Blog #4

I believe Monica and I managed to use technology in meaningful and engaging ways in our lesson plan and unit.  We did not just want to use technology for the sake of using it.  The use of the ELMO to display “Mr. Bones,” the e-sheet, and the online skeleton game enhanced the understanding of lesson’s content.  Using the online stopwatch was a great way for us to easily keep track of time while students worked on the e-sheet.
  

One challenge I foresee in the future is teaching the lesson, using technology, and monitoring the students simultaneously.  Since Monica and I were both teaching the lesson, we did not have issues with multitasking that may occur if there was only one person teaching.  Before our presentation, we made sure that the video and other links we intended to use during the lesson were working properly.  I think it is important for teachers to test technology before using it in class so the teacher is more comfortable and there is no class time wasted when something does not function properly.   

Blog #3

In Generation M2: Media in the lives of 8- to 18-year-olds, the findings that children spend about 7.5 hours each day with media are shocking to me.  Whatever happened to playing outside?  I knew the number would be high, but I did not think it would be quite as bad.  I was also surprised by the large discrepancy between the media usage of Hispanic and Black children and that of Caucasian children.  All the multitasking that children are doing today causes them to miss out on living in the present.  It seems similar to a zombie-like existence to me.   

I believe that conducting a study on the media usage of 3^rd graders to freshmen in college is a very broad age range.  At the end of the Key Findings section, I was pleased to see a chart of media usage that splits the ages into smaller, more appropriate ranges. 

About 93% of heavy media users say they have a lot of friends, compared to 91% for medium and light users.  I cannot help but wonder about their definition of friendship.  Are these children referring to actual friends or Facebook friends?

It was a relief to read that the time young people spend reading books has slightly increased over the past ten years.  This was not surprising to me because of the popularity of such books as Harry Potter and Twilight.  However, newspaper and magazine reading has declined over the years, which I believe may be the result of people reading that content on the Internet.

Based on these findings, it seems teachers must have classrooms full of many inactive and easily distracted children.  I believe teachers need to work even harder to keep the attention of their students.  In addition, teachers and parents need to encourage children (especially heavy media users) to focus more on academics outside of the classroom instead of spending hours in front of the TV and computer.  

Blog #2

While reading Todd Oppenheimer's The Flickering Mind, I felt surprised by the stance that technology is not the “miracle” many people think it is.  This is a refreshing point of view because I find that many educators are adamant about technology being used as much as possible in the classroom.   I agree with Oppenheimer that technology does not present a cure for the issues that are ailing the educational system.  Oppenheimer expresses concern that students’ “ability to reason, to listen, to feel empathy, among other things, is quite literally flickering.” Both NETS-S and Tech Tonic also touch on the importance of developing students’ humanity.

Tech Tonic explains that the use of technology should reflect not what children can do, but what children need developmentally.  Alliance for Childhood insists that children should not use tools that are too complex for them to understand how they work (like TVs, computers, etc.).   They encourage more hands-on learning instead of the reliance on high-tech tools.   


Although NETS-S has a more pro-technology stance than Tech Tonic and The Flickering Mind, the goals expressed are actually quite similar in all three, including the emphasis on understanding technology, thinking critically and creatively, and maintaining a sense of responsibility and awareness.  Each expresses concerns about students maintaining their humanity, understanding of the world, and using technology in meaningful ways.

Blog #1

Since technology touches practically every aspect of our lives, it is crucial in the classroom for 21^st century learners.  Students need to be proficient and up-to-date with technology to build a foundation for success and to better understand our world.   Educators can use technology to engage students and help them build a 

positive attitude about learning.

Sometimes, I feel concerned about our reliance on technology, especially for communication. Are texting and Facebook chatting causing a lack of social skills?  Although we are more “connected” to the world today, there seems to a sense of disconnect with one another because of the impersonal nature of technology.

Educators should help students be as comfortable communicating in person as they do using technology.  Students must be given many opportunities to build relationships and connect with their peers and teachers through class activities, group work, and discussions. 

Every day, people are bombarded with tons of information, so it is essential for students to master critical thinking skills to sort through it all!  Technology is an excellent tool to help students develop critical thinking skills and be active learners.  For example:

•  An English class could make a newscast video discussing a literary piece (like Beowulf or The Hunger Games) as if the events are real and happening in the modern world.
•   An elementary math class could play math games on http://www.earobics.com/gamegoo/gooey.html? After all, technology + learning = engaged and happy students! 
• Students in a social studies class could create “Facebook profiles” about historical figures on your class website.

There are so many ideas that you can access in an instant (Internet!) to help your students (and yourself) become more technologically savvy.  Another amazing tool that is becoming more and more popular in classrooms is the SMART Board.  Kids love using the SMART Board for videos, writing, and much more!  Let us not forget “a teacher’s best friend,” known formally as YouTube.  Showing clips or videos in class can engage students and boost interest!