Chapter 1 and 2 Blog
In the 23 years I have been alive,
our society has drastically changed. When I was growing up, we first got the
internet in 1998. I was seven years old and my mom let me go on to play a few
games. I definitely was not walking around with the latest IPhone. Yes,
technology has made our lives much, much easier, but I do believe we, as a
society, may have become too dependent on these advancements. I see some people
who cannot hold a conversation with a person face to face without putting down
their smartphone. Even my sister, who will be 28 in a few months, has a really
hard time letting go of her IPhone. She is constantly connected and posting on
social media that we sometimes have to repeat questions to her because she
doesn’t realize we are speaking to her.
I would love to be one of those
teachers who incorporates and uses technology in her classroom every day. There
are so many different ways to bring technology into any classroom to help
increase student engagement. In my classroom I have a Smartboard, but no
projector and no laptop. My two computers and printer in the back of the room
do not work. We have a technology sign
out document for my floor that is shared among nine teachers. It is hard to use
a piece of technology every day if you do not have the access to it. I wish I
had a projector in my classroom and I would use my Smartboard everyday! I am
actually in the middle of creating an account for Donor’s Choose so I could
hopefully raise funds to purchase my own projector for my classroom.
There a few other classrooms that
have SmartBoards with projectors so they are constantly using it and I am so
jealous. There are so many opportunities and activities you can do with
students if you have the available equipment. Last year, we had some trainings
in which TEQ showed us different activities and tools to incorporate into
lessons to make the level of engagement that much more greater.
Questions
1. How do you, or how would you incorporate
technology into your classroom?
2. Describe your readiness and/or eagerness to
becoming technology-friendly.
Hi Bianca,
ReplyDeleteYes, our society has drastically changed with modern and new technology. I recently brought an Ipad, Laptop, and desk-top computer. I love being either my laptop or Ipad. It is so much you can learn from it. I not a computer quiz, but I love challenging myself on what it can do. There are a lot of different ways to bring technology and ideas into the classroom. A few teachers, need to learn the base technology of the computer, before they can bring it to the students. I am eager to learn and explored different type of apps I can bring to my students. I would incorporate technology into my classroom by proving online reading comprehension practice, do history lessons, and spice up the grammar lesson. Each lesson will be in a group setting. The students will be engaged and it will be challenging to them.
It's difficult to face the idea that the devices improving learning can also be the downfall of students. As stated in the book, "Teens and tweens averaged 7 hours and 38min using entertainment media in a typical day in 2010." It may be a challenge to steer children into using technology as a source of learning, when it is used largely as a source of entertainment. I have used different sources of technology in my classrooms; mostly power points and hands on aides. I am very eager to learn new ways of incorporating technology-friendly methods into the classroom.
ReplyDeleteBianca,
ReplyDeleteI relate to your eagerness/frustrations regarding technology. Last spring when I was student teaching each classroom had a promethean board. It was great to incorporate this interactive technology into daily instruction, the kids were engaged and motivated to learn. Like you, while I was student teaching the K-2 grade teachers shared a projector and other equipment so it was difficult to always incorporate technology into instruction. I am eager to bring technology into the classroom when I begin teaching, even if the students are in small groups and only interact with technology (tablets, ipads, laptops, computers) a few times a week I think it is important to have students use technology to become true 21st century students.
I can't agree with you more how much society has changed. And I definitely remember only being limited to an hour on the internet because it used the house's phone line. There are some struggles that we ensued that children now would have heart attacks over. While I'm not planning on being completely technologically dependent for my students to learn, I am excited to see what I can do to use technology to mine and their advantage. I don't mean using a YouTube clip or a power point, but to create something on my own that has a large educational value while still being technological and fun for them.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to your questions, I am very eager to learn how to incorporate technology into my classroom. I am currently student teaching and everything is centered around technology. This is not the only school where I have seen learning centered around technology. It makes me feel incompetent especially due to the fact that I lived in iGeneration. My goal as a teacher is to engage and challenge my students through the use of technology
ReplyDelete