Monday, August 13, 2012
Technology Barriers
Many new teachers are noticing a technological gap between their students and themselves. Today's students are tech savvy and used to getting information and feedback instantly from online sources, games and other devices. How will you 'keep up' with your students? Watch this video and comment on one thing you can/will do.
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In order to keep up with students, I think I would need to become educated with the technology programs that they are using. I would then use my creativity to incorporate those programs/social networks into my lesson plans. The upcoming and new technology can be used as the collobrative element that students need in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteTo keep up with students I would take instructive classes on how to use the new technology and possibly do additional research to make sure that I both understood and could use the technology. I would also want to incorporate the newer technology in my lessons to really solidify my knowledge of it.
ReplyDeleteSocial media and the ways in which the kids of today gather information and communicate with each other is constantly changing. It has only been a few years since Myspace became nearly obsolete among kids as bigger and better sites became available, such as facebook, twitter, foursquare, and pintrest. Kids of today don't read print copies as much as they read online, such as e-books or subscribe to online newspapers, or just find stories on twitter. It will be my challenge as a teacher to keep up with all of the new social media that is almost immediately out of date and out of fashion. Students know almost better than teachers how to navigate the internet, but as a teacher, I could teach my students how to verify their information that they may have received from an online source. I think that the students of today would benefit greatly from a reversed classroom, where the learning was done online and the homework was reviewed in class. For example, I could record a math lesson and post it to youtube that my students could watch at home for homework, where they would take notes and follow along in their books. They would then be able to favorite, bookmark, pause, or rewind the video as many times as they need to in order to understand the concept. They could also leave comments about any questions they might have, and they could help each other at home and be prepared when they come into class so that we could work on problems together without anybody getting lost.
ReplyDeleteBeing a teacher during this day in age requires a vast knowledge of the different kinds of technology. Each year the programs and computers themselves are updating and changing. Throughout my time in middle and high school, Smartboards were becoming more popular. Only one teacher in my middle school knew how to work with every aspect of the Smartboard. I remember thinking how cool it was that we were able to use it, but discouraged to know that we could only use it in science class. In order to keep up with my students' advancements in the classroom, I would take courses specifically involving technology in the classroom and courses that cover technology as a whole in the community. It is important that I am as updated as possible in the classroom, but the students are using various other types of technology at home. As a teacher, I must be as informed as my students and their parents.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Diane! I loved your comment about "community". It takes parents, schools and community to raise a child. While your school may not have all of the technological resources you'd like to use as a teacher your community may provide other opportunities and it is great to point those resources out to your students and give back to the community too. Keep up the good work!
DeleteTo keep up with the students technology as it advance is learn it, have the children teach me and somehow incorporate it into the classroom. Like what we learned in class how blogging is a great way to get the students to be hands on with the computer and they would be much more motivated to use the computer for homework than if they were just to have to write the answers down on a piece of paper. I think if I keep up the technology advancements and use them to teach the students will also be much more interested in learning in different ways.
ReplyDeleteSara - I really like how you used the phrase, "have the children teach me". With the fast pace of technology teachers can't know everything. For example, I know most things in MS Word but not everything because a new version will come out again next year. So don't be afraid to learn from your students. And don't let not knowing a new technology stop you from using it with your students. They will catch on quick and teach you.
DeleteWatching the video I could not help but to hear most of the speakers speak of the word community. How education is moving away from the classroom and closer to becoming a community. The world around us is constantly changing and I believe in order to become a better student and a future teacher I need to educate myself on how to use technology is a better and resourceful way. I will take classes to become more tech savvy in the classroom, and try to incorporate technology in the best ways possibles. Using a smart board to announce the morning message, or during snack time have the students play educational games on the Ipad are just a few ways that I can incorporate technology into my daily classroom activities. To be a successful teacher you have to be able to meet the demands of the students to teach them in the best way possible. Keeping up with technology is crucial for the success of the students and the success as my career as a teacher.
ReplyDeleteMichaela, like Diane you caught on to the community aspect of education. My post to her applies to you too. Good job!
