Although Chapter One left me feeling overwhelmed about the concept of technology and how I was possibly going to integrate it successfully in within my classroom, Chapter two provided me with the information necessary to begin integrating technology effectively. However, it was a bit overwhelming to discover that I had been carrying around the wrong idea of the Internet and the Web all these years. I discovered through this chapter that the Internet and the Web are indeed two completely different concepts. Right as I was feeling like I could never possibly teach my students all they need to know about the technology and the Internet, I came across the author's comforting words that ensured me to not feel as though I had to have an understanding of all the operations and concepts of technology, but to begin with an understanding of basic technologies that I plan to use in my beginning teaching; it will be from these basic understandings I will build upon my instructional toolkit. This chapter allowed me to become more familiar with the National Educational Technology Standards. I plan to take my deeper understanding of these standards to help me as I begin to understanding basic technologies.
Like chapter one, chapter two gave me many ideas of how to integrate technology within my own classroom. I plan to teach a lesson similar to the one presented in 2.1 by creating an interactive power point that connects with our district's literature curriculum. I also plan to create a web wall directory of useful websites I can use to develop lessons for my kindergarten students.
I am very excited to take the new information I found in chapter's one and two to integrate technology within my classroom, but I have one lingering concern; with the research-based data that proves students spend on average 40 hours/week in front of a screen of some sort, how can I make sure to create a balance in my teaching and avoid contributing to the loss of connection children have with nature?
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Kate,
ReplyDeleteI also have the same concern about kids watching or learning on a screen rather than being outside or spending time with family. I think when using technology if we as teachers can figure out how to integrate nature or the outdoors and family into what we are teaching, kids would be getting what I believe is most important. I also believe it would be great to create a website so students can teach their family about our classroom. Maybe on tis website there would some of the same activites we do in class. I not only think this is good for family relationships, but it is also good for students to be alble to teach their parents about what they do throughout the day. Altogether if we are creating activites that combine both nature and family we are leading our students in the direction of success.
In my subject area I am seeing a change in how are students are becoming virtual based. Meaning they are used to doing everything as if they are really not connected. They text to the friend two lockers down or email the friend across the street. I teach a subject that is very hands-on we do design on the computer then move it out into the shop, build it, test it. The building portion is the amazing part, many students have never used traditional tools and are nervous to do so. The good part is that once they grow accustomed to working with their hands they highly enjoy it. It is still in our students some where, they like to be in the real world; we just need find the way that technology can help them connect to nature or even more the people around them.
ReplyDeleteKate, I am glad that you are not feeling as overwhelmed about technology as you indicated last time! We can't know it all and just plug along learning about new possibilities for classroom use! Just think-- Twitter just came into the headlines not long ago! What will teachers end up doing with that?
ReplyDeleteGreat reflection and ideas!
Joan