BeliefsIf you take a good look at this picture you can see my three smiling boys. I can see the excitement in their eyes as we snap a shot of a beautiful little trout that we caught on a trip to Kolob Reservoir this summer. I love being a mom. One of the best thing about being a mom is being able to TEACH my children. This picture demonstrates one moment in my life when I was teaching my children while strengthening family relationships.
I think that education should be enjoyable. On occasion my children will come home from school discouraged and frustrated. Sometimes learning is difficult and challenging. I believe there are less painful ways to teach and learn and I think technology is a key factor.
When I was in elementary school computers were used very little. By the time I reached high school computers were everywhere. One of the newest technology was the www. I found the Internet to be slow and irritating. At that time it took so long to access information that it seemed useless. Now there isn't a day that goes by that I don't use the Internet.
I sometimes find advances in technology to be overwhelming. I am very excited to be in a course designed to help me integrate technology into my students' educational experience. One of my greatest goals as a teacher is to teach students how to learn on their own. I want them to be inquisitive. I want them to explore and discover. Technology will be a fantastic tool that will help students in this endeavor.
I put a link to a video I really enjoyed called Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things. This clip shows that greatness is achieved by ordinary people. These ordinary people will be the students walking through our classrooms. Every child is a unique individual with gifts that are just waiting to be discovered. I want to help my students find and refine those gifts.
Technology in EducationI find this picture fascinating as I think about the hard work that went into creating a structure in the side of a cliff. It makes me wonder how the Natives achieved a great task. I am also amazed at how far humans have advanced in the last century. I am impressed with the advances in technology and how quickly they occur.
I grew up with computers. They were a part of my educational experience, so I am familiar with some technology. I have been around long enough to see cell phones change drastically. I find it amusing that I have to tell my children about the "old days" when you had to talk on a phone that was attached to an outlet in the wall. There are dramatic changes in technology occurring constantly and this will have a great impact on education.
Watching the films and reading the articles presented for this assignment was enlightening. I didn't understand how massive the technological impact on the children and youth in the school system. I believe that this impact has benefits as well as disadvantages.
I think technology is a great asset for teachers. This is a tool that can help teachers reach their curricular goals. Technology has provided teachers the ability to present new and exciting information that is more engaging for today's students. It also affords teachers the capability of challenging students to learn on their own. Teaching with technology provides students opportunities to explore and create.
I also observed in the film clips and articles that students want better and more access to technology. Students want to be creative and inventive. There are numerous ways that technology will help them accomplish this goal. In implementing a technology filled education, ethics need to be taught. Unfortunately technology is used for passing negative or inappropriate information as well as educational information. Students need to have morals that will allow the proper use of today's technology.
I believe as in all things that a balance is required. I think it is possible that the overuse of technology can have a negative impact on education. I think it is important for students to interact in a classroom with a teacher and other students. There are certain life lessons that need to be taught that can't be taught on a computer or through text messaging. So it is my goal to integrate technology by having it accessible but not overusing it.
Technology Strengths and Weaknesses
After reviewing the surveys I have discovered that I function near the middle or apprentice level. I have used many technology devices with a limited knowledge of the capabilities of each device. I operate a computer frequently as well as use the Internet. My knowledge of the Internet is minimal. I am excited to learn in greater depth the possibilities of online activities, such as blogging. I know how to operate a digital camera, ipod, cell phone with ease.
As a teacher, I am especially interested in knowing the best way to incorporate technology into the curriculum. I feel that this blog I created specifically for this assignment may be lacking in content due to the time I spent learning how to create the blog. I believe this would qualify as my second official blog. It was pretty easy. I am still not sure how to change the order of the posts that I created. I am sure it is easy. I just couldn't figure it out. I think blogging could be a fantastic way to stay in touch with students. They could always have a reference for expectations. I want to know more in how to become a proficient blogger.
In order to increase my abilities in technology I found a podcast on iTunes called Photoshop for Digital Photographers. I know I love to take pictures and believe my students will enjoy taking pictures as well. I believe this will help me learn how to use my digital pictures to enhance my teaching abilities.
I also found another site called Internet 4 Classrooms that offers tutorials on all the latest technology. There are tutorials on several different software products as well as hardware devices. I have marked this site and look forward for a return visit.