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ReplyDeleteThe overall philosophy and structure of the public educational system is currently under extensive scrutiny. We, as future educators, are faced with questions such as, how do we prepare our children for the economy of the 21st century. The overreaching problem of our present-day educational system is the continued use of an out-of-date system, developed and implemented during a different era. The structure of the public school system was ideal during the dawn of the intellectual cultural of the Enlightenment and the economic circumstances of the Industrial Revolution. However, as society progressed educational philosophies remained concrete. During the technological era, we as pre-serve educators, must equip ourselves with the knowledge to fully utilize the tools that are readily available in order to better educate our students. Utilizing technology in the classroom will promote a more collaborative, technologically savvy younger generation, thereby, providing them with the knowledge that is truly necessary to advance in today's professional fields. Online resources, such as BrainPop, SMART Boards, iPads, blogging, etc. can all be incorporated into the lesson plans and daily routine of the classroom in order to provide a fully enriching experience for students of all abilities and age groups.
ReplyDeleteYou are right on target with the current issues facing education Jennifer! Teachers have the task of educating students for the purpose of employment as well as the benefit of knowledge to be good citizens. I hope everyone reads your post.
DeleteHaving technology in the classroom is a great resource for students to learn on. Computers are starting to become more useful not only in households but classrooms as well. This kind of technology helps students use their imaginations in the classroom more. Teachers today are starting to struggle with all this new technology that is being put into their classroom. More and more school districts are now holding seminars to teach teachers how certain technology in their rooms can help students learn better. As for me, I would take all of the workshops that my school offers about new technology so I can stay up to date with my students and the new technology that one day will have taken over schools.
ReplyDeleteVery important to take those seminars and use your PLN too!
DeleteAs someone who little technological experience, I would make an effort to become more educated in the technology programs that are offered. Students today are more responsive to these nontraditional forms of learning, such as the use of Smartboard or participating in a class blog; these methods allow the students to actively engage in their lessons and to use other forms of thinking in order to understand the given lesson.
ReplyDeleteChildren use social media sites and other sources to recieve instant feed back. It is not uncommon for children to grow up in households with advanced technology at their fingertips. There are many advantages and disadvantages to this, as a future teacher I could become more up to date on the technological tools that are made available. (seminars, etc) Another way that technology can be useful is posting lesson plans on a teacher blog or posting lesson plan videos on YouTube.
ReplyDeleteYou are right, there are advantages & disadvantages. Can you give us an example of some?
DeleteI am pretty addicted to technology. I feel the need personally to keep up with it because its something that I know I cannot fall behind on. So much of our world today is built around technology that it's pertinent to being a successful and well rounded educator to keep up to date with it and to keep your students informed about it as well. I believe in integrating technology into schools as much as possible. Technology has its advantages and slight disadvantages. A disadvantage would be how expensive all our "toys" are these days. But the advantages outrageously outnumber the disadvantages. Long term advantages would be the long term cost difference, equal exposure to online global resources, and instant/faster gratification with tests/quiz results. The Somers, CT school system has traded their text books and papers for iPads for all of their students and are seeing great results because of it. I feel as if technology must be integrated within our education system to keep our students well rounded and fully educated.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read anything about the Somers school system. Can you tell us more about the advantages they are seeing? (I love technology too!)
DeleteI agree with the opinions in this clip. One of the comments that really caught my attention was "technology is not a choice". When you sit and give it some thought, it really is not. Technology is constantly improving and evolving in such a fast paste that we have no other choice but to just run with it and try to keep up. A couple of ways that I would try to keep up with technology would be to first off understand it. Become "tech savvy". Familiarize myself with the current and future technology to come. Find out what my students are familiar with, what they prefer and even what they have access to. Considering not all families have the same economic advantages, I would need to consider things like that as well, before integrating technology into my classroom, which would be my next step. Because technology may serve more than one purpose, I would need to make sure it will not distract students. That it would be used as an educational tool to help stimulate their learning. I would like to use technology as a bridge to a "community system" way of learning rather than the "classroom system" we have had in the past. Basically make use of technology to bring together all subjects students will tackle in the classroom as well as the others they encounter outside of the classroom. With the goal to educate them, help them explore beyond the classroom and become well rounded people.
ReplyDeleteSo many awesome points, Viviana! You've really thought this through. The "community system" is huge now. I am so curious to see where it will take us.
DeleteI have stated many times to my family, friends, and people I see on a regular basis using a computer can be extremly fusterating for me. I can clearly see that I am going to have to get used to the idea of it being apart of my life. I believe it will help me be able to do my lesson plans, and I will be using a lot of the microsoft excel program to show graphs. There are a lot of ways technology is used today. I just have to be open minded and get through the struggle :)
ReplyDeleteMelanie, I hope by the end of this class you feel more comfortable. You are right, you must stick with it. It is here to stay!
