A Poll…

I was just scanning through some web tools, and ran across this (Free Polls) one from ProProfs.  You fill in some forms, and the generates the poll interface for you, which you can share with a slew of communication services, include Twitter, Facebook, Blogger, Friendster, Myspace, Bebo, and so on.  It took me a bit to find code to display it in a standard blog, but here it is. 

You’re suppose to be able to post comments, which I encourage you to do.  But I won’t know if that works until I’ve posted this blog.

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11 thoughts on “A Poll…”

  1. Clearly one can be a fine teacher of many subjects & of critical thinking skills without technology. One can’t teach good research skills without technology, for example, but certainly the continued use of the Socratic method, particularly in top-tier law schools speaks to the fact that the development of critical thinking skills is in no way dependent upon technology. Having said that, no lawyer should be getting out of school without understanding how to use Lexis, but that’s a different issue than the original question.

  2. Which begs the comment I have often used while facilitating professional development:

    “Say you have a bad teacher, but the bad teacher decides that he or she wants to start a blog with the class. What do you have? A bad teacher with a blog.”

    Technology is a part of the repertoire that teachers should have in their instructional toolbag. As such, they are albeit, powerful tools, but ultimately just tools. I think it is always important to remember that teachers teach students first; content, skills, and knowledge second.

  3. Sorry. Had to add more than just a yes or no. I no longer feel a teacher can be a good teacher and not use technology. That doesn’t mean using tech makes a bad teacher good. But a teacher’s job is to prepare his/her students for the world. And not opening up the world to them does not prepare them in any way. Thus, technology is needed or a teacher is no longer doing his/her job. IMHO

  4. What an interesting question! I think the answer is most definitely ‘yes’. Sometimes it is more challenging to produce a good lesson without technology. However, in today’s society, it is important that good teachers demonstrate good use of technology. To completely omit technology would amount to bad teaching.

  5. David: Just wanted to thank you for the mention of ProProfs polls. We are a free site promoting education & knowledge sharing tools. I am glad to see the new polls tool in used by a leading educator like you – would be glad to help out if you ever need any assistance with the tool or have any feedback. Thanks again for the mention!

  6. The challenge for me in answering this is that “teacher” encompasses such a wide range of ages and subject matters. In addition, there are so many types and sizes of classrooms from one to one schooling to lecture halls. I do think that certain ages and ways of thinking can be taught without technology in the right situation. But those situations seem to now be the exception and not the rule for many of today’s students. I also agree with Lisa and Rachel’s comments that in preparing students for today’s environment technology and its inherent collaborative features are critical.

  7. DO “good” teachers ask questions? Are good questions the most effective and timeless technology of all? Can a bad teacher ask good questions?

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