As a future teacher it
is important to keep up with the latest technologies, specifically the
ones that we can take advantage of in the classroom. Whether you want to accept
it or not, technology is constantly being used more and more in the
classrooms that we will be teaching in. It's a way of communicating, learning,
researching, writing, creating, and even teaching. Technology has so many uses
and everyday more advantages become accessible to us. As with
anything, advantages come with disadvantages. I agree and think it's important
that we first need to assess our situations and where we stand with
technology in order to use it appropriately in our classrooms and to be able to
understand the relationships our students have with technology too.
The three communication
technologies/concepts I chose were text messaging, internet access from my
laptop, and my 3DS. These technologies have helped me in many ways but also if
you're not too careful you’ll start to abuse them. I like text messaging for
the convenience factor. If I need to tell or ask someone something - instead of
calling I can send a simple text for a quick response. People are pretty
efficient when it comes to respond to a text versus a phone call too. Texting
does eliminate the human contact though. Texting is also like another language
in which the meaning of something can be lost in translation, or
misinterpreted.
Next I chose the
internet, on my laptop, which has helped me in multiple ways but has been more
of a negative impact when it comes to social networking. To me there is a fine
line between the advantages and disadvantages of social networking. I
understand it’s a way of keeping in touch with family and friends from all over
the world, but at the same time people use it beyond just that. People
practically live their lives through their Facebook or twitter and it’s almost
infectious. I enjoy an online class where work is done through a blog because
it’s the convenience factor again and it’s using technology to its advantage. A chunk of the users on Facebook, twitter and such are abusing these technologies (as in they have no control and are in a sense addicted to them). I believe technology has
advanced our world in many important ways, but I still believe in human contact
and social experiences (especially in the world of education and
art!!) There is obviously much good to the internet through a
laptop such as portability and accessibility to information from anywhere with
a connection.
Lastly the final device
I chose was a 3DS (for those who don't know it’s just an advanced version of Nintendo’s
Gameboy). It doesn't have too many advantages when it comes to learning. I
mainly use it for games and it does have internet access. Even though I don’t
have a Facebook I can use it to communicate with other users and in the same
sense as Facebook because it does keep me connected to a 'cult' of 3DS users. These
three technologies have their downfalls but they have also mainly helped entertain
and educate me, while keeping me connected to the world.
After assessing your
individual situation, you come to a better understanding of how your
technologies mediate your life for better and for worse. After understanding
the role technology plays in your own life, it's important to be able to assess
and understand the role of technology in your students’ lives.
Olivia’s relationship
with technology is important for me as a teacher to know about so I can use it in
my lessons appropriately. It’s important to know where each student stands when
it comes to technology. In the video clip the first teacher asked who had
access to a computer and I saw the majority of students not raising their hands
and looking around. That should be the first question a teacher asks so you now
see that it might be a struggle for some students to get on a computer when
they’re not provided for them. Even if all students have access, you can’t just
assume they know how to use a computer.
Just like me, the kids
in the second video, Learning to Change,
Changing to Learn, most mentioned the convenience factor. Reading and
writing can now be done simultaneously. Any notes you take while reading off an
online book can be edited (not erased and rewritten) into a report format. The
creating, editing, making, and recording of music and art can also be done on
the computer with the right software. Olivia and the other students in both
videos enjoy these technologies and have become attached to them. As a teacher
you need to be able to keep a student engaged, and one strategy is
incorporating these technologies they like into their education. Kids have
unlimited knowledge at their fingertips and they clearly took it into their own
hands to learn these programs and self-teach themselves about topics they want
to know. I know I self-educated myself when I was younger if something sounded
interesting. HTML coding, music editing, all sorts of art programs, sign
language, anything I was interested in I looked it up on the internet and downloaded
it. These kids are using their technologies to do the same exact thing. In all
cases Olivia, the other students, and I are all using these devices to
entertain, educate and socialize. With this knowledge, as a teacher, I can
combine the way we all use technologies into an educational setting to increase
the want to learn. Technology can make anything fun…