DeleteWhile watching this video, I found myself agreeing with what these teachers were saying. Many people see technology now as a negative thing, and that kids are spending way too much time using technology. However, I think that kids being so technologically advanced can really benefit teachers and it could be a great way of connecting students and teachers. It's very apparent that things such as Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites have become a very large part of children's lives. This is something that could be used in order to help kids learn. Perhaps making a classroom Facebook page would be a great way of getting kids involved. With certain privacy settings, this could allow kids to keep updated with the class but still be using their own technology.
ReplyDeleteEmily, unfortunately FB is for over 13. But there is a social network called Edmodo which you will learn in 415 that is just like FB but for kids with more privacy settings. Great forward thinking!
DeleteAfter watching this video i have agreed with everyting that was said. Technology is being seen as a negative aspect upon learning. The truth is, is that Technology is starting to become the new way or learning. A lot of how we learn today is online, on a dvd, or even a cell phone. Technology is anothr great way for teachers or professors to communicate with their students. Since a lot of children and adults these days have a cell phone, teachers can send their student a text message, email, or even a blog to pass along important information. Some teachers would see this as a distraction and say no one can learn that way, but their wrong. Our world is transforming and we learn to adapt to new ways. And by way of technology, it is a new way that works.
ReplyDeleteIn order to keep up with students, I would become more educated on the technology that they are using and try to include that in my lesson plans as much as possible. I would familiarize myself with all the popular technology that is out there as well as put into consideration which technology they use or prefer and learn those first. Not only does the technology benefit me but also the students. Having technology in the lesson plan will not only make them more eager to participate and learn, but also educate each other through things like blogging.
ReplyDeleteThis video was very helpful in touching uopn the ways teachers are behind their students in technology. one way I would keep up with my students is to do a small survey of the class ans see what types of technology they are most familiar with or most interested in. I would then take time to learn about it over the weekend and share what I learned with the class followed by an activity based in the technology type.
ReplyDeleteRemember that technology just for technology's sake is not always effective. You should use it in the classroom only when it increases learning. But sometimes it increases learning simply because it motivates students.
DeleteTechnology is a great tool that needs to be integrated into our lesson plans because children are more comfortable with using technology because it makes learning more enjoyable. First as a teacher I may need to know which children are comfortable with using certain technology. I cannot just assume that all children have a computer at home to practice their skills or even have basic technology skills. Even if the students do not have the advantage of using a computer at home they should be allowed time in school to learn how to use it. With this new age technology, the use of technology is growing rapidly and if they do not learn it at a young age they may be lost in the working world.
ReplyDeleteI found the video to be informational and also inspiring. The idea of centering education around the student and not the school is exciting. The point that I most identified with is that the technology is upon us and we need to accept it. By having students disconnect from this technology and revert back to the standard ways of learning does a disservice to them and the community they are expected to join.As a future educator I look forward to being able to connect with teachers around the world to help advance the learning of my students.
ReplyDeleteThe technological gap between student and teacher has only recently become relevant. In the past (before the internet gained widespread usage) teachers who were out of touch with the newest 'fads' were simply left out of their student's personal lives. Now that the internet is available in the classroom and even in the hallways teachers must develop questions and projects that require critical thinking skills in order to remain effective. The best way I can think of to keep up with the children you teach is to keep in touch with your students and their family network, discovering how a child learns (and with which tools) before you try and teach them is highly valuable.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reminding us that it is not all about technology. How important a student's family situation is and their learning styles!
DeleteThe technology gap in schools today mostly applies to the teachers who lived in generations as children where the technology of today didn't exist, even in the closest forms, unless they of course "keep up with the times." Keeping up can be very difficult for those who don't accept change regularly or who are otherwise "set in their ways." One could say that "getting with the program" would be a way to keep up with the students, but the programs change too rapidly to really keep up with. There are some teachers in the school system I work at that do in fact learn the programs, practice them proactively, as well as make suggestions to how things can be improved. I do see (at least in my school system) that superintendents are creating "5 year programs" to change the schools in favor of technology, technology education, and sustaining a virtual learning style in order to keep up with the technology that students are accustom to along with going green. In conclusion, it is a work in progress, however those are ways (along with steps are being made in the right direction) to bridge the technological gap.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching this video, I am beginning to realize how much of an impact technology can make on education. Up until now, technology has been viewed as a distratction in the classroom. However, we should start to view technology as an aide in the classroom. Not only will it help teachers prepare lessons in creative ways, but the students will also pay more attention. With technology integrated in the classroom, we can have a more interactive classroom. For example, they have these hand held computer-type gadgets. They can be given to each of the students. The teacher can ask a question and post a question on the smart board with a,b,c, or d option answers. The students can record their answers and the teacher will get an immediate response. The students will have fun with this, and the teacher will also know who understands the lesson and who is having a difficult time. To keep up with my students and technology I would try to take classes now and then.
