Drill and Practice or Drill and Kill?

Some people say drill and practice is really "drill and kill." What can teachers do to make sure this kind of use doesn't happen and drill and practice can serve a useful function?

I think that the success of the drill and practice will depend on the teacher. As teachers we are able to make ordinary thing seem a lot more fun if we take the time and encourage our students. My son teacher uses drill and practice to help them retain their math facts. She does it in a neat way that does not seem boring or ordinary. The students take a deck of cards and race each other to see who can collect the most card pairs. In order for them to get the set, they must multiply the two numbers pulled and answer first. Who ever has the biggest stack wins. They do this in class quite often, I would consider this drill and practice without being drill and kill, because the students enjoy themselves and still have fun. There are many websites out there that also are fun and entertaining (yet educational) for the students. Drill and kill is only for those that do not explore their resources or creativity.

Week 11

Some educators feel that distance technologies will greatly improve education; some feel education will suffer if they are overused. What are factors you can cite in support of each of these positions?

I think that distance technologies does improve education. It will only suffer if those involved (the teacher and students) do not meet the proper requirements to make the course/class work. The first course I took was a world geography class on line. It was a horrible experience that I wound up dropping for personal reasons. The communication between the instructor and students did not work. The instructor never got around to setting up the blackboard course because he was having technical difficulties and also personal issues. So, needless to say, that class was a bust for me. Provided that the instructor does his/her part and sets up the course properly. I think that as long as you take the time and discipline yourself to turn in your assignments according to the proper deadlines, taking an online course is great. In my case, I just had my beautiful baby girl, so my mother will not let me walk out the door for a couple of weeks, I can still turn in my work even though I am not able to attend class. I deem myself a visual learner and would rather be in class, but being able to participate online is a good second choice