Reflection 9/23/15

In my previous blog post I wrote about the low-income gap and how I didn't understand how people who are less fortunate could learn all day with technology, but not have access to it at home. I feel silly that I never thought of how restaurants, libraries, and cafes often offer free wifi, which we discussed today in class. It's true that while technology is evolving, other businesses are also evolving to keep up with the changes. People say the profession of teaching is constantly changing, but as one can see every profession and aspect of life changes regularly as well. I guess the lesson would be that change cannot be avoided, and one should try their best to embrace changes.

Reflection of Chapters 1 & 2

Reflection of Chapters 1 & 2:

              Chapters 1 and 2 both underscored to myself that I am going to have to be more than a "Media Mover" (one who uses online and mobile devices regularly as a way to connect with other people socially); to be a successful teacher I must be a "Digital Collaborator," which is someone who uses online and technology readily to create and share information with others. (Maloy 26) As exemplified in the textbook, a teacher must be able to respond to innovation and change within the technological realm. 

              I think that it is important for teachers to be open to change, because it's next to impossible to name a time when teaching was not changing into something new and more advanced. In my personal life I am not a big fan of change, so I'm hoping after learning more throughout the class I can find ways to welcome change in my teaching career. 

               According to the Rogers innovation curve I would place myself in the group that would utilize technology if I felt confident about it. Like the old saying goes, "confidence is key." No one wants to do something that they do not feel they are good at. As a teacher one must welcome the opportunity to learn from students and others. A teacher is just as much of a student as anyone else. There is always room for learning and improvement in all fields. 

              Students begin to get bored in class if they are forced to listen to their teacher lecture everyday. Technology and education apps give students a break from lectures and allows them to explore and discover on their own. I think it is important for students to want to learn and for them to be curious about things on their own without the teacher persuading them to learn about a certain topic. Technology stimulates learning and engages students.

              Some questions I have:

1) I babysit a child who goes to a school districts that gives the students iPads to use for homework and schoolwork. On these devices children are able to communicate with one another via an email account. There have been situations where bullying has occurred via these emails and being that it is the school's property the school must take action. That being said, how can teachers prevent student's from bullying on these devices? In this case, children do suffer consequences after the bullying is reported, but is it really possible to make sure bullying does not occur at all? 

2) The barrier of children not being able to afford such devices strikes me. If a child is doing all of their learning on an iPad, but is unable to bring that iPad home because it is school property, how does the child do work at home? If they use technology all day, it seems to me that a pen, paper, and textbook may seem foreign to them, and may make their further studying at home much more difficult. 

Closing Reflection 9/16/15

September 16, 2015

                   Tonight's lesson focused on how education is always changing. This lesson prompted me to think about how education has changed since I began college almost four years ago. Constantly people are complaining about the changes of edTPA and Common Core standards, and I personally feel people are forgetting how much education changes. When one decides to become a teacher I feel they need to keep in mind how education is a changing field, and that we need to for lack of a better term, "roll with the punches." Some changes have been made for the better, and some for the worse. Though in order for anything to be made better it needs to be able to take new forms and new things must be tried. 

Technology and it's Importance

              One would think that a 21 year old student would know his or her way around technology and in reality most do, but I am not one who does. Of course, I can work your basic social media apps on my iPhone, but when it comes to anything more difficult than that I am incapable. Although when it comes down to being a teacher, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat are not going to make my classroom a better learning environment. 

              As a teacher, I want to use technology to enhance my student's learning in the classroom. I want to grow with technology and have my students be comfortable while using technology to prepare them for the real world. I don't want them to be someone like me, who would rather pen and paper, because some day pen and paper may not be an acceptable way to learn in a classroom.

  

              I know knowledge of technology is necessary to succeed in the future, and I want to give each and every student I ever teach the materials to succeed. 

Personal Goals:

• I want to find ways that my children can use technology for projects and assignments that will help them express their creativity and individuality.
  
• To be able to recognize the problems that may occur during a lesson whether with Microsoft Word or the SmartBoard, so I can quickly fix them and not mess with the schedule I have planned for that day's lessons and assignments.
  
• I want to be able to know the ins and outs of PowerPoint in order to ensure my student's are capable of presenting their knowledge in an exciting, visually appealing, yet informative manner.
  
• I want technology to be available to provide more interaction for children with different learning styles.
  
•  To use these tools to produce interactive and inquiry-based learning experiences that teach academic content and skills to 1–6 grade level students.