ReplyDeletethese are called clickers. They are very cool. Now we can use iPads or even computers as clickers. Remind me and we will try this during class one week.
DeleteAfter watching this video I realized how much technology has changed over the past years even since I was a kid. I never realized how much technology can help and encourage children to learn more while playing games and doing things they enjoy. Now a days, a new teacher entering the teaching field must know a lot about all different type of technologies. In everyday classrooms they have smart boards, projectors, televisions, and even computers. As I enter the teacher work force, I know that as much as involving technology in my lessons and teaching methods I also will incorporate doing work without technology. Although technology is such a big help for children to enjoy and understand their work; I would like to teach my children in the classroom how to leaner things without technology as well. I personally believe that technology is a great thing for young children to leaner and use in their everyday lives for certain things. For example, it gets children to interact and understand things much better. When I become a teacher I will incorporate technology in many of my lessons. Using technology in the classroom is a creative way to have children to be actively involved in a lesson or activity in the classroom. The games that people have created on the computer for children to play are actually fun games that children enjoy to play even outside of school, which helps then learn more and more. In order to help my students with understanding technology and incorporating it into my lesson plans I plan on continuing education on new technology classes. I feel if i am just as informed about all these new technologies it will help me teach and help my students better understand technology to help them in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteMy son loves playing math bingo at school and at home.
DeleteTeachers have worked hard to provide alternative ways of learning for students who learn in different ways. The impact of technology on education has been profound. Computers have become an essential literacy tool in our society. When assistive technology is appropriately integrated into the classroom, students are provided with multiple means to complete their work and focus on achieving academic standards.
ReplyDeleteAwesome to bring up assistive technology!
DeleteI agree with a lot of what the speakers in this video are saying. It’s about bringing technology and the community together. If you want students to be able to change things in their life, their community, and their world, you need to help give them the tools that will help them make the changes they need and want. It’s about taking what your students have and using it to your advantage when trying to teach them. Students are now raised with technology such as cell phones and laptops. Teachers need to be able to show that these things aren’t just distractions, but very helpful tools for students and teachers when it comes to teaching and learning. I think it’s very important to create the atmosphere into a community instead of just in the classroom. I saw a presentation last year on a special type of classroom where children use their computers at home to watch videos of their teacher teaching them a math lesson. The students would then take notes and try a couple practice problems at home. The great thing about this system was that the students could do this at their own pace. If they missed something, they could rewind the video. If they didn’t understand it the first time, they could replay the video. The teacher had the students write down any questions they had from the video and then in class they went through 4 phases depending on how well they grasped the concepts they would move onto the next phase. Each student was able to work at their own pace to fully understand the lesson being taught. The student feedback was outstanding. They said that they had a deeper understanding of what they were doing. The main lessons were math, but the students’ grades improved by a huge amount compared to the year before where they weren’t in this special type of classroom. It’s definitely important to keep up with technology. The opportunities are endless and children will be more involved in their learning. It’s very important for teachers to know, understand, and use technology in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteAwesome Laura! What you saw is a trend known as "flipped classroom". We'll talk about it next week. Thanks for posting!
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ReplyDeleteTechnology is the future of our society. In order to teach our students in a todays class room we need to embrace all the new opportunities that technologies offer. We are in a time where we have the ability to communicate with any one through a social community. To keep up with students today as teachers we have to be the leaders by showing the students the opportunities that they gain through modern day technology
ReplyDeleteIt is very true that today students are becoming more and more technologically advanced. Sometimes teachers or other educators begin to fall behind because there are so many advances happening in this day and age. It seems that every other day there is a new computer coming out, a new phone, a new website, a new app and the list goes on. There are no more overhead projectors you have to plug into the wall; there are ones that are wired in the ceiling and project onto a white board or sometimes even a specific board for that projector. I have personally noticed many of these boards or what they call mimio projectors. The kids get really excited when they use this because it is interactive and it uses technology so it is a bundle! For me as a teacher I believe I would use a mimio projector or board. I believe that this is a great tool for kids, it’s very tech savvy and there is a multitude of things a teacher can do on the mimio. I think to keep up I would attend any kind of technology conference so I can learn any new updates or equipment. I will probably research and look for interactive websites that I can use within my lessons and that kids could even use at home to further their learning outside of the classroom. Whether or not teachers want to accept it, technology has become a part of society today and I personally believe that it can make a positive spin on the way students learn. Students need to become tech savvy especially if they plan to go on to further their education. This not only means through games, but programs and other devices that will become useful tools.
