Bec’s Blog

So, technology hey?…
A whole lot to know and a whole lot more to learn.

At times it seems that we are struggling to keep up with it all, but as teachers of the future, it is our role to make sure that we keep up the pace, and never stop learning and discovering.  How do we educate and prepare our students for all that they will have to learn?

I think that the best way that we can even attempt to teach our students all that they need to know about technology, is to firstly know all we can know ourselves.  As long as we know what we are talking about, it will make it easier on both us and our students. 

I also think it is important to invest in new technologies as they come out, and let your students play around with them so that they can ease into how they work.  By allowing your students to manipulate and play with the new technologies and softwares available, they will most probably begin to teach themselves.  I know that i was never really taught in detail about how to use computers, but somehow it comes quite naturally to me.  I know that this is because i have grown up using them, since i started school, and i was given the chance to figure things out myself, and in my own time.

In my own classroom, i plan to use new technologies where possible, and not restrict my lessons by keeping to ‘traditional’ methods and teaching tools.  There is so much that teachers can use in there lessons, to enhance learning experiences, and cater to so many different learning styles among students. 

Today’s online resources are ever expanding and improving.   For students to be able to go online and search for almost anything in the world, can be seen as both helpful and harmful to their education.

For example, if a child was to search the internet for “play” a wide selection of results could be possible. The availability of these kinds of resources, most of which are probably irrelevant or inappropriate to what they are trying to research.  It’s not just the information that can harm them but also the graphic nature of what is displayed on the computer monitor.

As a teacher it is important to monitor and watch your students on the computer, to restrict and limit them coming across the dangers of the internet.  There are particular sites that have been aimed for young kids to use, which I was unaware of previous to the class presentations on these topics.  I guess you could say things like that are what will help make any teacher’s job just that little bit easier, so that they don’t have to worry about turning their back for that split second.

This is a technology I didn’t even know existed until the presentation in class on it. I have now realised that I was using this technology without thinking, and playing a part in it whether I understood it or not.

For example, television shows such as Australian Idol or Dancing With the Stars run from contributions  of viewers who use their mobile phones to vote for who they want to win. This is the same kind of technology as the simple ‘clicker’ tool that can be used in classroom. The main idea is the search for peoples’ opinions or vote on a particular topic.

This technology is very personalised but avoids face to face contact with the person/people participating.

In the classroom, the use of this kind of technology could be very helpful to students who are not comfortable with verbally sharing ideas or voicing their opinions. There are negatives however, where options are limited and it cannot be used as an open ended task

Years ago who would have thought our regular cameras would become digital and so advanced as to what they are today? Photography as at a totally new and advanced stage to what it originally was thanks to improved levels of technology.

Now, not only can you edit, delete and totally manipulate your photo’s, but you can upload your photos online and share them with the world.

I question the safety and security of these kind of online photo sharing, but at the same time can see a lot of value in it; value for not only personal uses, but also educational ones too.

As technology seems to be taking over our lives, classrooms are becoming more and more over loaded with it. I’m not saying that it is a bad thing, so that’s why it is vital for upcoming teachers (such as myself) to brush up on all these new technologies.

Smart boards are soon to be an everyday tool for classrooms, but just like any other technology they come with their pros and cons. They are an incredible interactive tool, but yet they are limited to only one student using them at a time. How necessary are Smartboards in the classroom? Was there anything wrong with the traditional black or whiteboard?

What ever happened to over head projectors ? It has become a lot easier now for teachers by having this new digital upgrade of  information, resources and accessibility to hands on teaching tools. The old system of over head projectors was often covering up the information or answers with an old piece of paper and using a whiteboard marker to correct mistakes.

Now it is all at the click of a button!

Who would have thought that ipod’s and MP3′s had so many more uses than just playing music?
At the beginning of the presentation in class on this topic, we were asked to make a brainstorm on everything we knew ipod’s and MP3′s did. 

…mine consisted of playing music…
and that was about it, cause honestly thats all i use my ipod for.

After finding out that there was so much more they could do, i realised i was oblivious to how useful these kinds of technologies can be.  I also NEVER would have thought of using ipods and MP3′s as a teaching tool, but now can see how they could be quite a good educational resource.

Music and song writing, i know it is some-what a part of technology, and so it’s got me thinking…

I have always grown up listening to songs that had a meaning or a purpose for not only the people who wrote them, but also for myself.  This has even turned into me searching for songs that reflect my emotions or feelings, even if it means hunting through hundreds of them just to find that one perfect one.

After having a brief introduction into how to make our own music through different computer softwares, i have been reflecting on how much of a useful tool this could be to students.  For me, when i was in school, if i was given the oppertunity to play music and make my own songs i think that would have been GREAT!  Think of how much emotion can be put into one single song, and for a student who wasn’t good at expressing their feelings of sadness or frustration etc, they could get it out through music.
…but not just ANYONE’S music (by having to hunt for the right song like i do), their OWN music…

What a fantastic social-emotional tool, or so i think so :)

Last week I did my class presentation on Social Networking sites such as Facebook and Myspace, and after researching it, I found it hard to connect them back to how they could be educational.
I was thinking it would be great to get some broad feedback on this, and see if anyone has actually used these kinds of sites in their classroom, or has ideas on how they could be used.

Personally I think there are a lot of things that would stop me from using it with my students, in regards to privacy etc, but maybe I am being really closed minded about it all.

…A little help or advice?

Ok, so I am starting to realise how MASSIVE technology actually is!

I figured, being in generation Y, I would be pretty clued in, in regards to computers and different softwares that are now becoming such a massive part of our lives.  I am now realising that I wasn’t exactly on the ball with just assuming that…it is so much more than I thought!!

Don’t get me wrong, I’m loving getting my hands ‘messy’ with so much new information, but at the same time its scaring me just a little.

Week after week, I have sat in class and heard my classmate’s presentations on Blogging, Social Networking, YouTube, Teacher TV, KeepVid, and (now after today) Smartboards and Podcasting.  If you think about it, how much does everyone REALLY know about these programs, and can anyone ever know EVERYTHING there is to know??  

As I’m learning how to be a teacher, I’m also learning so much more that I personally didnt even know, which eventually will become second nature to me.  But then from there I have to pass on my new (and ever growing) knowledge of technology to my students, who will pass that on to others, and so on…
I don’t think there will ever be a point at which it comes to a stop, so right now, all I can do is take in as much as I can, and hopefully be able to pass what I know on to help others understand better too.

Well, after having a class today based on setting up my own blogging page, and learning about how to use them, it has left me with a lot of questions.  Questions, not only about how to ‘un-complicate’ how to use blogs, but also about the real purpose of them.

We had a discussion about its purpose, and also how educational it can be, but I’m not sure if I’m totally convinced.  Sure, it’s a chance to express your opinions, and have an in-depth conversation online, which would be impossible to have face to face.  Sure, you can hear other’s opinions about interesting issues, and find out more information than you probably could in any ‘real life’ situation because of the avalibility of people’s opinions whom you don’t even know…

…BUT…

What ever happened to good old pen and paper when it comes to putting down your ideas into writing?  Are students really getting that much more educational value by sitting, staring a computer screen instead of having the personable experience of a real conversation?  How much does typing on a computer limit a student’s learning about spelling and grammar? (because it’s all corrected on the computer for them automatically).
Where is the educational value in that?

I’m just not sure how much value i can see in blogging, but please, if you have a convincing argument to sway my opinion here, do share it with me.  Maybe because I’m new to this whole ‘blogging world’, i just haven’t had the chance to see the purpose of it, YET…