As I began reading
Chapter Two this week, unlike in the introduction to last week’s chapter, I did
find that I could identify with the representative teacher called Ava.
Ergo it seems
appropriate that the first concept I chose this week is ‘Your Innovation and
Technology Readiness’. In some ways I
think that technology could enhance my future students learning, but on the
other hand, because I did not grow up with technology, in a sense I feel behind
the preverbal eight ball. As I looked at the Figure 2.1 on page 26, I would say that I definitely
fall between ‘quick to follow proven success’ and ‘cautious observer’ because
while I would characterize myself as positive in attitude, I also know where my
true comfort levels lie. The idea of heading into an arena of middle schoolers
who grew up with technologies I am hearing two phrases in my head. The first, I’m
not sure who originally used this is ‘never let them see you sweat’ because we
all know you sweat when you’re nervous. And the other line is a quote from the
great FDR ‘the only thing we have to fear is fear itself’. I think I’ll go with
FDR, overcome my own fear and move forward with technology!
The second
concept, in a sense dovetails into the first. That being that in the Tech Tool
2.1 section on page 25, it discussed ‘apps’ for teaching and learning and for History/ Social
Studies it described three specific applications which I could see working well
into my future classroom. Early Jamestown, Back in Time and The FDR Years, because
history is one of those subjects that is exciting, but even more so if in a way,
we can ‘bring it to life’. In the literal sense this is not always easy to do,
but through computer technologies history can be unearthed. I remember back in
my youth making dioramas and traveling to museums to make history ‘real’ but
this can be done through various software programs and that is exciting.
The third concept
which I grappled with was the idea of ‘Roles for Technology in Teaching’. As I
read this part which details the ways and frequency of technology usage and
then the obligatory critics of technology in schools thoughts ran amok in my
head. In our world today, technology is everywhere except apparently U.S
schools, which in a sense struck me as almost laughable, but not quite. Babies,
children and young adults are growing up technology savvy, BUT a majority of
the school teachers are still of my generation, not born into it and so still ‘playing
catch-up’. Yes, I know that is a wide generalization, and I do see that things
are moving toward technology as more and more ‘young’ teachers enter the market.
Overall, as with
anything ‘new’ we need to continue to implement and learn what the balance is
that will provide the best results and continue to engage our students and help
them to continue to succeed.
Resources:
Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon
A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies.
2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Woolf, R. D. (2016, September 11). Digital Blog Post #B. Created
with padlet.com screenshot
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