ReplyDeleteThis video is very enlightening, it brought me to realize that to create a more interactive and beneficial learning experience for students, as a teacher, I need to use technology. Technology can open so many more doors for students for their entire life. One way I could incorporate technology into the classroom and outside of the classroom is by keeping a blog, that them and their parents can access. Homework, responses and classroom activities can all be discussed and viewed by everyone on the site. By doing this the student is in the "community" not held down by the "classroom" walls. Access to their classmate's ideas at any time of the day on a blog can make their thoughts even more extensive and therefore learn even more than expected.
ReplyDeleteIn the modern world we live in, technology is a crucial aspect in our everyday lives as well as education. As future educators, we need to understand the significance of technology and incorporate it in the classroom to connect our students to the world around them and build a greater sense of community. Growing up we were taught that technology was a distraction and forms of communication such as Facebook and Twitter were banned in schools. But we need to move past this notion of technology being bad and look at all the positive ways technology can help us progress as students and teachers. Walking into the classrooms at the school I volunteer at, I see major movements of technology such as Smartboards, iPads, and camera overhead projectors. As shocking and uncomfortable as it was to see this being used in the classroom when I was never around them beforehand, I quickly became adapted to the new technology and saw how positively it helped the students learn and interact in school. Seeing every student in a third grade classroom having an iPad at their desks was very strange to me, until I realized how fortunate they were to have access to the educational apps and games to help them in school. I also learned that beginning in 2014, the Connecticut Mastery Test will be completed on the computer instead of on paper and be structured based on the student's previous answers and will be modified depending on the student's performance. This is a huge movement for the significance of technology in Connecticut's school system and teachers will need to be educated to prepare their students for these standardized tests. Technology in the classroom not only benefits the students but the teachers as well. Being able to connect with other teachers around the world and share their classroom experience can help further benefit our education. Not to mention that teachers can use programs to make handouts, newsletters, charts, lesson plans, maintain a gradebook, and use it for other classroom activities. This video proved that technology is not a choice but a necessity and that it can only greatly improve education in the future.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting about the CMTs.
DeleteAs an aspiring teacher this video was definitely eye opening. It is important for educators to be up to date with the latest technology in order to keep up with their students. In the upcoming generations, students are becoming much more comfortable with technology and are definitely learning very quickly. Technology is an excellent source to have in the classroom and have available to students. Technology provides an interactive lesson for the students as well as hands on activities. In my opinion, interactive lessons are much more beneficial than a standard lecture and taking notes. Especially in elementary students, it is important to grab their attention and to be able to hold their attention till the end of the lesson. With something they are interested in such as technology it is much easier to hold their attention. Students are definitely becoming more familiar with technology and are excited when they get the chance to use it! With technology becoming so popular this is an extremely exciting time for education. For example, with smart boards, ipads, laptops and projectors teachers are able to be more creative with their lesson plans and students are more involved in their education. With technology becoming more and more popular it is important for students to be given the chance to use it. Some students are unable to have the opportunity to use technology in their homes so it is important they can become familiar with it in the class room. In order for teachers to keep up with the technology i think they should be required to take classes or watch tutorials so they can use and educate their students. I am a strong believer that learning is more productive with hands on and interactive experience. I intend to incorporate as much technology into my lessons as possible! This video allowed me to really understand how much technology is improving education for the students but also the educators and the schools in general! In the future, I see technology becoming more and more common in the classroom and i think it is important for students and teacher to be comfortable with this new form of learning and teaching in order to be successful!
ReplyDeleteWish blogger had a like button.
