I understand that as a teacher, I cannot ignore the technologies which are infused in the lives of today's students. I understand, as the book stated, that much of the information that a young person acquires today comes to him electronically. I just don't necessarily believe that these technologies need to be present in all aspects of education. Perhaps it is because I was not taught to learn this way that my perspective on the topic is so different from the majority. But, if students use technology constantly to manage their everyday lives, then is it really necessary to use it constantly in school? That is to say, they already know how to manage the technologies for specific purposes; shouldn't we as educators teach them to incorporate other ways of thinking? Finding the information online is not the same as learning something. I really am worried about finding that balance between acquiring the information and doing something with it or actually learning from it. Students could spend time online putting together a list of websites that deal with a particular topic, but after looking at them, has the student really learned something from those sites? I also worry about what the students are looking at as well. Now knowing that anyone can edit a wiki, I would never trust the information found on that type of site. I have seen and heard many erroneous statements made because, “well, it was on the web so it must be right.”
As I come to using technologies in the classroom almost kicking and screaming, I worry about teaching my students all that they will need to know in my content area to advance to the next level as they travel through school. Knowing that my students will always be more adept at using technologies, how can I make my class relevant to them? Honestly, I don’t know. Just as there is a gap between the technologies in students’ private lives and what they see in school, there is an even bigger chasm between my potential students and myself. Without even meeting me, they already know that they are smarter and faster at using iPhones, YouTube, blogs, or pretty much anything else on the internet, than I will ever be. I suppose one way to keep from being duped, is to have the students complete an assignment “the old fashion way” with the antiquated paper and pencil and then ask them to convert it to a digital medium. That would allow for me to teach the content and then have the students teach me the technologies.
I don’t want to sound as if I am completely against using technology. I do firmly believe that it is a great tool to communicate with parents, especially in this day and age of the blended family. When Mom and Dad are divorced and each remarried, it would help greatly if all the adults involved in a child’s life had access to what is happening in school. I can see podcasts of lessons being very useful to the shy student who did not want to raise a hand to ask a question. The student could view the podcast at home for review before attempting an assignment. This would also be of great help to students who miss class due to illness. Rather than getting just a list of missing assignments, he could also hear the lesson before attempting the homework. A list of reliable websites that offer tutorials or practice could help students improve. And I suppose that as I use technology more and see positive results in terms of students’ learning, I will become more comfortable expanding the use of such tools. I understand that I will need to constantly look at this and constantly refine it. Students will change as will technologies.
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