Week 12 Blog Jacob Reeves

With the integration of technology in the classroom, many teachers fear that technology will distract their students. They are afraid that their students will be browsing the internet or on social media. While technology may offer students another outlet for distract it is not to blame for students not paying attention in the classroom. As Lang said in http://www.chronicle.com/article/The-Distracted-Classroom/239446  that a distracted is a battle in the brain between making goals, and the ability to keep yourself from being concerned about our envorment.

What I found interesting about this article is the question that Langs asks As teachers are we giving our student a goal to work towards when they are in class? I know the anwer most people give would be yes our goal for our students it to learn the material we are teaching to be able to pass a test. But is this really a goal? As teachers should we have better goals than making sure that our students understand information for a test? In today’s educational system this seems to be the goal that teachers are forced to give to their students. While making sure that our students are ready to pass the tests that are giving at the end of the semester is important. Our student’s education should more than this. I feel that most students feel that they should only know the information they are giving in class for the test at the end and then they can forget it.

I know you are wondering why I what this has to do with keeping our students from being distracted in the classroom. Well, I believe if we help our students understand that their goal for the class is not learning the information just to pass, but instead see how the information that is being taught in class can help them in the world. Like for example learning about Civil Rights in a history classroom. Students learn about Civil Rights remember the names for a test. As teachers, we should make goals that cause our students to learn about the Civil Rights, but then take what they learn and use it in their lives. For example, there have been many protests over police brutality towards Africa Americans. A goal we could have for students is taking what you have learned about the Civil Rights movement, and see if the same things are happening now. Take what you learn about peaceful protests, and see if you can use it to help fight for something you believe in. The point is if you want your students to pay attention in class they need to know that what is being taught is important to them. With this being said if you give them a goal that more then just learning the information for the class they will be more invested in class.