DeleteThis video mentions several times the way I would keep up with my students technologically. That way would be by keeping up with the latest social networking systems. A great percent of students today use facebook and twitter, and are very familar with how they work. If students used these sites to connect with one another outside of class for projects, I feel it would be way more successful than an unfamilar site. For instance, in this class, we are enabled to use facebook or twitter for our PLN project. I chose twitter for this project because I am way more comfortable with this, than Google Reader for example, because I have never used that. Providing kids to choose to work with a social network when doing work outside of school I think is excellent because students are actually on these sites sometimes on a daily basis, so why not let them use it to their advantage?
ReplyDeleteSabrina, thanks for posting this. The point of the PLN is for lifelong learning. If you are going to be on Twitter constantly you will see some great tweets (I hope) on a daily basis. I hope you also stretch yourself and try another tool too. You may find you like that too.
DeleteThe world we live in is one filled with technology. Kids are one of the quickest to pick up on new technology and we as teachers need to embrace that. As a teacher I want to teach my students but at the same time I want them to educate me on what they like to do and what forms of technology they use. I can then incorporate that into my lessons and make the learning more valuable and interesting to my students. Smart boards, laptops, and blogs are just some of the ways technology can be incorporated. I always wanted to be in the class that got to use the smart board but only one had it and I never got to use it. The reason to teach is to educate students but if we aren't keeping up with technology are we fully educating them? Using technology to my advantage will help me and other teachers engage students with lessons they can easily relate to. Technology is a great tool that will help teachers advance their students by showing them a fun and educational way to learn. This will also make the students who don't like learning or don't learn as easily want to learn. The lessons will help show kids that the material they are learning is something they will use in everyday life. One of my biggest complaints and mainly from math was where am I ever going to use this. I don't want my students guessing why I'm teaching them the material I want them to know they are learning things that will also be seen outside of school. We need to combine the community and the school to make one and not let our students go without the proper education.
ReplyDeleteLots of great thoughts Rachel.
DeleteWhile there are always many obstacles for teachers to overcome, technology is definitely a common one in this day, There are constantly advances in technology and as a teacher it is important to be up to date with as much of them as possible. "Keeping up" with your students and all the technology they use is a very important factor in the classroom. By keeping up to date with what they know and use, a teacher is then able to better understand their students and even find new ways to teach that may be relevant to all the knowledge they have from outside the classroom. Something I would try to do in order to keep up with my students is first, just try to stay informed and up to date with what is going on in the technological world. I would try to figure out for myself how to use certain things, and maybe even take how-to classes if it were to come to that. Also, if use of the technology came up in the classroom setting, I would even be open to having students share their knowledge in order to expand my own. It would be good to first get a sense of where each student lies in terms of technology advances and then progress from there. Incorporating technology into everyday lessons would also be an idea, that way both I and my students would be able to stay fresh in our knowledge of such things while keeping the classroom fun in general.
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas. A few ways to take "how-to classes" would include getting your certificate or masters in Educational Technology. The program at CCSU is excellent. Also, you can probably find some online classes. Another way would be to search the web for how-to videos. And don't forget your PLN.
DeleteI will keep up with my students by always trying to incorporate some type of technology in what there learning. Now a days technology helps keep students attention to what there learning and keeps things exciting. Also you always find kids learning and looking up information on the internet you never really see kids go to a book to try and find the answer to there questions. By adding and using technology when I'm a teacher will help my students always stay engaged, and ready to learn more about what I'm teaching them.
ReplyDeleteWhile I don't believe anyone would argue the beneficial impact that computer technology has had on education I believe the challenge that many teachers will face in the future is making this avenue of learning accessible to the greatest number of students.This is particularly an issue at inner-city schools in urban areas that have been hard hit by budget deficits. The challenge to us as educators will not only be to keep ourselves up to date thru continued course enrollment but to also demonstrate to our students the perceptual values of buying into the technology program.New creative ways to come up with the funding to support the pursuit of the dream will always be a paramount objective. It is not enough to have students hunger for technological knowledge. Once their appetites have been whetted
ReplyDeleteand their attention is at technology's table you must be able to deliver steak and not just hamburger.Reaching out to community resources, religious organizations, local politicians means that a wide net has to be cast for these technological systems to be
attained successfully.If you are lucky enough to be in a school system so financially solvent that money is not an issue than I think you will be more of the exception than the rule and face other challenges.Today's youth are inundated with peer pressure from their cohorts.Inner city children are faced with a dilemma-I-Pads or Michael Jordans? Our challenge as educators is to help them make an informed decision.It is not enough to say that older teachers who are not tech- savvy will just be phased out through the attrition process. As long as a teacher is willing to embrace the new technology they should be an integral part of the students learning cycle.Sometimes an older educator can make a more profound connection with an intense student than a younger counterpart.We can all bring something to the table!
