Blog #2
Influences on Tech Use in the Classroom
Teachers and students both are influenced in a myriad of ways that leads them to using technology in the classroom. Students, especially of the younger generations, are surrounded by technology, smart technology especially. They do not remember a world in which smart phones, digital menu boards, electric cars, and talking GPS devices didn't exist. This plays a major part on their use of technology in school. Technology is as much a part of their lives as driving manual transmissions was for older generations. For students to enter a classroom where phones aren't allowed and there are no computers or SmartBoards or WiFi is simply out of the norm compared to their lives outside of school. Likewise, teachers are also living in a world that is becoming more centered around technology. And while not all teachers are welcoming of such change, many teachers have found technological advancements to be especially beneficial for their instruction. For instance, technology can make presentations easier for them and more engaging for their students, can make typically dangerous or expensive science experiments safe and inexpensive, and so on. While students (and teachers) should definitely have a break away from technology, the use of technology in the classroom can be greatly beneficial, especially when used in balance with no technology.
ISTE Standards for Educators
I think the ISTE standards are interesting, and I wonder if it is primarily regarding more Westernized countries, as it seems that some of the standards are near impossible for educators in other parts of the world. Additionally, to meet all standards seems a bit much, especially considering how much tremendous pressure teachers already have in having to meet state standards, prepare students for tests, prepare students for the real world, uphold their end of the many different IEPs they have for each of their students, incorporating multicultural education into their instruction, teaching students time management and proper behavior, and so forth. Nevertheless, one standard I find particularly meaningful is the Designer standard, which posits that educators should "design authentic, learner-driven activities and environments that recognize and accommodate learner variability" (ISTE). It is extremely important that teachers always remember that different students learn in different ways, and thus they need to diversify their instructional methods so as to allow for greater inclusivity of varying learning types. On the other hand, one standard I find to be outside of my current skillset is that of the Leader standard, particularly 2a and 2b. This standard is also one that I think would be exceptionally difficult for already overworked teachers, given the amount of effort and time going about these actions would require.
Digital Native
I neither agree nor disagree with the label of "digital native" for today's youth, as a digital native is one who was born into a world of technology. By this definition alone, a vast majority of the population can be considered a digital native, as even those who were born into the time of telegraphs were born into a time of technology. As such, I am aware that the term technology is in reference to what we call smart technology- smart phones, smart watches, SmartBoards, smart homes, etc. In this sense, the label "digital native" is more relevant.
Personally, I have not seen much difference (if any) between my use and my educators' use of technology, but this is greatly due to the fact that, though I was born into the era of Blackberries and fast(er) Internet, I was not exactly up to date on technology. For instance, I didn't have a phone until after graduating high school, and I grew up with a landline in my home. However, I am sure that there are a number of other students who have seen differences, and I expect that I will encounter this particular matter should I become a teacher. While there will always be those digital natives who are not raised in a technology-heavy environment, it is likely that many of my students will understand and use technology differently from me. For instance, while I still have the tendency to grab a sticky note and pen to write down a quick note, my students' first instincts may instead be to whip out their phones and type a note in some app.
Commented on:
Olivia's Blog- Jan. 6 post and Jan. 15 post
Hayley Singer's Blog- "Blog 1"and "Blog Post 2"
I had a similar viewpoint when talking about technology in the classroom. I think that we are more advanced than our teachers because we were born into more advanced technology. Your stance on digital native is interesting because I never thought about it the way you did. I like how you mentioned that everyone could be a digital native such as with the telegraph which took place many years ago.
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DeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog post. I found you took an interesting approach to the first question and I appreciated your thought process. When reading your paragraph on digital natives, I was very intrigued. I found myself thinking completely opposite, however after reading your viewpoint I feel as though I have learned a lot and have a new outlook on the whole topic and the way people are raised!
ReplyDeleteYour blog was really awesome to read and I enjoyed looking at things from your perspective! You made a really good point about how there needs to be a balance of technology. Regardless of being in a classroom setting or not, there needs to be balance for children because if there is not they will become addicted and it will only increase as they get older. Everything is good in moderation. I also think it is great that instead of first grabbing your phone to write something down you grab a sticky note, I can definitely relate to you in that sense. It will be interesting to see how the generations that we will potentially be teaching will grow up so differently than us with the use of technology.
ReplyDeleteI really liked your thoughts on the ISTE standards! It seems ridiculous to me to put pressure on teachers to meet even more standards when they are already so overworked and underpaid, but, unfortunately, the world we live in demands that educators are proficient with technology. I also agree that these standards are only geared towards teachers who have adequate access to technology. There are plenty of schools in the United States, much less in poorer countries, that do not have access to even basic technology, usually due to funding. The fact that some schools can't even provide basics like projectors that connect to a computer or wifi is a serious disadvantage to their students, and I fear that any students that continue on to the university level will be woefully unprepared.
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ReplyDeleteI like how you talked about not having technology as in the classroom being out of the norm for the students of today. I think that if educators want to find the most success, then they should use the tools that the students like. Since technology is the norm for students, then that is a perfect things to use in today's classroom to help induce learning and participation. I think it is interesting that you didn't get a phone until after high school, and it makes me wonder if you did have a phone, would you have seen a larger disconnect between you and your teachers in the realm of technology.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your comment about halfway growing up in the age of technology! it is a weird in between in which we had the privilege of seeing the growth of internet but also not enough to have been born into it! I also liked the way in which you approached the ITSE standards, it was a very interesting perspective!
ReplyDeleteBest, Liz