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…
Hi Liana. You made the point of this assignment very clear - understanding where we stand with regards to using technology, understanding where our students are, and making the best of the similarities and differences. Only then can we begin to prepare activities that will use the skills they already possess for learning. I observed a middle school science class last year where a student wasn't familiar with a certain disease in the discussion. The teacher tossed the student his cell phone and asked him to look it up and share the information with the class. Obviously the teacher knew the student had the skills to accomplish this, and the boy solidified the lesson for all of the students by finding the description needed. Our students will also be valuable resources to us in that they will most likely master new gadgets and softwares in their leisure time, before we have a chance to do so. We can encourage those savvy students to help bring other classmates (and us teachers) up to speed on new technologies that can be be useful for our lessons. This will create a shared community of learning, where all members are valuable, and all can teach and be taught.
ReplyDeleteLiana,
ReplyDeleteyour commentary on the convenience factor really makes a lot of sense. I completely agree with it, and I also agree with the fact that technology can easily be abused. I can see that you put a lot of thought and consideration into this blog post, but I had a question: if technology is forever changing and we cannot change it, what can we do to stop the abuse of it? Do you think we would be able to work towards changing it in a classroom setting? If it isn't possible, do you think the con (abuse) will eventually outweigh the pro (convenience)?
:)
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It's an interesting and worrisome idea that I've yet to tackle. My thoughts are this, technology is definitely growing and there is no stopping it. Yet at the same time I think there are ways to educate the youth on how to control or limit the time they spend on social networks and such. Being that we are the generation of 'technological abuse,' I feel we can take advantage of it and warn our students from a personal level and experience. I'm sure in the near future someone will develop a course of such concepts!
DeleteHey Liana,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your post very much and found myself agreeing with many of your points, especially when evaluating where students are before bringing in technology because it might hinder their gaining of knowledge. Ironically enough, when you spoke about abusing social networks, I could not have seen myself more warped by their presence and their fickle ways. Ha! I continually find myself relying on them as crutches as opposed to engaging in human contact. I do enjoy human contact (funny, when writing this), but the portability and ease of networking from online is sometimes just easier and more efficient. I hope to soon lessen how dependent I am on such sites like Twitter and Tumblr, but in the mean time they seem to be enriching me as much as I like them to. Great post with truly fresh ideas. I enjoyed reading your thoughts.
Liana, I like how you bring out the need for teachers to assess their students' level of technological literacy. I was wondering if you could elaborate on how you believe that Facebook and Twitter are abusing technology? I agree that it's important for teachers to take what students already know and use that as a building block for future learning.
ReplyDeleteKevin, I went back and fixed that sentence where I said Facebook and Twitter are abusing technology.. What I meant to say was Facebook and Twitter USERS, not the sites themselves. The sites in fact would be great for asking classmates about assignments, keeping in touch with family, etc. On that note, to sum up my point, I would refer you to Jessica's comment below, where she perfectly summarizes my feelings towards the users and their abuse of such sites.
DeleteLiana, thanks for clarifying your point. I definitely agree that there are positives and negatives to Facebook and Twitter. Unfortunately, it is true that many people have chosen to abuse some of these tools. This creates a great inroad for us as teachers to guide students into the proper usage of these websites.
DeleteLiana,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your assessment of technology to your life and young adults' lives. You formed your ideas in a clear and concise manor. I could not agree more on your idea of social networks. I myself do not have a Facebook or Twitter because it engulfs people's lives. It is to the point where people cannot part from it. For instance, I will be sitting in class and the student in front of me with a laptop is updating their status or profile surfing -- mind you this is during the middle of class! Not only do advent social networkers disregard respect for their professors, but they also disregard respect for their fellow classmates (it is extremely rude and distracting to be Facebooking in the middle of class)! Your comment on understanding a student's relationship to technology as a future teacher is critical and important to keep in mind when we do start teaching. For one, students should know and understand the dangers of social networking, but also they should know and understand how to use technology properly and not abuse its advantages.
Also, it is important for educators to know if their students have access to technology at home, so as to plan homework or project assignments around that fact. Furthermore, I agree that if a student does not have access to a computer at home does not mean the student does not know how to use a computer. Students have many ways of accessing computers and can find ways become technologically literate on their own.
I truly enjoy your comment for many reasons. I am glad to see there are people (like you) in college who still want to be here and learn, and understand the downfalls of social networking -even though there are a few positives which I mentioned some of in my reply to Kevin's comment. It really is disappointing to see students Facebooking in the middle of a class..that they signed up for and they paid for..and GenEd's are here for a reason so even if they didn't sign up for the class they still should have the common decency and respect for the professor. They can even take it one step further and set a goal to take away what they see as useful and apply it in their own lives. I believe 'engulf' is a great way to describe the social networking craze. Thank you for your feedback!
DeleteLiana, this is a solid, engaging blogpost: You identify both the positive and some of the negative aspects of these 3 technologies in your life and you contrast/compare your experiences to the young people in the videos. I just have 2 suggestions for you in moving forward. First, I would eliminate (figuratively speaking at this point, not literally) the first paragraph of your blogpost because it's so vague and not relevant to the specifics of the assignment. It reads as if you are re-mixing an introductory paragraph of an academic essay with blogging—and the two just don't mix. Secondly, don't switch voices ("I/mine" to "you/your"). Keep it localized and within the scope of the discussion (try not to generalize). I hope you find this feedback helpful in moving forward with Interactivity #2.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the feedback, they are very useful suggestions. I will keep this in my mind when writing my next blog!
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