So many great insights Felix. I vote for steaks, not hamburger!
DeleteThe most important thing I feel I can do to further the education of my students would have to be just being open to new technologies while making them aware of guidelines to using the internet saftely. Keeping an open mind to what the World Wide Web has to offer. Technology is already a major feature in childrens' development and will continue to be so in the future therefore as educators we need to pay attention to what our students are doing when they go home from school, what is the new facebook? Perhaps try to incorporate that into a lesson, while also teaching our students about web safety. Perhaps holding the first computer class as a safety class, then following up the lesson with a fun project.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with most of the speakers in this short video. It's obvious that over the past years technology has been growing, and its impact on society has grown along with it. Although it is obvious, in the educational aspect of things it seems that this big chunk of many students lives is being purposefully looked over. As a future educator, I will try my best to not look over such a huge piece of their lives. Instead I intend to incorporate the technology they already use in their everyday lives in order to keep students interested in learning. In doing so, I hope I can help expand their knowledge of technology so in the end they will be set up for success and not failure outside of school. To keep up with students it will be important to stay up to speed with all the new technological advancements. Making sure i'm informed and tech-savy as possible can come from going to workshops, researching things online, and probably one of the best ways could be learning from my own students. Teachers don't know everything, and especially when it comes to technology, but the ones who know best are the ones who will be growing up with it. As a teacher I will keep in mind that there are more ways beyond the standardized testing and right and wrong answer approach to help students learn, and will try to set up my students for success by incorporating learning techniques that include using technology into the classroom.
ReplyDeleteLots of great comments Brittany! Don't be afraid to learn from your students. There is too much technology to keep up with and students can be leaders in this area.
DeleteThis video was an eye opener for me. I knew technology was constantly changing each and everyday. I never thought about how it would effect children and our own education. Education programs itself need to be improved and updated, to work with the new technology changes. WIth technology I feel that it will broaden what you can now use in the classroom. I also feel that teachers need to be on all the new websites learning them in and out, in-order to help their students find the best webpages for information. Students could help teach you to use a certain website that they are interested in during that time. The part in the video that really stood out to me was the part on researching. Researching can become very complicated especially on the internet because their are so many websites you can look at to find certain information. Its specially knowing which website you will get the most use out of for information. It also helps if teachers can inform students of sites to be cautions about. I feel the most important part is teachers should incorporate technology in a lot of their students work. When I become a teacher I will most definitely use technology in my classroom. For group projects using the internet for research and use different softwares to put a project together. Technology most defiantly feel would broaden a child's learn and experiences in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteThis video was very influential. It provides a lot of incite on how technology does play a very big role not just in our lives as adults but also as students. I read the question and watched the movie right after. I immediately remembered back to my fifth grade class when we had pen pals from Hartford. We were able to write back and forth with them for the entire school year and we even got to meet up with them at an art center for activities. It made me think even further into using technology with pen pals. If a teacher got a hold of another teacher in another state or even another country to learn about their culture, video messaging could be used to expand the children's cultural mindset.
ReplyDeleteIt's crazy to think about when I was in elementary school not too too long ago that we were just starting to use computers and no one had even ever heard of the internet. Now today I see little 4 year old's walking around with iPad's with 4g wifi service. How crazy technology has advanced in the past 15-20 years. It is very important to try to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to technology I believe. Don't want the little kids showing you up when you yourself encounter technology in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI found this video to be very informative and eye opening. I have never really considered how big of a role technology is gaining in education. As others have mentioned, I remember the first time I ever used a computer at school in the fourth grade. We were not taught how to use the internet, but we were instructed to play games that dealt with proper typing techniques. I believe I was finally exposed to the internet in sixth grade. The world is changing and technology is becoming more important and helpful than ever before. I think it is crucial for elementary schools to incorporate technology into everyday lessons. Not only with this prepare children for their technological ventures in high school, but it will also prepare them for the lives ahead of them. One way that I would 'keep up' with my students is to further my own education in technology. Technology is constantly changing and progressing, and it if very important for educators to stay up to date with the subject so that they can enhance their classrooms with technology. In my classroom, I am going to incorporate technology as much as possible. For example, I think that simple research projects that involve the internet search engines are a great way to introduce elementary students to the world of the internet.
