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Product reviews for Freaked Out
Ella Simpson, Marketing Executive, Terrapinn, blogger for Total Education
This week we came across Simon Pridham's new educational book, -˜Freaked Out: The Bewildered Teacher's Guide To Digital Learning'. To say we were intrigued is an understatement, as this seems to be the first book of it's kind which addresses an often lonely and difficult problem that many teachers face.
Technology is constantly evolving -” sometimes at an overwhelming pace. A perfect example of this lies with the traditional blackboard which in the space of 20 years has evolved from a basic writing surface, to a dry erase whiteboard and finally to what we see in the vast majority of schools today: a projector screen with an interactive display and stylus pen.
The great thing about Simon's book is how he manages to voice the concerns that many teachers are bound to have, but in a way that does not create a sense of panic. He uses a calm, conversational tone in his introduction and conveys the idea that technology is not something to be feared, but rather something to embrace as a challenge which can be greatly rewarding.
This book really does start with the basics. And to the tech savvy, this could seem unnecessary and obvious -” but that is exactly why this book isn't designed for those people. There seems to be an assumption amongst the tech savvy that using a piece of technology such as an iPad is straightforward. What Simon does brilliantly is he answers the questions that many teachers would be afraid to ask. Because let's face it, who really wants to have to ask how to turn on an iPad? Especially when you've watched 3 years olds do it without batting an eyelid! But that's the key thing to remember here -” not all teachers are part of this technological generation. Yet they are now faced with the age of digital learning which must be embraced in order to keep their classroom dynamic, up-to-date and engaging.
The Bewildered Teacher's Guide to Digital Learning takes the reader through everything from downloading an app to benefits of Apple TV to safeguarding and much more. At the back of the book there is a handy FAQ section as well as a glossary which contains all of those words which we're expected to understand but really have no clue about.
To summarise, the book is a great starting point for any overwhelmed teacher. Of course it doesn't explain everything but it's got enough information to get you on your feet. And why stop at teachers? I might just have to pass my copy onto my Mum who's recently been struggling to get to grips with her new iPad mini-¦
Technology is constantly evolving -” sometimes at an overwhelming pace. A perfect example of this lies with the traditional blackboard which in the space of 20 years has evolved from a basic writing surface, to a dry erase whiteboard and finally to what we see in the vast majority of schools today: a projector screen with an interactive display and stylus pen.
The great thing about Simon's book is how he manages to voice the concerns that many teachers are bound to have, but in a way that does not create a sense of panic. He uses a calm, conversational tone in his introduction and conveys the idea that technology is not something to be feared, but rather something to embrace as a challenge which can be greatly rewarding.
This book really does start with the basics. And to the tech savvy, this could seem unnecessary and obvious -” but that is exactly why this book isn't designed for those people. There seems to be an assumption amongst the tech savvy that using a piece of technology such as an iPad is straightforward. What Simon does brilliantly is he answers the questions that many teachers would be afraid to ask. Because let's face it, who really wants to have to ask how to turn on an iPad? Especially when you've watched 3 years olds do it without batting an eyelid! But that's the key thing to remember here -” not all teachers are part of this technological generation. Yet they are now faced with the age of digital learning which must be embraced in order to keep their classroom dynamic, up-to-date and engaging.
The Bewildered Teacher's Guide to Digital Learning takes the reader through everything from downloading an app to benefits of Apple TV to safeguarding and much more. At the back of the book there is a handy FAQ section as well as a glossary which contains all of those words which we're expected to understand but really have no clue about.
To summarise, the book is a great starting point for any overwhelmed teacher. Of course it doesn't explain everything but it's got enough information to get you on your feet. And why stop at teachers? I might just have to pass my copy onto my Mum who's recently been struggling to get to grips with her new iPad mini-¦
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26/09/2014 01:00
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