After reading chapter one as well as watching the video made by Dr. Mcleod I have come to the conclusion that our advances in technology are going to be endless. As someone who went to school while technology in the classroom was catching on I can tell you it has completely changed from the beginning to the present. I remember I went from no computers to having one computer in my social studies class and we each had to take turns playing the Oregon Trail game. (I hope some of you remember that game, and if you have an Iphone you can download the application! J )Through middle and high school I remember computer labs being built and we would go in and work on our typing skills, took tests to see what kind of jobs we would be good at, and worked on learning how to use Microsoft word later on. I went to school in Virginia
As I got out of high school and went to community college I was shocked with all the computer labs they had and I loved how some classes required you to attend these labs. Moving forward I took online courses when they became available and I absolutely loved them. Not only was it the convenience of staying home, but also the ability to get on the computer at two in the morning and do some assignments when I couldn’t sleep. I still felt part of a class room environment and loved reading other peoples thoughts in the discussion boards.
I feel that I have become a digital student as described in the book. I have become accustomed to having the ability to research topics from sources all over the world all while sitting in my living room. I wanted to become an online teacher because I feel I can relate to the students and know what they need. I feel with the right set of tools the next generation will be smarter, faster, and can quickly critically solve problems in today’s world.
I loved the video; it’s a great way to see how far we have come, and where our technology is headed. I can relate to that video, especially the texting part! My fiancé tells me I sent about 100 to 150 texts a day. I don’t even know how that possible, but I guess I do. I live on my phone, I not only communicate with friends and family but I do online banking, pay bills, and play lots of games on it. I would say my phone is used more than my personal computer.
Darleen
I had a slightly similar experience during my school years. In elementary school we had a computer lab, and most classrooms did not have their own computers. We played games such as Oregon Trail and those that helped us develop our typing skills. From that time to the time I graduated from high school there has been a massive boom in technology innovation. Just think, though! The students Shelly describes are far more advanced than you and I were at that age. Technological advancement during their entire lifetime has been moving at a breakneck pace. That is why I think it is wonderful that you so fully embrace technology and using it to learn. There needs to be more teachers like you who see its value in the classroom and even it's use to create online classrooms. Use that passion to teach and inspire other teachers so we can all be better for our students.
ReplyDeleteI am curious, though. Do you feel that because we now have so many opportunities to take online courses that enough is being done to currently meet our students' needs?
I am, unfortunately, old enough to remember taking "typing" class on an actual typewriter in middle school. As computers slowly became available in high school and of course college, I remember I was always one of the better typists, and I remember people saying, "How did you learn to type so fast?" Most people now can type out a lengthy text message on a tiny keyboard in what seems like seconds.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading how you feel you have become a digital student (digital native, perhaps?) as described in our textbook. I feel the same way, being one of the more technology oriented teachers at my school. The students seem to appreciate it after having some of the older teachers who are tech illiterate. One of my colleagues proudly describes herself as a "Luddite." The students are also surprised when I know more than them about a subject or I decipher some of their text "lingo".
It is all a part of doing what is best for our students. I can say that I always try to meet my students needs, regardless of convenience. Whether or not I always succeed is a whole different essay!
I do believe that enough is being done in college level education to meet student’s needs. Blogs, online discussions, and web chats create a virtual classroom that brings us all together. I feel that we are expanding our minds to new learning experiences that will help us grow as teachers. I can only hope that one day every classroom in elementary through high school with get the same opportunity to expand their education outside the walls of their classroom. I don’t think that enough is being done to supply the schools with up to date technology and equipping the students with what’s currently available. It all comes down to money, and unfortunately it’s the students who suffer in the end.
ReplyDeleteDarleen
Greetings Darla, from Ruth Paine, one of your classmates in EME5050. As I read your post, it reminded me of the elementary school that is located in the community where I live. This community is truly my hometown because I have literally never lived any other place. To add another layer of “down-home charm,” I have to share with you that this local elementary school is the same one I attended as a child. It is also where all three of my children attended elementary school, and I had the pleasure of working at Middleburg Elementary as a teacher for twelve years. You really took me back when you said, “I remember I went from no computers to having one computer in my social studies class and we each had to take turns playing the Oregon Trail game.” That pretty much described my classroom when I received my first computer (an Apple IIe) and my first dot matrix printer. My students took turns playing Oregon Trail just as you did. When you said that you hoped someone would remember that game, I thought to myself “I do.” The difference is, I remember it from the perspective of the teacher, not the student.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you are more “digital native” than “digital immigrant” by your post. I’m a person who grew up “old school,” but I’m trying not to let my “digital immigrant” show too much, because I really want to be “new school.”
Something else we seem to have in common is that I, like you, love online learning, and that is due to the many conveniences it affords me. I haven’t quite gotten to your status with the texting, but I do rely a lot on the different features of my smart phone.
In reference to Dr. McLeod’s question, I believe that the majority of parents, teachers, administrators, school board members, and the state and national legislators are trying to provide the “best” possible education for our students today. To borrow your phrase, we need to change “old school” into “new school” in an effort to meet the needs of today’s students. They are living in a world that will continue to change throughout their lives, and this is primarily due to the lightning fast pace at which technology seems to be advancing.
I enjoyed reading your post, and I look forward to reading more from you in the future.
:) Ruth