ReplyDeleteThe best way to "keep up" with my students is to stay current with the new technology and learn and embrace it. Many teachers feel a disconnect from their students because of new technology and have negative feelings towards it. One way I can use technology in my classroom is to get students involved with a blogging site just like this but geared for elementary school students. I work with elementary age students and they tell me about how part of their homework is to blog, and since the school year had recently started, their assignment was to blog about who they are and what they're interested in and comment on their peers' posts. I find this to be a great way of using social networking for elementary aged students.
ReplyDeleteIn today’s world technology is all around us and it is being used in younger and younger generations. There are 1st graders with ipod, that know how to do a world wind of things on them. But as a teacher and even a student myself there are certain things that I don’t know how to do because I didn’t grow up using that technology. One way that I would technology in the class room is to write emails with students and have certain cite that they cold log into at home to get a better understanding of a certain concept. Students could have a classroom blog where they are able to log on ask question to each other if the need help with a project, a homework assignment or just to talk and post things about themselves. New technology is never going to disappear so we should embrace it and find way to bring it into the classroom.
ReplyDeletecollaborative learning is great!
ReplyDeleteFor a long time teachers tried to fight internet technology in classrooms. Mostly out of fear brought by ignorance on the subject. As a result they have built unnatural barrier between school and real life outside of the school. Still, it was a shocker to find out through the video that education ranked 55th (the last!) industry sector in IT intesiveness according to US department of commerce. Knowing very little about internet technology myself, I understand it is challenging for those raised in "the old world" to understand and incorporate this technology in teaching, nevertheless, it seems to me it is necessary. As one of the speakers in the movie noted, childrem have much more stimulationg and rich environment outside of the schools, and I believe, not changing educational system would be accepting this idea. As an aspiring teacher I cannot accept the idea. Realizing I am far behind, I need to invest in my own education so that I can become successful teacher for my students. I'll start with classes like this one, where even blogging is new to me, and then proceed with other workshops. I believe that incorporating internet technology into school curriculum may greatly benefit the students. For one, it makes natural connection to their lives - games and music downloaded to ipods, books read on kindle and such devices, web searching for answers, facebook, twitting etc. Using all those devices can make learning more interesting for students and engage them in a learning process far more than traditional textbooks. Those interactive tools may also help in building classroom community as well as conecting school into broader community. Furthermore, using tools familiar to our students can make it easier for them to understand new concepts thought in classroom and make whole learning process less threatening. Lastly, incorporating internet technology into teaching will prepare our students more accurately for the success in future jobs and for the succes in life.
ReplyDeleteToday, children are so involved in technology, and in the classroom they are very much restricted from using it. I think to a point they should be, but technology is what everyone is using today to do almost..everything. We have to allow our children to utilize technology in the classroom because they will have to use it in life. We are their teachers, so we must teacher them and prepare them. In order to teach the students, we have to 'keep up' with them. To do this I would stay on top with the latest technology that the kids would most likely know, or be using, and be able to answer questions, teach them about it, and also to warn about potential dangers, like cyber bullying for example. Something I would do as a teacher to keep technology used in the classroom is make sure that if new technology comes about, to use it to the best of my ability, and to make sure everyone is using it safely. Technology is expanding and developing so quickly, and will continue to, so we must educate our students about it and use it in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteChildren these days are so involved in technology. Being a techer we need to keep up with technology to incorporate it into our classrooms. Such as blogging as we do each week, something like this is a great way for the students to stay connected outside the classroom. They can ask eachother questions on assignments, projects etc. Using smart boards as opposed to the overhead projectors our teacher used, and using the internet for research rather than only books. Whe we incorporate these thing into the classroom it makes the children more engaged in the learning process and they want to pay attention. Therefore, they get more out of each lesson. As a techer, I would incorpoate blogging into my lessons.
ReplyDeleteTechnology is becoming more and more involved in the education system. I think this is great because children are learning more about technology than adults are. Because children are so interested in technology, it is a great way to incorporate learning. I would keep up with the technology children are so equipped with by allowing blogs in my classroom. Blogs are a great tool to allow children to share their thoughts and ideas with each other and learn from eachothers opinions. Learning should be a fun experience and the children should be engaged as much as possible. I would also use powerpoints, movies, research projects using the Internet to allow the children to use what they know about technology to enhance their learning. Technology is a great way to get the children engaged in the material and holds their attention.
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