Language technology - Reflexive Essay

Sema Culhaci
Language technology workshop
Reflexive Essay
7/31/10


What it means to me to be technophobe

During the language technology workshop I became aware of the fact that I am "technophobe". But what
exactly does it mean to fear technology? Do I just hesitate to use language technology in my classroom or
does it imply that I am scared of being controlled by technology? Indeed, I have to reflect on this in order to better understand what it means for me and the use of technology in my language classes.
Indeed, i fear a lot of things: I am scared of spiders, of heights, of uncontrollable moments, of walking on thin ice on frozen lakes as well as failing an important exam. Whenever I am confronted with these things, I become overwhelmed by my feelings and cannot think raisonably. My feelings control what I do and think and I do not feel comfortable - I just want to escape from that particular situation. I feel helpless and a am exposed to this uncontrollable situation. Unfortunately, I do not need to be directly confronted with those fears because it seems to be mentally stored in my subconscious. Being aware of my reactions regarding my fears, I can gain a better understanding of how this could affect the use of technology in the classroom.
Technology - especailly the means of new media - are really powerful in terms of being uncontrollable in certain moments. Even the best lesson plans and the thoroughly prepared teaching materials are useless when you face technical problems like a power breakdown, a white screen on your laptop where there is supposed to be displayed the teaching material or simply the complex software of a computer program. During my work experience, I faced similiar problems and all the feelings I mentioned above arised. I was uncertain of what to do, I wanted to escape but of course I could not so I was exposed to technology and I was not in power anymore. I think this is what I fear the most - the loss of power. That is a fundemental reason why I would probably avoid using too much technology because I do not want to feel this these moments. I know about the positive effects but my  fear of technology inhibits the use of it. I am technophobe and what does it mean to me? I think I have to overcome my fears and be more relaxed and open towards technology. The language workshop helped me to figure out my attitude towards the use of technology.

Language class - Journal II

Sema Culhaci
Language Development
Journal II
7/31/10


Journal II

Teach Knowledge, Not "Mental Skills" by E.D. Hirsch

The text "Teach Knowledge, Not "Mental Skills" by E.D. Hirsch gave me an interesting insight into a perspective I normally would disagree with.

Hirsch seems to be an opponant of the "[...] "learning-to-learn, "critical thinking skills" and "problem-solving skills" [...]" (Hirsch, 115). Rather, he puts emphasis on the content knowledge in order to foster the academic skills of less capable students who stuggle with those learning targets at school. These approaches mentioned above sum up what i believe should be concretely realized by education. Stundents should go far beyond mere content knowledge in order to learn to think critically, to ask questions and to doubt social conventions. Furthermore, they can learn to cope with everyday problems by learning about certain problem-solving strategies. I am aware of the fact that school is concerned with fill students with content knowledge they are tested on; thus, you could facilitate this problem by training learning strategies. Problem-solving, critical thinking and learning strategies are highly significant and so I am ciritcal towards the core-knowledge schools which are more concrete and merely content-based. What is the outcome of such schools? The student learn by heart and they are tested on knowledge that might be useful to them but in the long run it is simply ineffective to not teach them skills. Mental skills  - if trained intensively and on a regular basis - have a more long lasting effects on the students and they might use them in many contexts whereas mere knowledge can only be applied in certain contexts. Content-based knowledge helps the students to pass exams or to do well in the school system but i doubt that it prepares them for everday life and the problems they face.

All in all, I am against those core-knowledge schools and I would strongly disagree with the author to just teach knowledge and not mental skills.

Teaching in America - Critical Pedagogy

Sema Culhaci                                                                                            EWU Summer school 2010       
Responsive Essay                                                                                            Teaching in America
7/30/10                                                                                                               Sean Agriss


                                                   About the hidden curriculum


In your experience in education, describe a situation where you have seen aspects of critical pedagogy employed.

Dealing with aspects of critical pedagogy made me reflect on the various impacts it might have on teaching and learning within the four walls of a classroom. Personally, I have never thoroughly considered  the so called hidden curriculum - the " [...] unintended outcomes of the schooling process"  (McLaren, 212) - and the way it can manipulate both teachers and students.

Interestingly, the author points out that even stereotypical gender-specific behaviour are closely related to the operations of the hidden curriculum since they make us behave according to those beliefs we hold on to. The author illustrates his point by referring to classroom sexism; for instance, "[...]men speak more often and interrupt women." (cf. ebd.: 213). When teachers internalize such thinking patterns about typical behaviour, they act accordingly and the hidden curriculum becomes obvious.

All this made me think of an incident I had as a 9th grader at a German High school, when my teacher must have had certain beliefs about females in classroom. Indeed, I have always been a very out-going and impulsive student. Whenever i dealt with something I was personally interested in, I passionately discussed about a topic and I was actively involved in classroom interaction.This was espacially the case in my German and English and French as a foreign language classes.  In my maths class, however, it was different since I stuggled with the topics and I could not handle the complex tasks. I believed myself to naturally incapable to do well at maths because I could not think logically and that just boys could excel in maths. My math teacher never encouraged me to questions my doubts about this and he has always asked a student sitting next to me to help me out since he was doing good at maths. My classmate Kathi was an expert on maths and she always participated with as much passion as I did in my language classes. When she wanted to help me with a task, the teacher would tell her that a male classmate should be giving me some advice since the task would be very complex and hard to handle. I remember that I agreed to the teacher even though I was aware of her talent in maths; nevertheless, I prefered the help of the male student. Today I know, that this must have been an effect of the hidden curriculum because both the teacher and me had internalized the belief that girls do not excel in maths.

Another time I felt that classroom sexism was obvious. In my maths classes, I was rather reserved since I was afraid of being asked to come to the whiteboard in order to present my results. Sometimes, I would talk about everything but not maths with my friend and this would disturb all the others. My teacher never saw that it was me who talked incessently but rather he would warn the student sitting next to me to stop talking.

He knew that I was calm but actually it was the guy sitting next to me who did not talk very much. Nonetheless, he was always warned. I think this refers back to the stereotype that boys talk more frequently than girls and my teacher did not expect me to disturb classroom interaction.

This experience shows that i have to think critically about my own beliefs and the aspects of the hidden curriculum for the sake of my future students who might suffer from that.

Writing Journal I

Sema Culhaci
Language Development
Journal I
7/28/10


Writing Journal I

"What true education should do"

The text "What True Education Should Do" by Sydney J. Harris made me reflect on my own concept of
education. Interestingly, the author points out that  pupils might conceive education as "[...] a sort of animate sausage casing." This metaphor implies that you have to fill the case with more or less meaningful content until it is full of knowledge that you might can use in different contexts. But how can you fill this - metaphorically speaking - empty sausage case?
Undoubtedly, you might need the help of a teacher who could function as either a mentor, a guide, an instructor or an instant reference book. Regardless of which role a teacher performs, the prilimary concern should be the students' indentity formation, acquisition of meaningful world knowledge and the development of human skills. Thus, the teacher might help his students to become an active and self-reliant member of society.
Is that what true education is about? I believe that education is more than the mere  passive consumption of