A field trp to Martin-Luther-Schule
To me it was very interesting to see what kind of media is used in a
school nowadays. I left school 6 years ago, and all we used was an overhead
projector and DVDs.
You can see New Media right after entering the building. There is a big screen in the foyer where the pupils can see which teacher is ill this day and whether or not class is dropped. Unfortunately, the lettering on the screen is too small, so there is a printed document providing the information. I wonder why they need a screen if they have to print it out anyway.... But nevertheless, the pupils can also get the information via internet. Only the 11 - 13-graders, but anyway.
The library has four computers where pupils have access to the internet. Before switching on the computers, they have to put an "internet card" on top of the monitors to provide proof, their parents allowed them to surf the web. The "Internet card" has to be signed each year. Without the card, the pupils are not allowed to use the computers.
This is a very good way of teaching of dealing with new media sensitively.
MLS has a flatscreen, a DVD-player, an iPod docking station, and an audio system in 50% of the classrooms. The teachers do not have to tackle with beamers or portable TVs. They do not have to look for a portable cassette-player. They only have to bring their iPod and their laptop and they can show every movie or play every audio they want to. This makes work a lot easier!
Media- like portable computers, CD-players, pc-rooms and so on - have to be booked via a program in the teacher's room. This program also contains if there is a exam to be written, how many exams there are in this week etc. I liked this program a lot because this makes organization a lot easier for teachers. They do not have to ask whether or not the computer room is free. But of course, even the best program does not work when the teachers do not look at it...
What I liked most was the smartboard. MLS only has one smartboard at the moment. But this smartboard is switched on all day, the pupils a free to play around, to test it, to use and to get used to it. I think that one smartboard is not enough, but there are more to come.
I was very sorry to hear, that the teachers - especially the older ones - do not know how to use new media. They are not interested in learning because they have to look for further education on their own. They have to learn during their spare time. I think this is a big problem. New media is getting more and more famous. Old-fashioned blackboards have become rare, teachers have to get used to whiteboards. There should be better possibilities to learn how to use them.
All in all, I was very impressed by the technical equipment of MLS. They have way more equipment than I used to be confronted with when I was a pupil. I realized that there has come a change and this change is not over by now. As future teachers we have to keep in touch with the development of technical equipment.
You can see New Media right after entering the building. There is a big screen in the foyer where the pupils can see which teacher is ill this day and whether or not class is dropped. Unfortunately, the lettering on the screen is too small, so there is a printed document providing the information. I wonder why they need a screen if they have to print it out anyway.... But nevertheless, the pupils can also get the information via internet. Only the 11 - 13-graders, but anyway.
The library has four computers where pupils have access to the internet. Before switching on the computers, they have to put an "internet card" on top of the monitors to provide proof, their parents allowed them to surf the web. The "Internet card" has to be signed each year. Without the card, the pupils are not allowed to use the computers.
This is a very good way of teaching of dealing with new media sensitively.
MLS has a flatscreen, a DVD-player, an iPod docking station, and an audio system in 50% of the classrooms. The teachers do not have to tackle with beamers or portable TVs. They do not have to look for a portable cassette-player. They only have to bring their iPod and their laptop and they can show every movie or play every audio they want to. This makes work a lot easier!
Media- like portable computers, CD-players, pc-rooms and so on - have to be booked via a program in the teacher's room. This program also contains if there is a exam to be written, how many exams there are in this week etc. I liked this program a lot because this makes organization a lot easier for teachers. They do not have to ask whether or not the computer room is free. But of course, even the best program does not work when the teachers do not look at it...
What I liked most was the smartboard. MLS only has one smartboard at the moment. But this smartboard is switched on all day, the pupils a free to play around, to test it, to use and to get used to it. I think that one smartboard is not enough, but there are more to come.
I was very sorry to hear, that the teachers - especially the older ones - do not know how to use new media. They are not interested in learning because they have to look for further education on their own. They have to learn during their spare time. I think this is a big problem. New media is getting more and more famous. Old-fashioned blackboards have become rare, teachers have to get used to whiteboards. There should be better possibilities to learn how to use them.
All in all, I was very impressed by the technical equipment of MLS. They have way more equipment than I used to be confronted with when I was a pupil. I realized that there has come a change and this change is not over by now. As future teachers we have to keep in touch with the development of technical equipment.
