Section 1: Using Technology in Education (My Thoughts)
I believe that technology in the classroom is a great asset to this current generation. In every school and classroom technology is used as a main component and tool to complete lessons and examples in a engaging way. Because it is used in so many different classrooms it is important that teachers know exactly how to use it.
I am very excited to learn about the many different apps available for teachers to use so the students continue to learn in a fun and creative way. I fully believe that teaching using technology in your classroom is a must in the time we live in because everything is turning to technology.
Technology in a classroom can actually save time in the class. A lesson in which a teacher is lecturing the class while students take notes and sit there can feel like it takes forever. The students don’t grasp the information because they are not engaged, making the teacher repeat themselves in hope that the students will catch on. When you teach with technology the students will be more engaged and willing to learn therefore, grasping the information better and quicker. This can shave some time off of a lesson because less students will be lost and confused.
A huge benefit of using technology in the classroom can be quite cost efficient if you do it the right way. For example, if students have cell phones or tablets in your classroom, you as a teacher can easily use an app that allows for students to connect on their phones. If the students have phones this can be essentially pretty cheap to do and allows students to have fun and be fully engaged in the lesson. If students do not have phones they can go on the computers to do the same thing. Technology in a classroom isn’t always an expensive tools like the SMART Board there are many different options to use as simple as apps, recordings you can do on a CD, or even a video to show. This could be just as effective when teaching students.
I feel blogging will be incredibly useful in the classroom. Blogging doesn’t only benefit the students it benefits the parents as well. I can definitely see myself using a blog for my future classroom. The main thing I can see myself using it for is for updates in the classroom and a outline and lessons on it for those who missed the class. I would also have students comment on questions I post about the lesson and get them to comment on other students’ comments. This allows students to get an idea of what the internet can do and to let them communicate and share thoughts with others.
Section 2: Response to Articles on Blogging and Technology
There are tons of different articles out there that bring out good points as to why technology in the classroom and in education is considered to be a good thing. This post will have a few of them along with the main points from the article.
Article 1: “4 reasons People Don’t Blog and Reasons to Change Their Mind” 4 reasons…
This article is written by George Couros. Couros talks about the excuses people make about not wanting to blog and why those are just what they are “excuses.”
Summary: The first excuse Couros talks about is the perception that blogging is useless. He goes on to say that everyone he has heard mention that blogging is useless has never actually given blogging a try. he then goes on to say “The only people allowed to criticize or challenge this idea are people who have blogged for at least one year and written at least 50 posts.” (Couros, 2014)
Response: He is very right about this, if you have never used a blog before and do not know what a blog does, then you should not be able to criticize it. Blogs can be beneficial for teachers, students and parents.
Summary: The second excuse Couros talks about is the excuse of having no time to blog. Couros talks about how the main point of a blog is to help the students and to teach them and yourself the art of “open reflection.” Finding the time to create a space for the students to be able to reflect openly is very important and as educators you should find the time to do so.
Response: I agree with what couros is saying, it is very easy to find time for things you find important. If you prioritize what you think is necessary than you will always find time for those things and open reflection is a much needed tool for students to learn how to use. There should be time for that.
Summary: The third excuse Couros talks about is that people worry about putting their private information on the the internet. Couros starts out with saying that you choose how much personal information you put online. He then goes on to say that as teachers we spend all day with other people’s children, it would be nice and curdious to at least post information and ideas of what you do in the class so the parent’s have an idea what they do in class all day.
Response: I agree with everything Couros is saying here. It is important for parents to know what their children do at school. Having a blog is much like having a website or Facebook, you share information of your choice on each. You are in charge of what you wish to put out there, it doesn’t have to be something very personal.
Summary: The fourth reason and excuse couros talks about is that a lot of people feel that no one wants to hear what they have to say. To this he answers that blogs can be used to give ideas to other teachers and schools, we all learn from each other and we always want to learn new things. If you have a blog you can potentially use it to help other educators which is what this community does.
Response: It is important for you to share with educators what you do so everyone can gain ideas from one another. Building ideas from one another is a big part of being an educator, it is important to participate in your community. Blogs are wonderful tools and every teacher should at least try to do one.
Article 2: “Bring your Own Device” BYOD
This is an article from the government of Alberta.
Summary: This article is about how there has been a rise in how many students own technological devices (laptops, phones, and tablets) and how they should start bringing them to school to help with learning. It says that students now a days are so familiar and able to navigate through devices that they own so by having them bring in their devices you are saving time by not having to explain to them how certain things work. Having enough devices for everyone can be quite costly but by having students bring what they can this is saving money.
They then go to say that it not always is a good thing because not all families in schools can afford technology, therefore, leaving those students out this is not fair to those children. Although these kinds of issues arise, many schools and educators participating in the BYOD program, have found it has worked wonders for them. and this is a great thing to hear.
Response: Technology in classrooms can be a great thing. By encouraging students to use their own devices you are opening them up to a world of technology they had no ideas they could access at home or on their devices, from the palm of their hands. Like mentioned in the article there are problems with equality when not every student has a device at home. I have been at a few schools for practicums that have a couple of tablets available for use so if children don’t have their own let them use school resources. Like tablets or a computer, by having the students that can bring their own, bring their own we are allowing more resources to be available for those who can’t which is great in the end.
Article 3 “Teaching Quality Standard Applicable to the Provision of Basic Education in Alberta”TQS
This article is from the Government of Alberta website.
2J Summary: This section of the article is saying that use of technology in the classroom as a teaching tool should be about engaging the students and to teach the students how to communicate with others and to find information, research, world processing, manage information and keeping records.
Response: I feel this is what school is about we are told to write papers and find information. Knowing who to access this information is very important for when you get into a situation where you need to research. Technology is a wonderful tool and it really helps students to be engaged in the lesson.
2O Summary: This section is saying when you are a teacher you need to find your own ways and techniques of teaching. It is up to you as a teacher to come up with your own ways of executing development activities. They should also work with other’s who are responsible for supervising and evaluating teachers.
Response: The use of technology can be used for teachers to find other teachers’ ideas on how to do things. Using other educator’s ideas as a base to creating your own teaching techniques can be a huge benefit for being a teacher. This is a part of the job and it shows the use of technology can be useful.
3H Summary: This section is saying that teachers use technology in the classroom everyday. You see this with SMART boards, computers and visual media. The job of a teacher is to keep the use of technology in their classroom up to ate. It is up to teachers to decide what is right to use in their classroom and what they think would be most useful for student’s to be using.
Response: There is no specific “must use technology” in the classroom. I feel by giving the teacher the option to use what they want and they see most fitting in the classroom better helps the teachers teach. If the teachers chose the technology they bring into the classroom based on the group of students they have and how they learn, the students will retain the information better while being engaged.
3K Summary: This section of the article is saying basically what I said above. The teachers choose the teaching style that they like and it is up to teachers to chose what they see will help the students’ learn best. They use their knowledge of the classroom, along with the past experiences to help form an idea of what works and what doesn’t. They constantly keep up with advances in education rather than just the “traditional” way.
Response: Having teachers keep up with the advances in education, is a great benefit for the students. Students need to be kept up to date with what is new and most effective. Not all technology is going to work in your classroom, it is up to you to know what will work better and to use what is the best to your knowledge. Teachers have a big responsibility, it is up to us to ensure that it will be the best learning experience to the students.
Brianne Mathieson 