentions?
I
have a lot of enthusiasm for computer hardware and software assembling and
network infrastructure: wired and wireless. Each can be a work of art, an
object of daily, mundane use, and each can be both at the same time. I want my
students to realize the extent to which computer hardware and software and Internet
are a part of our lives. I want them to feel my enthusiasm and my commitment
and to carry that forward in their own work. I try to create enthusiasm by
using lots of visual media, especially slides from Internet/advertisements they
may be familiar with in current personal computer magazines. With these tools I
can ask them to critically analyze the need for Internet Protocols (IP) address
sub netting at home as well as setting up one more computer upstairs using
wireless router to expand their home networking system. I also show slides of
historic event in the IT timeline whenever I can to illustrate connections
between how fast computer technology has transformed the world and how we live
and do business. I make their thoughts and opinions a big part of the class,
with special emphasis on having the students think about why they feel a
specific way and clearly articulating their explanations.
What goals have I set for myself as a teacher?
My first
teaching assignment was an Introduction to Computers a required course for all
students in every discipline. I assumed that every student should know at least
how to turn on a computer in this class as the student I had in the Computer
Network+ course. I was wrong, many of them could not even identify the power
button, let alone pushing it to power up a computer. After the experience, I
know now that I can not assume that every student is at the same skill level
even though they are in the same class. In the past I used to teach the
Introduction to microcomputers class using the one technique across the board;
like I was used to in teaching complicated network sub-netting (creating
Internet Protocol addresses) . I was very hard on that first group of students
in my Introduction to Microcomputers!
Since then I have developed a more generous and assume-nothing
philosophy with my students.
My
goals are to continue to have empathy for my students and to identify the
difficulties many of them encounter in their work to be educated.
To
continue to find new ways to connect with my students and get them interested
in the more complex questions associated with computer hardware-software,
security and Internet.
“Let
your aptitude, not your attitude determine your altitude.”
Jesse
Jackson
Reference:
Hannel, S.
(2006). Teaching Philosophy. Retrieved December 10, 2006 from
http://ftad.osu.edu/portfolio/philosophy/Hannel-Cons&TextleSci.html
ScienCentral (1999). Gordon Moore. Retrieved December 10, 2006
from http://www.pbs.org/transistor/album1/moore/index.html